Under circumstances where a person is likely to be exposed to a workplace environment with gas or airborne material, protection is essential.  There are a huge variety of different respirator masks available to suit different conditions, and to ensure that staff are safe, it is necessary to understand which type of respirator mask is required for which situations, in order to provide the best possible protection.

Respirator masks fall into 3 basic categories, which are used under different circumstances, and require different training and precautions to be taken.  Essentially, the 3 main types of respirator masks are SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus), PAPR (Powered Air Purifying Respirators), and finally Escape Breathing Devices.

Self Contained Breathing Apparatus or SCBA respirator masks are used in industrial circumstances where the user needs access to a guaranteed safe air supply.  The name: Self Contained Breathing Apparatus means that the equipment provides a micro environment which is cut off from any external pollutants or chemicals.  SCBA respirator masks are made up of two components.  A large tank of air is worn on the back and connected to an airtight respirator mask which is worn over the head.

The tank of air, which is under high pressure, will usually provide enough air for up to an hour, but larger versions are available which last for longer.  The SCBA respirator mask is needed under circumstances where there is not a safe air supply available, and where the operator must be provided with a safe supply of air to allow them to survive.

Essentially an industrial SCBA respirator mask is identical to the equipment worn by a diver, and the same precautions such as keeping track of how much air is available at any time must be undertaken.  There are two main types of SCBA respirator masks, open and