Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 12, December 1, 2024
(1) Permissible
practice.
(a) To control occupational diseases
caused by breathing contaminated air, the best method is to prevent
contamination with engineering controls. To the extent feasible, accepted
engineering controls must be used. Examples of engineering controls include
enclosing the source of contamination, providing general or local exhaust
ventilation to remove the contaminated air from work areas, and substituting
less toxic materials. When this approach is not feasible, or while engineering
controls are being established, employers must provide appropriate respirators
in compliance with this standard.
(b) You must provide a respirator to each
employee when it is necessary to protect their health. Respirators must be
appropriate for the hazard. You must also establish and maintain an effective
respiratory protection program that includes at least the requirements outlined
in paragraph (3) of this standard. The program must cover each employee
required to use a respirator.
(2) Definitions. The following definitions
apply to this standard. Air-purifying respirator is a respirator with an
air-purifying filter, cartridge, or canister that removes specific air
contaminants by passing ambient air through the air-purifying element. Assigned
protection factor (APF) means the workplace level of respiratory protection
that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to employees
when the employer implements a continuing, effective respiratory protection
program as specified by this section. Atmosphere-supplying respirator is a
respirator that supplies the user with breathing air from a source independent
of the ambient atmosphere, and includes supplied-air respirators (SARs) and
self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units. Canister or cartridge is a
container with a filter, sorbent, or catalyst, or combination of these items,
that removes specific contaminants from the air passed through the container.
Competent person is a person who, because of training and experience, can
identify existing and predictable hazards in equipment, material, conditions or
practices and who has the knowledge and authority to take corrective steps.
Demand respirator is an atmosphere-supplying respirator that admits breathing
air to the face piece only when inhalation creates a negative pressure inside
the face piece. Elastomer (elastomeric) is an elastic substance like rubber or
neoprene. Emergency situation is any event such as, but not limited to,
equipment failure, rupture of containers, or failure of control equipment that
may or does result in an uncontrolled significant release of an airborne
contaminant. Employee exposure is exposure to a concentration of an airborne
contaminant that would occur if the employee were not using respiratory
protection. End-of-service-life indicator (ESLI) is a device, on the cartridge,
that warns respirator users when their respirator is near the end of its
ability to protect them. For example, an indicator on the cartridge will change
to warn the user that the cartridge sorbent material is nearing saturation and
is no longer effective. Engineering control measures are methods to eliminate
or control employee exposure to the hazard; e.g., substitution of a less toxic
material, general or local ventilation and enclosing the operation. Escape-only
respirator is a respirator only for use during emergency exit. Filter or air
purifying element is a respirator component (e.g., canister or cartridge) that
removes solid or liquid aerosols from the inspired air. Filtering face piece
(dust mask) is a tight fitting negative pressure particulate respirator with a
filter as an integral part of the face piece or with the entire face piece made
of the filtering medium. Fit factor is a quantitative estimate of the fit of a
particular respirator to a specific person, and typically estimates the ratio
of the concentration of a substance in ambient air to its concentration inside
the respirator when worn. Instrumentation is used with ambient air as the "test
agent" to quantify the respirator fit. See Appendix A. Fit test is the use of
procedures in Appendix A to qualitatively or quantitatively evaluate the fit of
a respirator on a person. (See also Qualitative fit test QLFT and Quantitative
fit test QNFT.) Helmet is a rigid respirator covering that also provides head
protection against impact and penetration. High efficiency particulate air
(HEPA) filter is a filter that is at least 99.97 percent efficient in removing
monodisperse particles of 0.3 micrometers in diameter. The equivalent NIOSH 42
CFR 84 particulate filters are the N100, R100, and P100 filters. Hood is a
respirator covering that completely covers the head and neck and may also cover
portions of the shoulders and torso. Immediately dangerous to life or health
(IDLH) is an atmosphere that poses an immediate threat to life, would cause
irreversible adverse health effects, or would impair an individual's ability to
escape from a dangerous atmosphere. Interior structural firefighting is the
physical activity of fire suppression, rescue or both, inside of buildings or
enclosed structures which are involved in a fire situation beyond the incipient
stage. Loose-fitting face piece is a respiratory covering that forms a partial
seal with the face, e.g., hood. Maximum use concentration (MUC) means the
maximum atmospheric concentration of a hazardous substance from which an
employee can be expected to be protected when wearing a respirator, and is
determined by the assigned protection factor of the respirator or class of
respirators and the exposure limit of the hazardous substance. The MUC can be
determined mathematically by multiplying the assigned protection factor
specified for a respirator by the required OSHA permissible exposure limit,
short-term exposure limit, or ceiling limit. When no OSHA exposure limit is
available for a hazardous substance, an employer must determine an MUC on the
basis of relevant available information and informed professional judgment.
