Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) are used in many workplaces to protect workers when working with hazardous substances. These include:
- gases
- sprays
- solvents
- dusts
RPE comes with various forms, such as:
- visors
- hoods
- masks
- helmets
The use of masks or respirators should not be the first or only precaution taken to protect your workforce. It is however a very good temporary precaution while you make arrangements for proper protection. You should take every other reasonable step to control the exposure and improve air quality and ventilation in your work area.
Your justification for using RPE should be clear in your risk assessment, which needs to be written if you have five or more employees.
The equipment must fit the wearer and be the right type for the task, the substance and the work environment.
If using or selecting RPE, it is important to select the correct equipment and correct fit for the workers concerned. This will vary depending on the worker and the jobs they do.
Select the right RPE
You can use the RPE Selector Tool to determine what kind of equipment you or your employees will need for a hazardous substance, activity and work area involved.
Types of RPE
Information on different types of RPE can be found using the links below.
- Disposable half-mask respirator.
- Reusable half-mask respirator.
- Full-face mask respirator.
- Fan-powered reusable full-face mask respirator.
- Fan-powered respirator with reusable hood, helmet or visor.
- Unpowered fresh air hose breathing apparatus (FAHBA) with full-face mask.
- Compressed airline breathing apparatus (CABA) with half-mask.
- Compressed airline breathing apparatus (CABA) or powered fresh air hose breathing apparatus (FAHBA) with full-face mask.
- Compressed airline breathing apparatus (CABA) or powered fresh air hose breathing apparatus (FAHBA) with hood, helmet or visor.
- Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or compressed airline breathing apparatus (CABA) with a demand valve full-face mask.
Find out more
Watch the Clean Air? Take Care! campaign video (external site) to help you correctly select and use respirators. It provides a summary on the selection and use of RPE at work.
Visit the dust hub (external site) on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) site.