RESPIRATORY PROTECTION STANDARD

Respiratory Protection Standard

Purpose

The purpose of the Respiratory Protection Standard is to control those occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dust, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors. This shall be accomplished

as far as feasible by accepted engineering control measures. When effective engineering control measures are not feasible, or while they are being instituted, appropriate respirators shall be used.

Respirators shall be provided by the employer when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of the employee. The employer shall provide the respirators that are applicable and suitable for the purpose intended. The employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a

respiratory protection program that shall include the requirements of this standard.

Definitions

Air-purifying respirator means a respirator with an air-purifying filter, cartridge, or canister that removes specific air contaminants by passing ambient air through the air-purifying element.

Assigned protection factor means the protection factor assigned to the respirator type.

Atmosphere-supplying respirator means a respirator that supplies the respirator user with breathing air from a source independent of the ambient atmosphere and includes supplied-air respirators (SARs) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units.

Fit test means the use of a protocol to qualitatively or quantitatively evaluate the fit of a respirator on an individual.

Powered air-purifying respirator means an air-purifying respirator that uses a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifying elements to the inlet covering.

Qualitative fit test (QLFT) means a pass/fail test to assess the adequacy of respirator fit that relies on the individual’s response to the test agent.

Quantitative fit test (QNFT) means an assessment of the adequacy of respirator fit by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the respirator.

Self-contained breathing apparatus means an atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the breathing air source is designed to be carried by the user.

Supplied-air respirator or airline respirator means an atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the source of breathing air is not designed to be carried by the user.

Respiratory Protection Program

This standard requires the employer to develop and implement a written respiratory protection program with required worksite-specific procedures and elements for required respirator use. The program must be administered by a suitably trained program administrator. In addition, certain program

elements may be required for voluntary use to prevent potential hazards associated with the use of the respirator. The employer shall include in the written program, the following information:

Procedures for selecting respirators  

• For use in the workplace

• Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators

• Fit testing procedures

• Procedures for proper use of respirators

• Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators

• Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators

• Training required for respirator usage

• Procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of the program

Training and Information

This standard requires the employer to provide effective training to employees who are required to use respirators. The training must be comprehensive, understandable, and must recur annually, and more often, if necessary.

Training must ensure that each employee can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the topic, and should include the following:

• Why respirator protection is necessary and how improper wearing or use can compromise the protection received

• Limitations and capabilities of the respirator and/or cartridge (filter)

• Inspection and maintenance procedures

• Cleaning, disinfecting, and storage procedures

• Proper wear of the respirator Retraining shall be administered annually, or when a new process or procedure

is implemented that the employee has not been previously trained.