Negative pressure respirator (tight fitting) is a respirator in which the air
pressure inside the face piece is negative during inhalation with respect to
the ambient air pressure outside the respirator. Oxygen deficient atmosphere is
an atmosphere with an oxygen content less than 19.5 percent by volume.
Physician or other licensed health care professional (PLHCP) is a person whose
legally permitted scope of practice (i.e., license, registration, or
certification) allows them to independently provide, or be delegated to
provide, some or all of the health care services required by this standard.
Positive pressure respirator is a respirator in which the pressure inside the
respiratory covering is higher than the air pressure outside the respirator.
Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) is an air-purifying respirator that
uses a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifying elements to the
inlet covering. Pressure demand respirator is a positive pressure
atmosphere-supplying respirator that admits breathing air to the face piece
when inhalation reduces the positive pressure inside the face piece.
Qualitative fit test (QLFT) is a pass/fail fit test to assess the adequacy of
respirator fit that relies on the individual's response to the test agent. See
Appendix A. Quantitative fit test (QNFT) is an assessment of the adequacy of
respirator fit by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the
respirator. See Appendix A. Respirator covering is that part of a respirator
that forms the protective barrier between the user's respiratory tract and an
air-purifying device or breathing air source, or both. It may be a face piece,
helmet, hood, suit, or a mouthpiece respirator with nose clamp. Self-contained
breathing apparatus (SCBA) is an atmosphere-supplying respirator for which user
carries the breathing air source. Service life is the period of time that a
respirator, filter or sorbent, or other respiratory equipment adequately
protects the wearer. Supplied-air respirator (SAR) or airline respirator is an
atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the source of breathing air is not
carried by the user. Tight-fitting face piece is a respirator covering that
forms a complete seal with the face, e.g., half mask or full-face piece. User
seal check is an action by the respirator user to determine if the respirator
is properly seated to the face. See Appendix B-1.
(3) Respiratory protection program.
(a) When respirators are necessary to protect
the health of workers or when you require workers to wear them, you must have
an effective, written respiratory protection program, managed by a
knowledgeable person, with procedures specific to your work site. Keep the
program updated to reflect changes in conditions that require the use of
respirators. You must include at least these points, as applicable:
(A) Procedures for selecting respirators for
use in the workplace;
(B)
Procedures for the medical evaluations of employees required to use
respirators;
(C) Fit testing
procedures for tight-fitting respirators;
(D) Procedures for proper use of respirators
in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations;
(E) Procedures and schedules for cleaning,
disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise
maintaining respirators;
(F)
Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air
for atmosphere-supplying respirators;
(G) Procedures for training employees in the
respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and
emergency situations;
(H)
Procedures for training employees in the proper use of respirators, including
putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their
maintenance; and
(I) Procedures for
regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
(b) The employer must provide respirators,
and all other program requirements including training, and medical evaluations
at no cost to the employee.
(c)
Where respirator use is voluntary:
(A) You may
provide respirators to employees who request them or they may use their own
respirators. If you allow this voluntary use;
(i) You must determine that it will not
create a hazard to the user;
(ii)
You must provide the voluntary user with the information in Appendix D,
"Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the
Standard"; and
(B) You
must have a limited written respiratory program for voluntary users. It must
include those parts of the standard program necessary to ensure that:
(i) The user is medically able to use the
respirator without adverse health effects. Users of tight-fitting respirators
other than dust masks must have a medical evaluation.
