Safe Pass Personal Protective Equipment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is RPE and when is it required?
- Respiratory Protective Equipment, required when airborne hazards cannot be controlled at source (Correct answer)
- Road Planning Equipment
- Rapid Project Evaluation
- Regional Planning Estimate
Correct answer: Respiratory Protective Equipment, required when airborne hazards cannot be controlled at source
RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment) includes masks and respirators required when workers may be exposed to harmful dusts, fumes, gases, or vapours that cannot be controlled by other means.
Question 2: What is the difference between a dust mask and a respirator?
- A dust mask filters particles only; a respirator can filter gases, vapours, and particles (Correct answer)
- They are the same thing
- A dust mask is more effective
- A respirator is only for underwater use
Correct answer: A dust mask filters particles only; a respirator can filter gases, vapours, and particles
A basic dust mask (filtering facepiece) only filters particulate matter. A respirator can be fitted with different cartridges to filter gases, vapours, and finer particles.
Question 3: What does FFP3 mean on a disposable dust mask?
- Filtering Facepiece class 3 — the highest level of particulate filtration (Correct answer)
- Fire Fighting Protection level 3
- First Floor Protection 3
- Full Face Piece type 3
Correct answer: Filtering Facepiece class 3 — the highest level of particulate filtration
FFP3 is the highest classification of disposable filtering facepiece, offering at least 99% filtration efficiency, suitable for the most hazardous dusts including asbestos.
Question 4: What must an employer do before issuing RPE to workers?
- Ensure it fits properly through face-fit testing (Correct answer)
- Just hand it out without checking
- Only check the price
- Ask workers to buy their own
Correct answer: Ensure it fits properly through face-fit testing
Before issuing RPE, employers must ensure it is suitable for the hazard, fits the individual worker properly (through face-fit testing), and the worker is trained in its use.
Question 5: What type of gloves should be used for handling rough materials like concrete blocks?
- Rigger gloves with reinforced palms for abrasion resistance (Correct answer)
- Thin latex gloves
- No gloves needed
- Woollen mittens
Correct answer: Rigger gloves with reinforced palms for abrasion resistance
Rigger gloves with reinforced palms provide abrasion resistance and grip when handling rough materials like concrete blocks, bricks, and timber.
Question 6: Why must chemical-resistant gloves be matched to the specific chemical?
- Different chemicals penetrate different glove materials — wrong gloves provide no protection (Correct answer)
- All gloves work against all chemicals
- Chemical-resistant gloves are universal
- Only the colour matters
Correct answer: Different chemicals penetrate different glove materials — wrong gloves provide no protection
Different chemicals can penetrate, degrade, or permeate different glove materials. The wrong type of chemical-resistant glove may offer no protection at all.
Safe Pass Personal Protective Equipment 3
What is RPE and when is it required?