Vinyl chloride respirators, including all completely assembled respirators which are designed for use as respiratory protection during entry into and escape from vinyl chloride atmospheres containing adequate oxygen to support life, are described according to their construction as follows:

(a) Front-mounted or back-mounted gas masks;

(b) Chin-style gas masks;

(c) Chemical-cartridge respirators;

(d) Powered air-purifying respirators; and

(e) Other devices, including combination respirators.

(a) Each vinyl chloride respirator described in § 84.250 shall, where its design requires, contain the following component parts:

(1) Facepiece;

(2) Canister with end-of-service-life indicator;

(3) Cartridge with end-of-service-life indicator;

(4) Harness;

(5) Attached blower; and

(6) Breathing tube.

(b) The components of each vinyl chloride respirator shall meet the minimum construction requirements set forth in Subpart G of this part.

(a) Except for the tests prescribed in § 84.126, the minimum requirements and performance tests for gas masks, prescribed in Subpart I of this part, are applicable to vinyl chloride gas masks.

(b) The following bench tests are applicable to canisters designed for use with gas masks for entry into and escape from vinyl chloride atmospheres containing adequate oxygen to support life:

(1) Four canisters will be equilibrated at 25 ±5 °C by passing 85 ±5 percent relative humidity air through them at 64 liters per minute for six hours.

(2) The equilibrated canisters will be resealed, kept in an upright position at room temperature, and tested according to paragraph (b)(3) of this section within 18 hours.

(3) The canisters equilibrated and stored as described in paragraphs (b) (1) and (2) of this section will be tested on an apparatus that allows the test atmosphere at 85 ±5 percent relative humidity and 25 ±5 °C to enter the canister continuously at a concentration of 25 ppm vinyl chloride monomer at a total flow rate of 64 liters per minute.

(4) The maximum allowable penetration after six hours of testing according to paragraph (b)(3) of this section shall not exceed 1 ppm vinyl chloride.

(c) Where canisters are submitted for testing and approval with a service life of more than four hours, the period of time for testing for vinyl chloride penetration will be performed at 150% of the service life specified in the manufacturer's application. (Example: If a manufacturer requests approval of a respirator for six hours use against exposure to vinyl chloride, the maximum allowable penetration after nine hours of testing shall not exceed 1 ppm vinyl chloride.)

(a) Except for the tests prescribed in §§ 84.206 and 84.207, the minimum requirements and performance tests for chemical-cartridge respirators prescribed in Subpart L of this part are applicable to replaceable-cartridge and single-use vinyl chloride chemical-cartridge respirators.

(b) The following bench tests are applicable to cartridges designed for use with chemical-cartridge respirators for entry into and escape from vinyl chloride atmospheres containing adequate oxygen to support life:

(1) Where two cartridges are used in parallel on a chemical-cartridge respirator, the bench test requirements will apply to the combination rather than the individual cartridges.

(2) Four cartridges or pairs of cartridges will be equilibrated at 25 ±5 °C by passing 85 ±5 percent relative humidity air through them at 25 liters per minute for six hours.

(3) The equilibrated cartridges will be resealed, kept in an upright position, at room temperature, and tested according to paragraphs (b)(4) and (b)(5) of this section for other than single-use respirators or according to paragraphs (b)(6) and (b)(7) of this section for single-use respirators within 18 hours.

(4) The cartridges or pairs of cartridges for other than single-use respirators, equilibrated and stored as described in paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(2), and (b)(3) of this section, will be tested on an apparatus that allows the test atmosphere at 85 ±5 percent relative humidity and 25 ±5 °C, to enter the cartridges or pairs of cartridges continuously at a concentration of 10 ppm vinyl chloride monomer at a total flowrate of 64 liters per minute.

(5) The maximum allowable penetration after 90 minutes testing of cartridges or pairs of cartridges for other than single-use respirators, according to paragraph (b)(4) of this section shall not exceed 1 ppm vinyl chloride.

(6) The single-use respirators, equilibrated and stored as described in paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this section, will be tested on an apparatus that allows a test atmosphere at 85 ±5 percent relative humidity and 25 ±5 °C to be cycled through the respirator by a breathing machine at a concentration of 10 ppm vinyl chloride monomer at the rate of 24 respirations per minute at a minute volume of 40 ±0.6 liters. Air exhaled through the respirator will be 35 ±2 °C with 94 ±3 percent relative humidity.