(ii) The user will properly clean, store and
maintain the respirator.
(4) Selection of respirators. Identify and
evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) including a reasonable estimate of employee
exposures and an identification of the contaminant's chemical state and
physical form. You must treat atmospheres with the potential for IDLH
conditions as an IDLH hazard and provide appropriate respiratory protection.
(a) General requirements.
(A) You must evaluate respiratory hazards,
conditions in the workplace and user factors, then select and provide the
appropriate respirators.
(B) All
respirators must have NIOSH certification and all use must conform to that
certification.
(C) Respirators must
correctly fit and be acceptable to the user.
(b) Respirators for IDLH atmospheres.
(A) Provide the following respirators for
employee use in IDLH atmospheres:
(i) A
full-face piece pressure demand SCBA certified by NIOSH for a minimum service
life of 30 minutes, or
(ii) A
combination full-face piece pressure demand supplied-air respirator (SAR) with
auxiliary self-contained air supply.
(B) Respirators only for escape from IDLH
atmospheres must have NIOSH certification for escape from the atmosphere of
use.
(C) Treat all oxygen-deficient
atmospheres as IDLH.
Exception to paragraph (4)(b)(C): If you can demonstrate that
under all foreseeable conditions, the oxygen concentration will stay within the
ranges in Table A for the appropriate altitudes set out in the table, then your
selection of atmosphere-supplying respirators is not limited to the types
listed in (4)(b)(A).
[Insert Table A]
(c) Respirators for atmospheres that are not
IDLH.
(A) Provide respirators adequate to
protect the health of workers and ensure compliance with all other OR-OSHA
requirements, under routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations.
(i) Assigned Protection Factors (APFs).
Employers must use the assigned protection factors listed in Table B to select
a respirator that meets or exceeds the required level of employee protection.
When using a combination respirator (e.g., airline respirators with an
air-purifying filter), employers must ensure that the assigned protection
factor is appropriate to the mode of operation in which the respirator is being
used.
[Insert Table B.]
(ii) Maximum Use Concentration (MUC).
(I) The employer must select a respirator for
employee use that maintains the employee's exposure to the hazardous substance,
when measured outside the respirator, at or below the MUC.
(II) Employers must not apply MUCs to
conditions that are immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH); instead,
they must use respirators listed for IDLH conditions in paragraph (4)(b) of
this standard.
(III) When the
calculated MUC exceeds the IDLH level for a hazardous substance, or the
performance limits of the cartridge or canister, then employers must set the
maximum MUC at that lower limit.
(B) The respirator must be appropriate for
the chemical state and physical form of the contaminant.
(C) For protection against gases and vapors,
provide:
(i) An atmosphere-supplying
respirator, or
(ii) An
air-purifying respirator, if:
(I) It has and
end-of-service-life indicator (ESLI) certified by NIOSH for the contaminant;
or
(II) If there is no ESLI
appropriate for your conditions, implement a change schedule for canisters and
cartridges that is based on objective information or data that will ensure that
canisters and cartridges are changed before the end of their service life.
Describe in the respirator program the information and data relied on and the
basis for the canister and cartridge change schedule and the basis for reliance
on the data.
Note: The Worker Protection Standard contains criteria for
specific change out schedules for respirator canisters and cartridges. See
Division 4/W, 170.240.
(D) For protection against particulates,
provide:
(i) An atmosphere-supplying
respirator; or
(ii) An
air-purifying respirator with a filter certified by NIOSH under 30 CFR part 11
as a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, or an air-purifying
respirator with a filter certified for particulates by NIOSH under 42 CFR part
84; or
(iii) For contaminants
consisting primarily of particles with mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMAD)
of at least 2 micrometers, an air-purifying respirator with any filter
certified for particulates by NIOSH.
