RESPIRATORY

 

 

OSHA’s Requirements for a Respiratory Protection Program

 

In any workplace where respirators are necessary to help protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite -specific procedures. The program shall be updated as necessary to reflect those changes in workplace conditions that affect respirator use.  The employer shall include in the program the following provisions of 1910.134 as applicable.

 

            1.  Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace. 

            2.  Medical evaluation of employees required to use respirators. 

            3.  Fit testing procedures of tight-fitting respirators. 

            4.  Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonable

                 foreseeable emerge situations. 

            5.  Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting,

                 repairing, discarding and otherwise maintaining respirators. 

            6.  Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air

                 for atmosphere-supplying respirators. 

            7.  Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially

                 exposed during routine and emergency situations. 

            8.  Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on

                 and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance.

            9.  Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program. The

                 employer shall designate a program administrator who is qualified by

                 appropriate training or experience that is commensurate with   complexity of

                 the program to administer or oversee the respiratory protection program

                 and conduct the required evaluation of program effectiveness.

 

Identify Respiratory Hazards

 

Before a respiratory protection program can be developed, potential airborne hazards must be identified.  Airborne hazards, which includes the ones that are so small that you can’t see them, generally fall into these basic categories:

     

Dusts: 

Particles that float in the air, often created by sanding, grinding, cutting and sweeping of various materials.  

 

Fumes:

Very fine particles suspended in air, generally created when metal is heated to the boiling point and quickly cooled, such as during welding and soldering. 

 

Mists:   

Tiny droplets formed from liquid materials by atomization and condensation processes.  Mists are created by spraying, plating and mixing operations. 

 

Gases:  

Substances that are airborne at room temperature and are often

invisible, ability to diffuse or spread freely throughout a container or area. 

 

Vapors:

The gaseous state of substances that are either a liquid or solid at room temperature. They are formed when solids or liquids evaporate, such as solvents, paint thinner and gasoline.

 

Filter Classifications

 

N-Series Filters: 

These filters are restricted to use in those atmospheres free of oil aerosols.  They may be used for any solid or liquid airborne particulate hazard that does not contain oil.  Generally these filters should be used and reused subject only to considerations of hygiene, damage and in increased breathing resistance.

 

N95 Particulate Filter:

At least 95% filter efficient when tested with 0.3 um NaCl aerosol. 

N99 Particulate Filter:

At least 99% filter efficient when tested with 0.3 um NaCl aerosol.  N100 Particulate Filter - At Least 99.97% filter efficient when tested with 0.3 umNaCl aerosol. 

 

R-Series Filters: 

A filter intended for removal of any particle including oil-based liquid aerosol.  They may be used for any solid or liquid airborne particulate hazard.  If the atmosphere contains oil, the R-series filter should be used only for a single shift (or for 8 hours of continuous or intermittent use.)

 

R95 Particulate Filter:

At least 95% filter efficient when tested with 0.3 um

DOP Dioctyl Phthalate) aerosol. 

 

 

P-Series Filters: 

A filter intended for removal of any particle including oil-based liquid aerosols.  They may be used for any solid or liquid particulate airborne hazard.  NIOSH recommends that respirator manufacturers establish time-use limitations for all P-series filters.   P-series filters should be used and reused for no more than 40 hours or 30 days, whichever occurs first, in atmospheres that contain only oil aerosols unless the filter needs to be changed for hygiene reasons, is damaged, or becomes difficult to breathe through before the time limit is reached.  When used in atmospheres containing non-oil aerosol,  P-series filters should be used and reused subject to conditions of hygiene, damage and increased breathing resistance. 

 

P95 Particulate Filter:

At least 95% filter efficient when tested with 0.3 um DOP (Dioctyl Phthalate) aerosol. 

 

P100 Particulate Filter:

At least 99.97% filter efficient when tested with 0.3 um DOP (Dioctyl Phthalate) aerosol.