RPD Selection Information

Any type of respirator may impose some physiological and psychological stress on the user. Persons who are routinely required to wear respirators should have an initial medical assessment prior to use to determine if they are able to wear respirators. Further medical assessment may be required when there is a change in circumstances that may affect the worker’s ability to wear the RPE.

As part of the medical assessment, the following considerations should be evaluated:

1. Physiological considerations – Regular wearing of non-powered air-purifying RPE and negative pressure demand air-supplied RPE imposes an extra burden on cardiac and respiratory systems. Thus, a person with a history of disorders in these areas should be medically assessed by a medical practitioner or an occupational health physician, especially where heavy work or prolonged wearing of RPE is anticipated. When assessing RPE users, consideration should also be given to the individual employee’s ability over prolonged periods to support the weight of certain RPE (e.g. SCBA) or to handle up to 30 m of line, if equipped with air-line RPE.
2. Psychological considerations – Helmet, hood and full facepiece RPE, especially when combined with full body protection, may give rise to feelings of claustrophobia, isolation and anxiety in some people. Such people will find it difficult to perform their work satisfactorily under these conditions. Training programs are available to assist users in overcoming such feelings of anxiety.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1910.134 APC has a freely accessible respirator medical evaluation questionnaire. The use of this questionnaire is not a mandatory requirement in Australia and New Zealand, but is a good reference point for medical considerations and respirator use.

The Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine Inc (ANZSOM) is the professional society for those who practice or have an interest in the fields of occupational medicine, occupational nursing and workplace health more generally. ANZSOM would be the recommended starting point for workplaces looking for Workplace medical assessment including respirator use evaluations. https://www.anzsom.org.au/find-an-expert 

Reference/s for further information and detail:

AS/NZS 1715:2009 – Selection, use and maintenance – Section 6
SA/SNZ TS ISO 16975.1:2023 – Selection, use and maintenance – Section 7.3.3.2 & Annex D.2