(5) Medical evaluation. Using a respirator
may place a physiological burden on employees that depends on the type of
respirator, the job and workplace conditions in which the respirator is used,
and the medical status of the employee.
(a)
General. You must provide medical evaluations to determine each worker's
ability to use a respirator without causing adverse health effects. Do this
before the worker's fit test and before they perform any work requiring
respirator use. The employer may discontinue an employee's medical evaluations
when the employee no longer uses a respirator.
(b) Medical evaluation procedures. The
employer must identify a physician or other licensed health care professional
(PLHCP) to perform medical evaluations using a medical questionnaire or an
initial examination that obtains the same information as the medical
questionnaire. The medical evaluation must obtain the information requested by
the questionnaire in Appendix C, Part A, Sections 1 and 2, of this standard.
Note: If the employee refuses the examination, they may not be
permitted to work in jobs that require a tight-fitting respirator.
(c) Follow-up medical examination.
(A) The employer must ensure that a follow-up
medical examination is provided for an employee if, in the opinion of the
PLHCP, this is necessary.
Note: The PLHCP may require a follow-up examination for an
employee who gives a positive response to any question among questions 1
through 9, or 10 through 15 in Appendix C, Part A, Section 2; or whose initial
medical examination demonstrates the need for a follow-up medical
examination.
(B) The
follow-up medical examination must include any medical tests, consultations, or
diagnostic procedures that the PLHCP deems necessary to make a final
determination.
(d)
Administration of the medical questionnaire and examinations.
(A) You must allow the employee to complete
the questionnaire in a way that protects the confidentiality of the
information. Employers are not allowed to see the answers or to review the
completed form. You must allow employees to complete the form during normal
working hours or at a time and place convenient to them. If employees need
help, allow them to ask your PLHCP or anybody other than their employer or
representatives of their employer.
(B) The employer must provide the employee
with an opportunity to discuss the questionnaire and examination results with
the PLHCP.
(e)
Supplemental information for the PLHCP.
(A)
You must give the PLHCP the required supplemental information before they make
any recommendation about a worker's ability to use a respirator. Use Appendix
C, Part B, Section 2 of this standard, or an equivalent form to provide this
information.
(i) The type and weight of the
respirator the employee will use;
(ii) How long and how often the employee will
use the respirator (including use for rescue and escape);
(iii) The expected physical work effort while
using the respirator;
(iv)
Additional protective clothing and equipment to be worn; and
(v) Temperature and humidity extremes that
may exist during use.
(B)
Supplemental information you provide for an employee's medical evaluation does
not have to be provided again for later evaluations unless the information or
the PLHCP changes.
(C) You must
provide a copy of your written respiratory program and this standard to the
PLHCP.
Note to Paragraph (5)(e): When the employer replaces a PLHCP,
the employer must ensure that the new PLHCP has this information, either by
providing the documents directly to the new PLHCP or by having the documents
transferred from the former PLHCP to the new PLHCP. However, OR-OSHA does not
expect employers to have employees medically reevaluated solely because there
is a new PLHCP.
(f) Medical determination. In determining the
employee's ability to use a respirator, the employer must:
(A) Obtain a written recommendation about the
employee's ability to use the respirator from the PLHCP. The recommendation
must provide only the following information:
(i) Any limitations on respirator use
relating to the medical condition of the employee, or relating to the workplace
conditions, including whether or not the employee is medically able to use the
respirator;
(ii) The need, if any,
for follow-up medical evaluations; and
(iii) A statement that the PLHCP gave a copy
of the recommendation to the worker.
(B) If the respirator is a negative pressure
respirator and the PLHCP finds that using it would increase the employee's
health risk, the employer must provide a PAPR until a subsequent evaluation
clears the employee for another type.