(7) The maximum allowable penetration after 144 minutes testing of respirators, according to paragraph (b)(6) of this section, shall not exceed 1 ppm vinyl chloride.

(a) Except for the tests prescribed in § 84.207, the minimum requirements and performance tests for powered air-purifying respirators prescribed in subpart L of this part are applicable to vinyl chloride powered air-purifying respirators.

(b) The following bench tests are applicable to cartridges designed for use with powered air-purifying respirators for entry into and escape from vinyl chloride atmospheres containing adequate oxygen to support life:

(1) Four cartridges will be equilibrated at 25 ±°C by passing 85 ±5 percent relative humidity air through them at 115 liters per minute for tight-fitting facepieces and 170 liters per minute for loose-fitting hoods and helmets, for six hours.

(2) The equilibrated cartridges will be resealed, kept in an upright position at room temperature and tested according to paragraph (b)(3) of this section within 18 hours.

(3) The cartridges equilibrated and stored as described in paragraphs (b) (1) and (2) of this section will be tested on an apparatus that allows the test atmosphere at 85 ±5 percent relative humidity and 25 ±5 °C to enter the cartridge continuously at a concentration of 25 ppm vinyl chloride monomer at a total flow rate of 115 liters per minute for tight-fitting facepieces and 170 liters per minute for loose-fitting hoods and helmets.

(4) The maximum allowable penetration after six hours of testing according to paragraph (b)(3) of this section shall not exceed 1 ppm vinyl chloride.

(a) Each canister or cartridge submitted for testing and approval in accordance with §§ 84.252, 84.253, and 84.254 shall be equipped with a canister or cartridge end-of-service-life indicator which shows a satisfactory indicator change or other obvious warning before 1 ppm vinyl chloride penetration occurs. The indicator shall show such change or afford such warning at 80 ±10 percent of the total service life to 1 ppm leakage, as determined by continuing each test described in §§ 84.252(b), 84.253(b), and 84.254(b) until a 1 ppm leakage of vinyl chloride occurs.

(b) The applicant shall provide sufficient pretest data to verify the performance of the end-of-service-life indicator required in paragraph (a) of this section.

(a) In addition to the construction and performance requirements specified in §§ 84.251, 84.252, 84.253, 84.254, and 84.255, the quality control requirements in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section apply to approval of gas masks, chemical cartridge respirators, and powered air-purifying respirators for entry into and escape from vinyl chloride atmospheres containing adequate oxygen to support life.

(b) The respirators submitted for approval as described in paragraph (a) of this section shall be accompanied by a complete quality control plan meeting the requirements of subpart E of this part.

(c)(1) The applicant shall specify in the plan that a sufficient number of samples will be drawn from each bulk container of sorbent material and that where activated carbon is used, the following specific tests will be performed:

(i) Apparent density;

(ii) Iodine number;

(iii) Moisture content;

(iv) Carbon tetrachloride number; and

(v) Mesh size.

(2) The tests in paragraph (c)(1) of this section shall be performed in a quantity necessary to assure continued satisfactory conformance of the canisters and cartridges to the requirements of this subpart.

(d) Final performance quality control tests on the complete canisters and cartridges shall be accomplished using the bench tests and procedures prescribed in §§ 84.252, 84.253, 84.254, and 84.255.

(a) A warning shall be placed on the label of each gas mask, chemical-cartridge respirator, and powered air-purifying respirator, and on the label of each canister and cartridge, alerting the wearer to the need for a fitting test in accordance with the manufacturer's facepiece fitting instructions, providing service life information, providing specific instructions for disposal, and advising that the wearer may communicate to NIOSH any difficulties that may be experienced in the design and performance of any gas mask, chemical-cartridge respirator, or powered air-purifying respirator approved under the requirements of this subpart. The service lives of respirators meeting the test requirements of this subpart shall be specified as follows:

Chemical-cartridge respirator 1 hour. Gas mask 4 hours. Powered air-purifying respirator 4 hours.

(b) Where the service life of a respirator is approved for more than four hours, the service life for which the respirator has been approved will be specified.