Respiratory Protection Against Hazardous Biological Agents

'Protection against harmful bioaerosol is one of today's major concerns. This applies both to people inside and outside the work environment. In this book, renowned scientists provide up-to-date and authoritative reviews of the latest scientific research and practice that has contributed to our understanding of the harmfulness of the bioaerosol and protection against it. A detailed discussion of bioaerosol protection methods and equipment as well as presenting future trends in prognostic modelling are the undeniable value of this monograph. This comprehensive book is indispensable for anyone involved in occupational and environmental hygiene, biological hazard, recognition and control in occupational and public environments'. - Bogumil Brycki, Adam Mickiewicz University The threats of biological airborne hazards are a global danger throughout the world today. Respiratory Protection Against Hazardous Biological Agents covers sources and practices of bioaerosol sampling, and discusses the prevention of these airborne hazards. The most common workplace hazard is poor air quality. The book provides the basic principles of a safe work environment in the conditions where workers might be exposed to harmful bioaerosols. It presents key characteristics of biological hazards and their effects on the human body. It examines microbial growth in filtering materials and provides the details of specific risks for users of respiratory protective devices. The book will present the reader a guide on how to measure the risk of exposure of biological agents and properly select respiratory protective devices. The book is ideal for the health and safety professionals and experts in the field of environmental health. FEATURES: - Evaluates the risk of exposure to biological agents - Describes the characteristics of biological factors and their effects on the human body - Provides training on the importance of respiratory protective devices - Examines microorganisms in the work environment - Provides examples and case studies

Katarzyna Majchrzycka, PhD-1999, DSc, is the head of the Department of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute. She carries out activities directed at research in the area of protective and utility parameters of personal protective equipment, proper selection, and development of new solutions and manufacturing technologies. Her primary research focusing on the filtering materials used to protect against bioaerosols. She has participated in several research projects and is the author or co-author of 15 patents and over 120 publications. Also, a laureate of numerous awards in field of innovativeness,scientific research and new technologies in developing advanced PPE. Malgorzata Okrasa, PhD-2012, is a physicist and researcher in the field of respiratory protection. She works in the Laboratory of Respiratory Protective Devices, Department of Personal Protective Equipment at Central Institute of Labour Protection - National Research Institute, Poland. She is actively involved in the fields of safety research and environmental engineering, especially in relation to occupational exposure to harmful airborne substances; PPE design, fabrication and testing with respect to existing hazards and working conditions. Justyna Szulc, PhD-2015 is a biotechnologist and microbiologist in the Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Lodz University of Technology, Poland. She is a researcher in the field of environmental microbiology, harmful biological agents at the workplaces, airborne microorganisms, antimicrobialactivity of technical materials, metabolomics and metabolomics imaging of environmental samples. She is amember of Polish Society of Microbiologists.

1. Introduction. 2. Biological Agents. 3. Principles of Biosafety in the Working Environment. 4. Personal Respiratory Protection. 5. Ways to Improve the Safety of Filtering Respiratory Protective Devices Against Bioaerosols. 6. Good Practices for the Selection and Use of Respiratory Protective Devices.