If you’ve spent any time managing respiratory protection in high-EMF environments like pot rooms or electrolysis areas in smelters, you already know the problem: most powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) just don’t work.

That’s not an exaggeration. In these environments, electromagnetic interference (EMF) regularly causes PAPRs to malfunction - especially in areas running hundreds of thousands of amps. For years, safety teams made do with what was available. But when legacy systems like the 3M Airstream and Jupiter were discontinued, it created a global scramble for a replacement.

That’s where the GVS-RPB PX5® comes in. And if you’re wondering whether it’s the right fit for your site, here’s what you need to know.

The PX5® wasn’t just tweaked to survive smelters - it was built for them.

In 2018, RPB Safety presented its then-flagship PX4 Air® system to smelters in New Zealand and North America. Like many others, it failed in pot rooms due to high EMF interference. But rather than walk away, RPB went back to the drawing board.

Their engineers got to work designing a system that could handle extreme conditions - especially the electromagnetic environments typical in smelting operations. The result was the PX5®, developed in partnership with major global smelters, and put through long-term trials at sites like NZAS Tiwai Point - including the highest EMF smelter in the world at 600,000 amps.

Today, the PX5® is one of the only PAPRs in the world proven to function reliably in high-EMF smelter environments.

The PX5® isn’t just tough - it’s adaptable. With the Z-Link® headtop, you can configure it for virtually any high-risk application:

• Welding & Grinding: Add the Z-Link Weld Visor with auto-darkening lens.
• Lancing: Snap on the IR5-rated lancing attachment.
• Radiant Heat: Use the Radiant Heat Kit, now tested and proven for molten metal splash protection.
• Cutting, Furnace Work, and More: Full FR face, chin, and shoulder protection options available.

For operations with mixed PPE needs - smelters, refineries, ports, power stations - having one core system across applications reduces complexity, training time, and downtime.

Respiratory protection is just the beginning. The PX5® system meets or exceeds global standards across multiple PPE categories:

• Respiratory: AS/NZS 1716, EN12941 TH3 P R SL, NIOSH
• Eye & Face: EN166, Z87.1, AS/NZS 1337
• Hearing (with Quiet-Link™ muffs): CE EN352-3, NIOSH S3-19, equivalent to Class 5
• Head: EN397, Z89.1, AS/NZS 1801

For high-heat, high-noise, high-exposure environments, it’s hard to find anything else this comprehensive.

It’s not just about compliance — it’s about real-world usability.

• Battery Options: Standard batteries run up to 7 hours with gas filters, and heavy-duty batteries are available for longer shifts.
• Cleaning: Systems can be cleaned with industrial wash equipment or site-specific protocols.
• Charging Infrastructure: Charging 25+ units? No problem. The PX5® chargers can be DIN-rail mounted in series, making fleet management easy.
• Ingress Protection: IP65 in use, IP67 with cleaning kit - built to last.

Every design choice shows that this system was built around feedback from real operators, not assumptions in a lab.

GVS-RPB isn’t a generic PPE manufacturer. Founded in the 1970s in Italy as a specialist medical filter manufacturer, they’re now a global manufacturing company making filters for some of the harshest conditions in the world.

But more importantly, they’ve made it their mission to solve the hardest challenges in worker protection. The PX5® is a direct result of that - designed, tested, and refined with input from frontline workers and EH&S professionals in some of the toughest workplaces on Earth.

If you're responsible for respiratory protection in smelters, power stations, refineries, or any environment where EMF, heat, and exposure converge - you need more than just a PAPR that "should" work.

You need one that’s already proven itself in the exact conditions you're dealing with.

The GVS-RPB PX5® is that system.

ACL work closely with GVS-RPB offering consultations, site-specific configuration advice, and trial programs for qualified facilities.