High dust environments mining and quarry Stone, cement and concrete handling Maintenance and cleaning Grain and food handling Metal fabrication and welding Chemical or biological material handling No servicing or maintenance Particulate and gas filters available Up to 8 hours run time Few parts and low inventory No hoses, cables or belt mounted battery packs Portacount fit testing Lightweight (500g) and compact Compatibility with PPE People genuinely are delighted by how fantastic it feels and performs.”ĬleanSpace Technology, 612-8436-4000, Cleanspace2 P3 powered respirator is ideally suited to most environments, it offers flexibility and functionality without hoses and waist packs. Then when they try it on, there’s a quick transition into love. “There’s an enormous amount of surprise and intrigue because there’s been no innovation in this market for 25 years. They understand welding fumes are known carcinogens and want to protect themselves when they weld.”īirrell has noticed that people who see the product for the first time in person or on social media are genuinely curious, either because of the new design appearance or because they are attracted to the light weight and compact features and want to find out how it works.
welders who appear really open to innovation that improves their industry. “We haven’t seen a reaction this strong in any other market. Birrell attributes the excitement, in part, to welders, both young and old, who are serious about their own personal health and safety on the job. To date, the video has generated over 1 million views, 2,600 likes, and 1,300 shares. When the company released a brief product demonstration video on its Facebook page earlier this year, Birrell said they were overwhelmed by the reaction. Even though CleanSpace is small, it still offers a high-capacity filter and up to 8 hours of operating time,” Birrell said. CleanSpace2 respirators can be worn with a welder’s existing protective equipment. “Small is important for personal respiratory protection because when you’re wearing something on your face or head, having a low-profile design delivers superior comfort and mobility.
The PAPR is lightweight, has a motor that rests on the back of the neck, and can be worn under a user’s existing welding helmet. The motor/fan sits at the back of the neck, eliminating the need for a belt mount, hoses, and special head tops. Purified air enters the silicone half mask as the user breathes. The unit is the smallest NIOSH-approved powered respirator in the U.S.
The result is CleanSpace2, a small, lightweight, and portable powered air purifying system that can be worn under a welding helmet without the heft and complex system of hoses and tubes. With that in mind, CleanSpace seized the opportunity to create a range of products that combine the best elements of both existing respiratory options. “Users who want to do a five- or 10-minute job tend not to wear a belt-mounted PAPR because it’s so bulky and heavy, leaving them unprotected,” Birrell added.Īnother drawback to these units is that most welders must shelve their own personal welding helmets in lieu of a specific helmet that accommodates the PAPR, which can result in a significant investment by welders or their employer. While these units provide high levels of protection and keep the welder cool, they also tend to be heavy, expensive, and cumbersome, particularly in confined spaces. The second is a traditional belt-mounted PAPR, which uses a motor/fan to push fresh air into the mask via a hose. Protection relies on how well these masks seal the face, so the level of protection they provide is not assured,” Birrell explained. “They get very hot, they’re claustrophobic, and they trap moisture easily, which make them uncomfortable to wear. While these types of products tend to be lightweight and portable, Birrell said they also have their drawbacks. The first is a negative-pressure mask, also known as a disposable or reusable respirator. Their goal was to improve protection for wearers and their employers.įor welders, two types of respiratory protection were available, and neither option was ideal. CEO Alex Birrell said the technology was developed by a team of biomedical engineers after evaluating traditional respiratory protection systems.
Though the company has a global presence in respiratory protection, it’s only been in the U.S. So when Australia-based CleanSpace Technology experienced a flurry of social media activity surrounding its CleanSpace2 powered air respirator (PAPR), it knew it had something special on its hands. We live in a time when likes, views, and shares on social media are almost as valuable as actual currency. CleanSpace Technology recently unveiled a NIOSH-approved low-profile HEPA filter for the CleanSpace2 PAPR.