Spray Foam PPE:
Respirators, Suits
& Safety Rules

Why spray foam PPE matters

OSHA lists occupational asthma and other lung problems, along with irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and skin, as the main health effects of isocyanate exposure. The danger in spray foam comes from three directions:

• Breathing: spraying creates an aerosol of reacting chemicals and vapor. Do not rely on smell or irritation to tell you the air is bad. NIOSH's respirator recommendations for MDI list only supplied-air and self-contained respirators.
• Skin: isocyanate on the skin causes irritation and can contribute to sensitization. Overspray settles on every exposed surface, including necks, wrists and the gap between glove and sleeve.
• Eyes: splash and overspray from the gun, and from hoses and fittings when they are opened.

The hazard does not stop at the trigger. The EPA notes that cutting or trimming foam before it is fully cured can expose workers to unreacted chemicals, and that heating or grinding cured foam can release isocyanates and other gases. That is why trimming, cleanup and later removal work have their own PPE lines below.

Spray foam PPE selector

Pick the task and conditions. The selector returns the minimum PPE the industry guidance calls for and flags the program requirements that come with it.

The OSHA respiratory protection program

Buying the right respirator is the easy part. Any employer whose workers are required to wear respirators must run a written program under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134. For a spray foam company, that means at minimum:

1. Written program and a program administrator

   Covering respirator selection, medical evaluation, fit testing, training, use, cleaning, maintenance, breathing air quality and program evaluation.

2. Medical evaluation first

   A physician or other licensed health care professional must clear each worker to wear a respirator before the fit test and before the respirator is used on the job.

3. Fit testing

   Tight-fitting facepieces must be fit tested before first use, whenever a different make, model, style or size is used, and at least annually after that. CPI notes the test must use a respirator of the same make, model and size the worker wears, and that loose-fitting hoods on SAR or PAPR systems do not need fit testing.

4. Breathing air and cartridges

   Supplied air must meet Grade D. Air-purifying respirators used against vapors need an end-of-service-life indicator or a cartridge change schedule based on objective data.

5. Training

   Workers need training on the hazards, how to use and check the respirator, and its limits. Industry safety courses help here; our spray foam training guide lists the CPI and OSHA options.

Related rules also apply: OSHA's hazard communication standard for labels and safety data sheets, and the eye, skin and general PPE requirements in OSHA's construction and general industry standards. OSHA ran a National Emphasis Program on occupational exposure to isocyanates from 2013; OSHA's site now marks that directive as no longer representing agency policy, but the respiratory protection and hazard communication rules remain in force.

Helpers, other trades and occupants

The most common PPE failure we hear about is not the sprayer. It is the helper feeding hose in a T-shirt and a dust mask, the electrician who walks in to check a box, or the homeowner who comes home early.

• Helpers in the spray zone wear the same respirator and suit as the sprayer. CPI's guidance covers sprayers and helpers together.
• Other trades stay out during application, curing, trimming and cleanup, per the EPA contractor checklist. Post warning signs and set up barriers at every entrance.
• Occupants leave the building. CPI notes many manufacturers suggest 24 hours before reoccupancy after high-pressure spray foam with recommended ventilation; the EPA adds that the time varies by product, so follow the manufacturer's figure.
• One-component cans and small kits still release chemicals. The EPA notes one-component foam can take roughly 8 to 24 hours to cure; follow the label.
• After the job, foam needs its thermal or ignition barrier before the space goes back into use. Our ignition barrier guide explains which one applies. If foam ever has to come out, the spray foam removal guide covers removal PPE and containment.