(g) Additional medical evaluations. At a
minimum, the employer must provide additional medical evaluations that comply
with this standard if:
(A) An employee reports
medical signs or symptoms related to ability to use a respirator;
(B) A PLHCP, supervisor, or the knowledgeable
person who manages the respiratory protection program informs the employer that
an employee needs a reevaluation; or
(C) Information from the respiratory
protection program, including observations made during fit testing and program
evaluation, indicates a need for employee reevaluation; or
(D) A change occurs in work conditions (such
as physical work effort, protective clothing, and temperatures) that may result
in a substantial increase in the physiological burden to the
employee.
(6)
Fit testing. You must:
(a) Ensure that
employees using a tight-fitting face piece respirator pass an appropriate
qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT), using the same
make, model, style and size respirator that they will use in the
workplace.
(b) Ensure that each
worker using a tight-fitting face piece respirator is fit-tested, before
initial respirator use; whenever they change to another type, style, model, or
make of respirator, and at least annually thereafter.
(c) Do a new fit test on a worker when you
observe or the worker, a supervisor, the program administrator, or a PLCHP
report any change in the worker's physical condition that could affect the
respirator fit. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, facial
scarring, dental changes, cosmetic surgery, or an obvious change in body
weight.
(d) Give employees a
reasonable opportunity to select a different respirator face piece and redo the
fit test if, after passing a QLFT or QNFT, the employee notifies the employer,
supervisor, or PLHCP that the fit of the respirator is unacceptable.
(e) Ensure that all fit tests comply with the
accepted QLFT or QNFT protocols in Appendix A of this standard.
(f) Ensure that qualitative fit tests (QLFT)
are used only to fit test negative pressure air-purifying respirators that must
achieve an assigned protective factor of 50 or less.
(g) Ensure that quantitative fit tests
(QNFT), using an accepted QNFT protocol, are only passed by achieving a fit
factor of 100 or more for a tight fitting half face piece respirator, and a fit
factor of 500 or more for a tight fitting full face piece respirator.
(h) Ensure that fit testing of tight-fitting
atmosphere-supplying respirators and tight-fitting powered air-purifying
respirators is only accomplished by performing quantitative or qualitative fit
testing in the negative pressure mode, regardless of the mode of operation
(negative or positive pressure) that is used for respiratory protection.
(A) Do qualitative fit testing of these
respirators by temporarily converting the respirator user's actual face piece
into a negative pressure respirator with appropriate filters, or by using an
identical negative pressure air-purifying respirator face piece with the same
sealing surfaces as a surrogate for the atmosphere-supplying or powered
air-purifying respirator face piece.
(B) Do quantitative fit testing of these
respirators by modifying the face piece to allow sampling inside the face piece
in the breathing zone of the user, midway between the nose and mouth. Do this
by installing a permanent sampling probe onto a surrogate face piece, or by
using a sampling adapter designed to temporarily provide a way to sample air
from inside the face piece.
(C)
Before returning a face piece to normal use, completely remove any
modifications done for fit testing, and restore the face piece to
NIOSH-approved configuration.
(7) Use of respirators.
(a) Face piece seal protection.
(A) You must not permit workers to wear
tight-fitting face pieces if they have:
(i)
Facial hair that comes between the face-to-face piece sealing surface or that
interferes with the respirator's valve function; or
(ii) Any other condition that interferes with
the face-to-face piece seal or valve function.
(B) If an employee wears glasses or goggles
or other personal protective equipment, the employer must ensure that it does
not interfere with the seal of the face piece to the face of the
user.
(C) Employers must ensure
that workers who wear respirators perform a user seal check before every use,
using the procedures in Appendix B-1 or, if equally effective, the
recommendations of the respirator manufacturer.
(b) Continuing respirator effectiveness.
(A) You must reevaluate the effectiveness of
a respirator when there is a change in work area conditions or degree of
employee exposure or stress that may affect respirator effectiveness.
(B) You must ensure that employees leave the
area where respirators are required:
(i) To
wash their faces and respirator face pieces as necessary to prevent eye or skin
irritation associated with respirator use; or
(ii) If they detect vapor or gas
breakthrough, changes in breathing resistance, or leakage of the face piece;
or
(iii) To replace the respirator
or the filter, cartridge, or canister elements.
