Minimum Requirements for Pesticide Respirators

Respirators represent critical personal protection equipment for anyone who handles pesticides. Half-face and full-face devices prevent inhalation of deadly chemical applications by covering at least the mouth and nose. Governmental agencies --- such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency --- establish minimum requirements for pesticide respirators, such as fit-testing specifications and chemical product labels that offer explicit instructions on what style of apparatus to wear when using those products.

Selection

• The EPA mandates that pesticide labels identify the exact type of respirator required during application of that product, according to the Rutgers University Cooperative Extension. For example, a petroleum-based spray might specify that an applicator wear a respirator containing an organic vapor-removing cartridge. The EPA requires labeling instructions covering five pesticide categories: gaseous products intended for outdoor applications; fumigants applied in enclosed spaces such as greenhouses; solids; and liquid products that fall within two toxicity groups.

  Anyone who works with pesticides must follow these requirements exactly as they appear on the labels because many substances have more than one use and formulation, Rutgers advises. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture also warns that no single design of respirator offers protection from all pesticides.

Fit

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires a medical examination before an employee starts working with pesticides, according to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension. This allow a physician to document the employee's ability to wear an apparatus and maintain a leak-free seal. For example, facial hair interferes with devices, and OSHA requires unshaven workers to use hooded respirators. Fit testing involves the release of harmless substances near the employee to see if he detects odors or irritations while wearing a respirator. Additional testing is warranted if a worker experiences any change to his facial composition, such as scarring, dental work or significant weight gain or loss. OSHA requires annual fit testing as well as testing with every style of respirator that the worker expects to use, the NASDA reports.

Care

• The EPA and OSHA require workers to undergo training to maintain their respirators. Breathing apparatuses include replaceable cartridges that remove contaminants from the air inside a respirator. Filters require replacement when they become dirty or damaged or impede breathing, the Rutgers Cooperative Extension recommends. The pesticide industry breaks filters into three categories of protection against oil-based applications: N-series, which is not oil-resistant; R-series, which is oil-resistant; and P-series, which is oil-proof. Anyone working with pesticides must understand the impact of oil degradation on a respirator. For instance, an R-series can be worn for only eight hours of continuous or intermittent use. Required maintenance includes wiping off a respirator's exterior after each use and inspecting each component every month, the NASDA suggests.