RPE chooser

How this tool works

Guidance rules: wood-dust RPE where required → at least APF 20; facial hair crossing a seal → assess loose-fitting RPE; long continuous wear → discuss powered options.

• A guidance questionnaire, not an exposure assessment or a guarantee of protection.
• Wood dust only; gases, vapours and oxygen-deficient spaces require a different assessment.
• Continuous wear time is time between breaks, not total hours in the workshop.

Worked example

For sanding MDF with facial hair crossing the seal and 90 minutes of continuous wear, the engine returns: Discuss a suitable loose-fitting powered hood or helmet.

• Use effective extraction at the source. RPE supplements the other controls where residual exposure remains.
• HSE woodworking guidance calls for at least APF 20 where RPE is needed, for example FFP3. FFP2 is not the APF 20 option. A reusable half mask with suitable P3 filters is another assessed option.
• Facial hair crossing the seal rules out a tight-fitting facepiece. If unsure about the seal, get advice before use. A suitable loose-fitting powered hood or helmet avoids reliance on that face seal; confirm the complete system provides the required APF.
• For continuous wear of an hour or more, discuss powered RPE and planned breaks with a competent adviser. HSE recommends unpowered tight-fitting RPE for less than an hour continuously.
• Check suitability for the person, workload, other protective equipment and environment. Follow the maker’s training, cleaning, storage and filter-replacement instructions. This questionnaire is not a risk assessment or a personal prescription.

Illustrative inputs only; these are not product specifications or an installation recommendation.