(C) If the employee detects vapor or gas
breakthrough, changes in breathing resistance, or leakage of the face piece,
the employer or a competent person must replace or repair the respirator before
allowing the employee to return to the work area.
(c) Procedures for IDLH atmospheres. For all
IDLH atmospheres, the employer must ensure that:
(A) One employee or, when needed, more than
one employee is stationed outside the IDLH atmosphere;
(B) Visual, voice, or line communication is
continuous between the employee(s) in the IDLH atmosphere and the employee(s)
outside the IDLH atmosphere;
(C)
The employee(s) outside the IDLH atmosphere have the training and equipment to
provide effective emergency rescue;
(D) The employer or designee is notified
before the employee(s) outside the IDLH atmosphere enter the IDLH atmosphere to
provide emergency rescue;
(E) The
employer or designee authorized to do so by the employer, once notified,
provides necessary assistance appropriate to the situation;
(F) Employee(s) outside the IDLH atmospheres
have:
(i) Pressure demand or other positive
pressure SCBAs, or a pressure demand or other positive pressure supplied-air
respirator with auxiliary SCBA; and either:
(ii) Appropriate retrieval equipment for
removing the employee(s) who enter(s) these hazardous atmospheres where
retrieval equipment would contribute to the rescue of the employee(s) and would
not increase the overall risk resulting from entry; or
(iii) Equivalent means for rescue when there
is no requirement for retrieval equipment under paragraph
(7)(c)(F)(ii).
(d) Procedures for interior structural
firefighting. If you require your workers to fight interior structural fires,
paragraph (7)(c) applies. You must also do the following:
(A) At least two employees enter the IDLH
atmosphere and remain in visual or voice contact with one another at all times;
and
(B) At least two employees are
located outside the IDLH atmosphere; and
(C) All employees engaged in interior
structural firefighting use SCBA's.
Note 1 to paragraph (7)(d):One of the two individuals located
outside the IDLH atmosphere may be assigned to an additional role, such as
incident commander in charge of the emergency or safety officer, so long as
this individual is able to perform assistance or rescue activities without
jeopardizing the safety of health of any firefighter working at the
incident.
Note 2 to paragraph (7)(d): Nothing in this section is meant to
preclude firefighters from performing emergency rescue activities before an
entire team has assembled.
(8) Maintenance and care of respirators.
(a) Cleaning and disinfecting. You must
provide each respirator user with a respirator that is clean, sanitary, and in
good working order. You also must ensure that respirators are cleaned and
disinfected using the procedures in Appendix B-2, or equally effective
procedures recommended by the respirator manufacturer, at the following
intervals:
(A) Clean and disinfect respirators
used exclusively by one worker as often as necessary to keep them
sanitary;
(B) Clean and disinfect
respirators after each use, or before being worn by different individuals, if
used by more than one worker;
(C)
Clean and disinfect emergency use respirators after each use; and
(D) Clean and disinfect fit test and training
respirators after each use.
(b) Storage. Ensure that respirators are
stored as follows:
(A) Store all respirators
to protect them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme
temperatures, excessive moisture, damaging chemicals, and to prevent
deformation of the face piece and exhalation valve.
(B) In addition to the requirements of
paragraph (8)(b)(A), keep emergency respirators:
(i) Accessible to the work area;
(ii) In compartments or in covers clearly
marked as containing emergency respirators; and
(iii) In accordance with any applicable
manufacturer instructions.
(c) Inspections.
(A) The employer must require respirator
inspections as follows:
(i) Inspect all
routine use respirators before each use and during cleaning;
(ii) Inspect emergency use respirators at
least monthly and according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Check for
proper function before and after each use; and
(iii) Inspect escape respirators before
taking them into the workplace for use.
(B) The employer must ensure that respirator
inspections include the following:
(i) A check
of respirator function, tightness of connections, and the condition of the
various parts including, but not limited to, the face piece, head straps,
valves, connecting tube, and cartridges, canisters or filters; and
(ii) A check of elastomeric parts for
pliability and signs of deterioration.
