Occupational Safety and Health Administration December 26, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

OSHA is proposing to include the protocol for the abbreviated Bitrex[supreg] qualitative fit test (``ABQLFT'') in its Respiratory Protection Standard; the proposed protocol would apply to employers in general industry, shipyard employment, and the construction industry. The proposed ABQLFT protocol consists of seven exercises described in the existing Bitrex[supreg] qualitative fit-testing protocol specified in OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard. However, each of the exercises in the proposed ABQLFT protocol lasts 15 seconds, compared to 60 seconds for exercises in the existing Bitrex[supreg] qualitative fit-testing protocol. This proposal describes the test sensitivity, predictive value of a pass, test specificity, and predictive value of a fail for the ABQLFT protocol, and requests the public to comment on whether this evidence supports OSHA including the ABQLFT in the Respiratory Protection Standard.