Effects of Respirators on Worker Efficiency

[BYRPV@ccmail.ceco.com]

RADSAFERS,

I found this posted on our HP bulletin board:
     
     EPRI has released a new report entitled, "Effects of Respirators on 
     Worker Efficiency."  (EPRI TR-105350)
     
     The report documents an experiment to investigate the effects of full 
     face piece air purifying respirators on worker efficiency.  Twenty 
     nuclear power plant workers were trained to perform 2 tasks.  Each 
     subject then performed the task with and without a respirator.  The 
     times to complete the tasks were compared.  
     
     The report suggests that respirator use does not significantly 
     increase the radiation exposure time of workers completing tasks.  For 
     one of the tasks there was no statistically significant effect and for 
     the second task there was a 1% faster to 5% slower completion time 
     with the respirator.
     
     The report qualifies its results by stating that the study did not 
     assess all types of tasks, especially for tasks requiring 
     communication between workers, poorly lit spaces, or cramped working 
     spaces.
     
     HPSD will review the EPRI report to determine if any change is 
     warranted to the default 20% inefficiency currently incorporated into 
     NRP procedures.  The EPRI report is one "data point" which reflects 
     results inconsistent with other studies (including ComEd's) that have 
     generally shown 20 to 25 % inefficiencies associated with respirator 
     use.
     
     Paul Vitalis
     byrpv@ccmail.ceco.com