(C) In addition to the requirements of
paragraphs (8)(c)(A) and (B), inspect self-contained breathing apparatus
monthly. Keep air and oxygen fully charged and recharge them when the pressure
falls to 90 percent of the manufacturer's recommended pressure level. Be
certain the regulator and warning devices work properly.
(D) For emergency use respirators, the
employer must:
(i) Certify the respirator by
documenting the date of inspection, the name (or signature) of the inspector,
the findings, required remedial action, and a serial number or other means of
identifying the respirator; and
(ii) Provide this information on a tag or
label attached to the respirator storage compartment, or keep it with the
respirator, or include it in paper or electronic inspection reports. Keep this
information until the next report replaces it.
(d) Repairs. Do not use respirators that fail
an inspection or are otherwise defective. Either discard them or repair them
according to these procedures:
(A) Only people
with appropriate training may repair or adjust respirators. They must use only
the manufacturer's NIOSH-approved parts designed for the particular
respirator;
(B) Repairs must
conform to the manufacturer's recommendations for the type of repair to be
performed;
(C) Only the
manufacturer or a technician trained by the manufacturer may repair or adjust
the reducing and admission valves, regulators and alarms.
(9) Breathing air quality and use.
(a) The employer must ensure or have their
supplier certify that compressed air, compressed oxygen, liquid air, and liquid
oxygen used for respiration meets the following specifications:
(A) Compressed and liquid oxygen must meet
the United States Pharmacopoeia requirements for medical or breathing oxygen;
and
(B) Compressed breathing air
must meet at least the requirements for Grade D breathing air described in
ANSI/Compressed Gas Association Commodity Specification for Air, G-7.1-1989, to
include:
(i) Oxygen content (v/v) between 19.5
and 23.5 percent;
(ii) Hydrocarbon
(condensed) content of no more than 5 milligrams per cubic meter of
air;
(iii) Carbon monoxide (CO)
content of no more than 10 ppm;
(iv) Carbon dioxide content of no more than
1,000 ppm; and
(v) No noticeable
odor.
Note: Do not fill your own air vessels unless they and the
contents meet all the requirements of this standard.
(b) Do not use
compressed oxygen in atmosphere-supplied respirators that previously held
compressed air.
(c) The employer
must ensure that oxygen concentrations more than 23.5 percent are used only in
equipment designed for oxygen service or distribution.
(d) The employer must ensure that cylinders
to supply breathing air to respirators meet the following requirements:
(A) Cylinders are tested and maintained as
prescribed in the Shipping Container Specification Regulations of the
Department of Transportation ( 49 CFR part 180 );
(B) Cylinders of purchased breathing air have
a certificate of analysis from the supplier that the breathing air meets the
requirements for Grade D breathing air; and
(C) The moisture content in the cylinder does
not exceed a dew point of -50 degrees F. (-45.6 degrees C.) at 1 atmosphere
pressure.
(e) The
employer must ensure that compressors supplying breathing air to respirators
are constructed and situated to:
(A) Prevent
entry of contaminated air into the air-supply system;
(B) Minimize moisture content so that the dew
point at 1 atmosphere pressure is 10 degrees F. (5.56 degrees C.) below the
ambient temperature;
(C) Have
suitable in-line air-purifying sorbent beds and filters to further ensure
breathing air quality. Maintain and replace sorbent beds and filters according
to the manufacturer's instructions.
(D) Have a tag at the compressor showing the
most recent change date and the signature of the authorized person who did the
change.
(f) For
compressors that are not oil-lubricated, ensure that carbon monoxide levels in
the breathing air do not exceed 10 ppm.
(g) For oil-lubricated compressors, use only
a high-temperature or carbon monoxide alarm, or both, to monitor carbon
monoxide levels. If you use only high-temperature alarms, monitor the air
supply often enough to prevent carbon monoxide in the breathing air from
exceeding 10 ppm.
