If the asbestos fiber concentration exceeds 100 times, which type of respirators must be worn?

In scenarios where asbestos fiber concentration exceeds 100 times the permissible exposure limit, the use of self-contained breathing respirators (SCBAs) is mandated to ensure the safety and health of workers. SCBAs provide a high level of protection because they completely isolate the user from the contaminated air, supplying purified air from a tank worn on the back. This is crucial in environments with extreme hazard levels like high concentrations of asbestos, where traditional filtering respirators may not provide adequate protection.

The choice of SCBAs is particularly important because they ensure that even in situations where the air quality may be dangerously poor and could compromise the integrity of air filters, workers will still have an uncontaminated air supply. This level of protection is necessary in cases of severe exposure risks, which is why SCBAs are specified for such high levels of asbestos fibers in the air.