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Formaldehyde respirator selection

Lab Safety Advisor, July 24, 2007

When working with formaldehyde or 10% formalin and respiratory protection is required, use a full face respirator with a formaldehyde specific canister. The canisters must have an end-of-service life indicator on them. If they don't, then they must be thrown away after three hours or less of use.

You can purchase this type of respirator from most safety products catalogs. Once you get the respirator, you will have to fit test employees who deal with formaldehyde. Employees with facial hair, where the hair meets the respirator facepiece seal, are prohibited from wearing such a respirator. This is an OSHA requirement under the respiratory protection standard (1910.134[g][1][i][A]).

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