(h) The employer
must ensure that breathing air couplings are incompatible with outlets for
nonrespirable worksite air or other gas systems. Do not allow any asphyxiating
substance to get into breathing airlines.
(i) Use only the respirator manufacturer's
NIOSH approved breathing gas containers marked and maintained in accordance
with the Quality Assurance provisions of the NIOSH approval for the SCBA, as
issued in accordance with the NIOSH respirator certification standard at 42 CFR
part 84.
(10)
Identification of filters, cartridges, and canisters. The employer must ensure
that all filters, cartridges and canisters have labels and color codes that
comply with the NIOSH standards and that the label remains in place and
legible.
(11) Training and
information.
(a) The employer must ensure that
each employee can demonstrate knowledge of at least the following:
(A) Why the respirator is necessary and how
improper fit, use, or maintenance can compromise the protective effect of the
respirator;
(B) What the
limitations and capabilities of the respirator are;
(C) How to use the respirator effectively in
emergency situations, including situations in which the respirator
malfunctions;
(D) How to inspect,
put on and remove, use, and check the seals of the respirator;
(E) What the procedures are for maintenance
and storage of the respirator;
(F)
How to recognize medical signs and symptoms that may limit or prevent the
effective use of respirators; and
(G) The general requirements of this
rule.
(b) Training must
be in a language or form that workers understand.
(c) Training must be complete before workers
use respirators.
(d) Retrain
respirator users annually and when these situations happen:
(A) Changes in the work or the type of
respirator make previous training obsolete;
(B) Inadequacies in the employee's knowledge
or use of the respirator indicate that they no longer have the basic
understanding or skill; or
(C) Any
other situation arises in which retraining appears necessary to ensure safe
respirator use.
(e) An
employer who can demonstrate that a new employee has training within the last
12 months that addresses the elements in paragraph (11)(a)(A) through (G) does
not have to repeat that training if, the employee can demonstrate knowledge of
those element(s). Previous training not repeated initially by the employer must
be provided no later than 12 months from the date of the previous
training.
(f) Provide every
voluntary respirator user with the basic advisory information in Appendix D.
Any written or oral format that the employee understands is
acceptable.
(12) Program
evaluation.
(a) Evaluate the workplace as
necessary to ensure effective implementation of the current written
program.
(b) Regularly consult your
respirator users to get their views on your program's effectiveness and to
identify problems. Correct the problems identified. Things to assess include at
least:
(A) Respirator fit (including the
ability to use the respirator without interfering with effective workplace
performance);
(B) Users have and
use the correct respirator and components for their exposure hazards;
(C) Proper respirator use; and
(D) Proper respirator maintenance.
(13) Recordkeeping.
(a) Medical evaluation. Retain and make
available all medical evaluations required by this standard according to
Division 2/Z, 1910.1020. (Division 4/A,
437-004-0005, Medical Records
Access, stipulates that Division 2/Z, 1910.1020 applies to agricultural
employers.)
(b) Fit testing.
(A) You must keep a record of qualitative and
quantitative fit tests for each user including:
(i) The name or identification of the
employee;
(iii) Specific make, model,
style, and size of respirator tested;
(v) The pass/fail results for QLFTs or the
fit factor and strip chart recording or other recording of the test results for
QNFTs.
(B) Keep fit test
records until records of a new test replace them.
(c) You must keep a written copy of your
current respirator program.
(d) On
request, you must make written records required by this standard, available to
the Oregon OSHA Administrator or their designee for examination or
copying.
(14) Appendices.
Compliance with Appendix A, Appendix B-1, Appendix B-2, Appendix C, and
Appendix D of this rule is mandatory.
(15) Effective Date. OAR
437-004-1041, Respiratory
Protection, is effective March 1, 2007.
[Insert Appendices A, B-1, B-2, C, and D]
To view attachments referenced in rule text,
click here to view
rule.
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS
654.025(2)
& 656.726(4).
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS
654.001 -
654.295.
