Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 13, September 23, 2024
Subpart 1.
Applicability.
This part applies if a licensee assigns or permits the use of
respiratory protection equipment to limit intake of radioactive
material.
Subp. 2.
NIOSH certification.
A licensee must use only respiratory protection equipment
that is tested and certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH), except as otherwise noted in this part.
Subp. 3.
Alternative equipment.
If a licensee wishes to use equipment that has not been
tested or certified by NIOSH, or for which there is no schedule for testing or
certification, the licensee must submit an application to the commissioner for
authorized use of the equipment, except as provided in this part. The
application must include evidence that the material and performance
characteristics of the equipment are capable of providing the proposed degree
of protection under anticipated conditions of use. This must be demonstrated by
licensee testing or on the basis of reliable test information.
Subp. 4.
Respiratory
protection program.
A licensee must implement and maintain a respiratory
protection program that includes:
A.
air sampling sufficient to identify a potential hazard, permit proper equipment
selection, and estimate doses;
B.
surveys and bioassays, as necessary, to evaluate actual intakes;
C. testing of respirators for operability and
user seal check for face sealing devices and functional check for others
immediately prior to each use;
D.
written procedures regarding:
(1) monitoring,
including air sampling and bioassays;
(2) supervision and training of respirator
users;
(3) fit testing;
(4) respirator selection;
(5) breathing air quality;
(6) inventory and control;
(7) storage, issuance, maintenance, repair,
testing, and quality assurance of respiratory protection equipment;
(8) record keeping; and
(9) limitations on periods of respirator use
and relief from respirator use;
E. a determination by a physician that an
individual user is medically fit to use the respiratory protection equipment:
(1) before the initial fitting of a face
sealing respirator;
(2) before the
first field use of nonface sealing respirators; and
(3) either every 12 months thereafter or
periodically at a frequency determined by a physician; and
F. fit testing, with a fit factor greater
than or equal to 10 times the APF for negative pressure devices and a fit
factor greater than or equal to 500 for any positive pressure, continuous flow,
and pressure-demand devices, before the first field use of tight fitting,
face-sealing respirators and periodically thereafter at a frequency not to
exceed one year. Fit testing must be performed with the facepiece operating in
the negative pressure mode.
Subp.
5.
User advise.
A licensee must advise each respirator user that the user may
leave the area at any time for relief from respirator use in the event of
equipment malfunction, physical or psychological distress, procedural or
communication failure, significant deterioration of operating conditions, or
any other conditions that might require such relief.
Subp. 6.
Equipment limitations.
A licensee must consider limitations appropriate to the type
and mode of use. When selecting respiratory devices, a licensee must provide
for vision correction, adequate communication, low temperature work
environments, and the concurrent use of other safety or radiological protection
equipment. A licensee must use the equipment in such a way as not to interfere
with the proper operation of the respirator.
Subp. 7.
Standby rescue persons.
A. Standby rescue persons are required
whenever one-piece atmosphere-supplying suits or any combination of
supplied-air respiratory protection device and personnel protective equipment
are used from which an unaided individual would have difficulty extricating
himself or herself.
B. The standby
persons must be equipped with respiratory protection devices or other apparatus
appropriate for the potential hazards.
C. The standby rescue persons must observe or
otherwise maintain continuous communication with the workers, by voice, visual,
signal line, telephone, radio, or other suitable means, and be immediately
available to assist them in case of a failure of the air supply or for any
other reason that requires relief from distress.
D. A sufficient number of standby rescue
persons must be immediately available to assist all users of this type of
equipment and to provide effective emergency rescue if needed.
Subp. 8.
Respirator
requirements.
A. Atmosphere-supplying
respirators must be supplied with respirable air of Grade D quality or better
as defined in "Commodity Specification for Air G-7.1," Compressed Gas
Association (1997), as included in Code of Federal Regulations, title 29,
section 1910.134. Grade D quality air criteria include:
(1) oxygen content (v/v) of 19.5 to 23.5
percent;
(2) hydrocarbon
(condensed) content of five milligrams per cubic meter of air or
less;
(3) carbon monoxide content
of ten parts per million or less;
(4) carbon dioxide content of 1,000 parts per
million or less; and
(5) lack of
noticeable odor.
B. A
licensee must ensure that no objects, materials or substances, such as facial
hair, or conditions that interfere with the face-facepiece seal or valve
function and that are under the control of the respirator wearer are present
between the skin of the wearer's face and the sealing surface of a
tight-fitting respirator facepiece.
Subp. 9.
Dose calculation.
In estimating the dose to individuals from intake of airborne
radioactive materials, the concentration of radioactive material in the air
that is inhaled when respirators are worn is initially assumed to be the
ambient concentration in air without respiratory protection, divided by the
assigned protection factor. If the dose is later found to be greater than the
estimated dose, the corrected value must be used. If the dose is later found to
be less than the estimated dose, the corrected value may be used.
Statutory Authority: MS s
144.1202;
144.1203
