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. 2017;34(2):128-135.

Pre-World War I Firefighter Respirators and the U.S. Bureau of Mines Involvement in WWI

David Spelce  1 , Timothy R Rehak  2 , Richard W Metzler  3 , James S Johnson  4
Affiliations

Pre-World War I Firefighter Respirators and the U.S. Bureau of Mines Involvement in WWI

David Spelce et al. J Int Soc Respir Prot. 2017.

Abstract

The U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) was established on July 1, 1910 with a mission to address the previous decade's coal mine fatality incidence rate of greater than 2,000 annually. The need for federal government involvement to assure dependable and safe mine rescue respirators was recognized by the USBM with the first respirator approval being issued in 1919. Prior to this, some occupations exposed individuals to inhalation hazards. Firefighters, in particular, had a critical need of respiratory protection. This article provides a brief summary of pre-World War I (WWI) (1914 to 1918) respiratory protection for firefighters based largely on the work of Bruce J. Held. Also discussed is the then newly established United States Bureau of Mines' (USBM) role with the U.S. War Department during WWI for protection against chemical warfare agents.

Keywords: resistance; respirator; respiratory protective device; work of breathing.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
John Roberts’ Smoke Filter
Figure 2
Figure 2
LaCour’s Device
Figure 3
Figure 3
Merriman’s Smoke Mask
Figure 4
Figure 4
Nealy Smoke Mask
Figure 5
Figure 5
Loeb Patented Smoke Respirator
Figure 6
Figure 6
Vajen-Bader fire fighters’ respirator
Figure 7
Figure 7
Muntz Respirator
Figure 8
Figure 8
British Large Box Respirator
Figure 9
Figure 9
French M2 Mask
Figure 10
Figure 10
Horse Gas Mask
Figure 11
Figure 11
WW 1 Military Gas Masks
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Held Bruce J. (1974) History of Respiratory Protective Devices in the U.S., University of California, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, California (Work performed under the U. S. Energy research & Development Administration under contract No. W-7405-Eng.−48)
    1. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). (1979) A Guide to Industrial Respiratory Protection, NIOSH Pub No. 76–189
    1. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines (BOM). (1919) War Gas Investigations, Advance Chapter from Bulletin 178 War Work of the Bureau of Mines by VAN. H. MANNING
    1. U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command (SBCCOM). (2005) History of the Army’s Protective Masks.

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