%0 Journal Article
%T The Effect of Wearing Different Types of Respirators on Postural Stability and Comfort
%A Sandra M. Woolley
%A Farhang Akbar-Khanzadeh
%A Kent Huang
%J International Journal of Occupational Hygiene
%D 2012
%I Tehran University of Medical Sciences
%X Respirators are commonly used to protect workers against workplace airborne contaminants, but this equipment may become a safety hazard by creating discomfort, disorientation and postural instability.Although postural stability is critical to workers, especially those working near moving objects or on surfaces where a loss of balance may become life threatening, little attention has been given to the effect of respirators on wearers¡¯ postural stability. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of wearing a half-mask respirator, a full-face respirator, a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and no-respirator on postural stability, using computerized dynamic posturography (CDP). The subjects¡¯perception of comfort was also assessed. Over 60% of the subjects reported that wearing a respirator was uncomfortable and 20% felt that they had difficulty balancing while wearing the SCBA. The half-mask respirators, full-face respirators or SCBA did not produce any differences in postural stability over a baseline (no-respirator). However, the subjects expressed concerns with comfort.
%K Respirator
%K Postural Balance
%K Comfort
%U http://ijoh.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijoh/article/view/74/73