COSHH regulations state that “As an employer, there is a clear responsibility under the requirements of the HSE to provide fit for purpose safety equipment for all employees that may work in an environment or carry out a process which may be hazardous to an employee’s health. Should an employer fail to provide and maintain this equipment, they will be liable for any damages claimed by an affected employee”.

In response to the above regulations, many employers provide respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to control exposure. This, however, is only the first step to compliance; the maintenance and testing of said equipment is vital as per the below standards.

British Standards

BS EN 529 states that in the case of breathing air apparatus ‘the volume flow and quality of the air should be thoroughly tested at intervals as specified by a competent person’. Further to this, a reference is then made to the BS EN 12021 “Respiratory protective devices – compressed air for breathing apparatus” regarding air purity specification. The levels at which an employer’s breathing air is considered acceptable are affirmed as follows: