What is the PF for a PAPR?

• A. 100
• B. 1000
• C. 10000
• D. 10

Answer: (B)

Protection Factor is the amount by which a respirator lowers your exposure to contaminants. For a powered air-purifying respirator, especially with a tight-fitting facepiece, the protection factor is about 1000. That means the air in your breathing zone is reduced to roughly one-thousandth of the contaminant concentration outside the respirator, assuming the device is functioning properly and the fit is tight. This high level of protection comes from the positive pressure created inside the facepiece and the efficient filtration.

Note that with a loose-fitting hood, the protection factor is much lower (around 25) because there can be more inward leakage. So when the question asks for the PF for a PAPR in the typical, tight-fitting scenario, the value is 1000.