RESPIRATORY

PROTECTION
Safety Training Module
 Regulatory Requirements
2

 Covers all required and voluntary use of

respiratory protection in general industry
 Requires a written program
 Requires employee training, medical
evaluation, and fit-testing
 Types of Respiratory
3
Protection
 Atmosphere supplying
 Self-contained
breathing apparatus
(SCBA)
 Airline respirators
 Air purifying
 Gas and vapor
 Particulate
 Combination
 Types of Face Pieces
4

 Mouthpiece
 Single use/disposable
 Quarter mask
 Half mask
 Full face
 Helmet
 Effective Use of Respirators
5

 During installation of engineering

controls
 During maintenance operations
 During process turnarounds
 For non-routine tasks
 For emergency response
 At hazardous waste site operations
 When other controls are inadequate
 When other controls are not feasible
 Employee Effectiveness
6

The use of
respiratory
protection limits the
effectiveness of the
employee by 33.33
percent.
 Respirator Selection Criteria
7

 Physical state of
the contaminant
 Contaminant concentration
 Oxygen deficiency
 Warning properties
of contaminant
 Immediate Danger to Life Health
atmospheres
 Can contaminant be
ad/absorbed by a media?
 Can contaminant be ad/absorbed by
the skin?
 Is the contaminant irritating to the
eyes?
 Types of Fit-testing
8

 Qualitative Fit Test (QLFT) by persons response

to testing agent
 Isoamyl acetate
 Irritant smoke
 Quantitative Fit Test (QNFT) by numerical
measure of leakage into respirator
 Corn oil leak test
 Ambient atmosphere
(portacount)
 Elements of a Respiratory
Protection Program
9

 Written operating procedures

 Proper selection
 Training and fitting
 Cleaning and disinfecting
 Storage
 Inspection and maintenance
 Work area surveillance
 Respiratory Program (cont.)
10

 Inspection and evaluation

to determine effectiveness
 Medical examinations
 Approved respirators
 Written Program
11
Requirements
 Must be site-specific
 Must have a program administrator
 Must be developed when respirator
use is required
 When Respirators
Are Not Required
12

 Can use employee respirator

if it does not create a hazard
 Voluntary users of respirators
must be given Appendix D
 Appendix D = employee information
when respirators are not required
 Employers must implement
a program for non-required users
 Respirators Not Required
(cont.)
13

 If dust masks only are used and not

required, no written program is required
 Appendix D of the standard must be
provided to users
 General Requirements
14

 Use of NIOSH-approved respirators only

 Evaluation of hazards
 Availability of multiple respirator types
 Respirators for Non-IDLH
15
Use
 If cartridges have no “end of service life
indicator” a change schedule must be
used
 Added table for oxygen-deficient
atmospheres based on altitude
 Medical Evaluation
16

 Use of medical questionnaire (Appendix C)

 Follow-up medical exam for any positive
response to questionnaire
 All medical evaluations must be made
confidentially
 Employees must be allowed to discuss
the questionnaire with the physician
 Medical Evaluation (cont.)
17

 Physicians must be told conditions

of respirator use
 Employers must provide a PAPR
if employees cannot use a negative
pressure APR
 Follow-up evaluations must be
conducted if conditions of use
or user health change
 Fit-Testing
18

 Respirators will not protect

you if they don’t fit properly!
 Required for negative or positive
pressure tight-fitting face pieces
 Must be conducted prior to use
 Must be conducted at least annually
 Must be retested if respirator fit or
wearer changes