Respiratory Protection
Program
29 CFR 1910.134
Respiratory Protection Program








When respiratory protection is necessary
Definitions for Respirators
Requirements to be included in program
Categories of respiratory equipment
Selection & use – different types of respirators
Inspection, maintenance & storage
Shared Responsibilities
Fit testing & Training
When Respiratory Protection is
Necessary





Exposed to inhalation hazards
Oxygen level below 19.5%
Cleaning bodily fluids, animal carcasses,
nests, feces, or contaminated dusts
When MSDS requires protection
Employee voluntarily wears respirator
Voluntary and Mandatory Use


Voluntary use – less than 50% PEL or
TLV, whichever is smaller.
Mandatory use –50% or more PEL or TLV,
whichever is smaller or when oxygen
levels fall below 19.5% or exceed 23 %
Requirements to be included in
program

Medical evaluation






Complete Questionnaire
Licensed Healthcare Professional
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
Fit tests must be performed:




Before first use
Annually
Any time physical condition changes, i.e.: facial scarring, dental
changes, change in weight
Facial hair must be removed while fit-testing

Beards, mush stashes, etc. need to be cleanly shaven before fit testing is
performed
Categories of Respiratory
Equipment

Air purifying respirators




Gas and vapor
Particulate
Combination
Air supplying respirators


Self-contained
breathing apparatus
(SCBA)
Airline respirator
Selection & Use
The selection of a respirator includes
consideration of the following:

Respirator types




Use of NIOSH-approved respirators only
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health
Atmospheres (IDLH)
Warning Properties
Eye irritants
Selection & Use
Respirator Types
Air purifying, Negative
Pressure
Disposable: These respirators
have two straps and
protect against airborne
particles and can also be
used for welding fumes.
They may not be used for
asbestos.
Selection & Use
Respirator Types
Air purifying, Negative
Pressure
Non disposable: These
respirators use various
cartridges/filters to filter
out particulates, gases,
and vapors. The type of
cartridge/filter will depend
on the air contaminate.
Selection & Use
Respirator Types
Air purifying, Positive
Pressure
Supplied Air Respirators:
Include airline respirators
that receive breathing air
from an air hose which is
connected to a cylinder or
a series of grade D
breathing air cylinders.
These respirators provide
clean air when there is
inadequate oxygen or
when working in highly
contaminated areas.
Selection & Use
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Atmospheres

IDLH situations are those in which:



an atmospheric concentration of any toxic,
corrosive or asphyxiate substance poses an
immediate threat to life, or
would cause irreversible or delayed adverse
health effects, or
would interfere with an individual’s ability to
escape from a dangerous atmosphere.
Selection & Use
continued

Warning properties


Air purifying respirators must not be used for
exposure to air contaminants that cannot be easily
detected by odor or irritation. Examples are methyl
chloride, which is odorless, and hydrogen sulfide
which makes odor detection unreliable.
Eye irritants:

Eye irritants require the use of full-face respirators.
Selection & Use
continued

Air purifying respirators have many different
cartridges/filters.

Respirator cartridges/filters are to be discarded
after use.

During use, cartridge/filter must be replaced:




Becomes discolored or clogged,
Begin to smell an odor associated with the product or
chemicals you are working with,
Breathing becomes difficult
You become dizzy
Inspection, Maintenance, Storage

Self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)



Supplied air respirators



Inspected monthly
Cleaned and disinfected after each use
Inspected prior to each use and annually
Cleaned and disinfected after each use
Air purifying respirators

Inspected, cleaned and disinfected after each use
Inspection, Maintenance, Storage
continued

Inspection of respirator components:

Inhalation and exhalation valves


Headgear


Intact, good elasticity
Plastic parts


cracks, tears, distortion
Cracks, wear; make sure filter gaskets are properly seated
and in good condition
Facepiece

cracks, tears, dirt, distortion
Inspection, Maintenance, Storage
continued


Store clean respirators in a clean,
sealable, plastic bag or container.
Store so respirator face piece is not
distorted, damaged, or exposed to
excessive moisture, extreme
temperatures, or damaging chemicals.

This includes removing cartridges/canisters
from facepiece before storing.
Inspection, Maintenance, Storage
continued


A dirty, inoperative
respirator will not
protect you
Soap and water is
generally appropriate
for cleaning air
purifying
cartridge/filter type
respirators.
Shared Responsibilities of
Supervisor & Employee


Ensure safety glasses, goggles, face
shields, welding hoods and/or facial hair
do not adversely affect the seal of the
respirator face piece.
Respiratory equipment not modified; use
only approved original replacement parts
of same manufacturer.
Fit Testing

Qualitative



Isoamyl acetate
Irritant smoke
Quantitative


DOP/corn oil
Ambient atmosphere
(portacount)
Fit Testing
continued
Pre-use fit check must be performed
before each use when wearing a half
face or full face respirator.
Negative
pressure test:
Place
hands firmly over the respirator
cartridge or inhalation valves and breath in.
The respirator face piece should collapse.
Positive
pressure test:
Place
hands over the exhalation valve and
breathe out. The respirator should push
away from the face.
Fit testing





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: facial scarring, dental changes,
change in weight
Training

Required annually & includes review of:



Respiratory hazards
Respiratory selection including appropriate
cartridge/filter for each hazard
Proper use, maintenance & storage
Quiz
The two categories of respiratory protection are
________________ and ________________.
2. When is respiratory protection required?
______, ________, _____, and _______.
3. Employees who are required to wear respirators
must first be medically qualified. True or False
4. The two types of respirator fit-testing are
________________ and ________________.
5. All respirators used for employee protection
must be OSHA approved. True or False
1.
Quiz
6. Three types of respirators include
___________, __________,and ___________.
7. What does IDLH mean?
8. What are the two pre-use fit checks?
__________, and ___________.
9. Respirator fit-testing must be conducted
every three years. True or False
10.Any respirator you use will protect you against
oxygen deficient atmospheres. True or False
Quiz Answers
1. The two categories of respiratory protection
are air-supplying and air-purifying respirators.
2. Respiratory protection is required when exposed to:
inhalation hazards; oxygen level below 19.5; cleaning
bodily fluids, animal carcasses, nests, feces; MSDS.
3. True. Employees who are required to wear respirators
must be physically qualified to wear the devices.
4. The two types of fit-testing are qualitative and
quantitative.
5. False. Respirators accepted by OSHA must be
NIOSH approved.
Quiz Answers
6. Types of respirators include, disposable, non disposable
(half mask, full face, powered air), and supplied air.
7. IDLH means Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health.
8. The two pre-use fit checks are negative pressure and
positive pressure.
9. False. Respirator fit-testing must be conducted annually.
10.False. Only an air-supplying respirator will protect you
from oxygen deficient atmospheres.