Compliance / 05
RPE and PAPR examination.
An air-fed welding helmet with a tired battery or a blocked filter gives the welder a false sense of safety. We examine it, test it and record it, so you know it works.
- Regulation
- COSHH, HSG53
- Covers
- PAPR and reusable RPE
- You get
- Examination record per unit
- Interval
- Set by how much it's used
Why it matters
RPE is the last line of defence. It has to work.
Where extraction can't control welding fume on its own, respiratory protective equipment does the rest. For welders that usually means a powered air-purifying respirator built into the helmet.
COSHH requires reusable RPE to be thoroughly examined and, where appropriate, tested at suitable intervals, with records kept. HSE guidance HSG53 sets out what that looks like.
Batteries fade, flow drops, seals and visors split, and filters clog. None of it is obvious from the outside.
What we check
Head-top to battery.
- Head-top: helmet shell, visor, face seal and headgear
- Breathing hose: splits, kinks and connections
- Blower unit: airflow measured against the manufacturer's minimum design flow
- Battery: condition and run time
- Filters: type, condition and change dates
- Alarms: low-flow and low-battery warnings tested
What you get
Paperwork that stands up.
- Examination record per unit, kept for the period COSHH requires
- Clear advice on parts and filters, supplied from stock
- Records in OneArc, assigned to the named welder if you want
- Booked on the same visit as your other tests
How it works
Booked, tested, certified, remembered.
Book
Call, email or use the form. We agree a date that suits production and confirm what's on site.
Test
Our engineers test on site, or in our Grimsby workshop if you'd rather send kit in.
Certify
Certificate and sticker per asset. Anything that fails comes with the reason and a repair quote.
Remind
Everything goes into OneArc. We remind you before it's due again.
Questions
Common questions
Anything else, call the workshop on 01472 469223.
Who's competent to do this test? Qualifications and competence
How often does a PAPR need examining?
COSHH requires thorough examination at suitable intervals. How often depends on how much the unit is used. HSE guidance (HSG53) sets out the detail, and we'll agree the right interval with you.
Do you supply PAPR units and filters?
Yes, including GYS air-fed welding helmets. Our sister company Monarc Hire also hires PAPR units.
Do you still do face fit testing?
No. We've stopped offering face fit testing so we can concentrate on examining and maintaining the equipment itself.
Book it with
The rest of the visit.
Bundle tests into one visit and the shop floor stops once. Two or more services together also brings the price down.
While we're there
Need wire, tips or discs? We'll bring it.
We supply the consumables as well as test the kit. Add them to the order and they come with the engineer, matched to the machines we've just tested.
Free site audit
Would your workshop pass an HSE inspection today?
Most firms find out when they fail one. We'll walk your site for free and tell you what's due, what's overdue and what's missing. No obligation, no hard sell.