What are the two main types of respirators?

What are the two main types of respirators?

• A. Air-purifying & PAPR
• B. N95 and PAPR
• C. Air-purifying & SCBA
• D. SCBA and half-face

Answer: (C)

Two broad categories describe how breathing air is supplied by respirators: air-purifying and atmosphere-supplying. Air-purifying respirators remove contaminants from the surrounding air using filters, cartridges, or canisters, relying on the ambient air for breathing. Atmosphere-supplying respirators provide their own air source, drawing clean air from a tank or from a supplied-air line, so the wearer isn’t pulling in air from the surroundings. Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is the primary example of atmosphere-supplying PPE, while air-purifying devices include filters and cartridges of various kinds (and even powered versions like PAPRs), which still fall under the air-purifying umbrella. Therefore, the two main types are air-purifying and SCBA.

Two broad categories describe how breathing air is supplied by respirators: air-purifying and atmosphere-supplying. Air-purifying respirators remove contaminants from the surrounding air using filters, cartridges, or canisters, relying on the ambient air for breathing. Atmosphere-supplying respirators provide their own air source, drawing clean air from a tank or from a supplied-air line, so the wearer isn’t pulling in air from the surroundings. Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is the primary example of atmosphere-supplying PPE, while air-purifying devices include filters and cartridges of various kinds (and even powered versions like PAPRs), which still fall under the air-purifying umbrella. Therefore, the two main types are air-purifying and SCBA.