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What is Powered Air Personal Protection (PAPR)

Date: 16-03-2021
We Make it Easy Welding Fumes Welding Safety High Performance Wire

 


With so many Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) products on the market, it can be hard to see why one product is worth the investment over another. However, when it comes to welding, at Alphaweld we understand that safety is the highest priority, and that all safety equipment like welding blankets must be convenient and comfortable to use.

In our previous blog, we discussed the crucial role of welding tents in ensuring safe working conditions; in this blog we would like to draw your attention to another piece of welding equipment designed to improve safety, convenience and comfort: Powered Air Personal Protection or PAPR.

If you have been plagued by uncomfortable heat, difficult to contain fumes, or lack of mobility while undertaking welds, then the PAPR filtration system is likely to be your favourite work mate.

What is a Welding PAPR System?

Powered Air Personal Protection refers to belt-mounted air filtration systems that typically connect to your welding helmet to provide clean oxygenated air and a cool and comfortable temperature.

PAPR filters up to 99.9999% of particulates down to 0.12 microns and has the benefit of being portable, meaning that you can breathe freely without carcinogenic risk no matter where your welds are located.

Additionally, the fan mechanism continuously forces ambient air through the air purifier into the welding helmet, which works to keep you cool and reduce perspiration.

Finally, PAPR can be selected to work with both tight fitting and loose helmets and protective hoods, which ensures that PAPR offers a great deal of versatility on the worksite, as well as convenience.


What are the Main Benefits of PAPR?

The most important function of PAPR is to protect welders from dangerous fumes. Welders can suffer significant exposure to hot metal and gases that are released from the welding arc if they are not adequately protected. Welding fumes can contain a variety of dangerous gases such as oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), ozone(O3) and shield gases that can cause serious physiological illness after exposure. Air powered air systems help to control welder’s exposure to these fumes and protect them for their toxic effects on the body, by providing clean air directly to the welder. In contrast to larger air filtration systems, PAPR has the benefit of being targeted and perfectly adapted to the conditions around the wearer. In short, PAPR provides superior protection.

Secondly, PAPR is portable, it goes where you go. This means that cool and comfortable welds are possible in any terrain.

Thirdly, PAPR works by introducing positive rather than negative pressure. Positive pressure is crucial to air flow and safety, but it has a side benefit of allowing welders to retain their beards.

Finally, breathing is comfortable when using PAPR technology. As PAPR does pull air through a close-fitting filter, you are able to breathe naturally and without effort.

Shop our Premium Range of PAPR Equipment

Alphaweld have been supplying premium welding products for over fourteen years. We will help you find the most superior quality PAPR to ensure you are safe, productive and fully compliant. Browse our online store or contact us for more information.