Respiratory Protection & OSHA Regulations

Whether you are performing confined space entries to abandoned mines or simply operating a paint sprayer, using the proper respiratory protection for the job is a necessity. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates respiratory protection in business and industry to ensure that all measures of safety are being met.

Objective

• OSHA's main goal in regulating respirator use is to prevent accidental contamination due to faulty equipment or improper use by an operator, and to ensure that respirators are available and used properly whenever health risks require respirator equipment.

Mandatory Provision and Maintenance

• If health risks necessitate the use of respirator equipment, OSHA requires that all equipment be provided to employees. In addition to providing properly functioning equipment, an employer must have regular inspections to monitor respirator equipment. If a fault is detected during an inspection, the employer is also responsible for repairing equipment or fully training employees to perform maintenance on their respirators.

Maximum Use Concentration

• Respirators have their limits when filtering toxic atmospheres, which are rated as their maximum use concentration (MUC). Different respirators have different MUC ratings, but for each respirator the MUC is the maximum atmospheric concentration of a hazardous substance from which an employee can be expected to be protected when wearing a respirator. Exceeding the MUC rating for a respirator can result in contamination and injury.

Written Documentation

• For any worksite where respirators are necessary, an employer must develop a written plan that states the extent of respirator usage, and details aspects of training and maintenance. This document must also include a description of how repairs will be carried out, and if another employee will be trained to perform maintenance of respirators. Further required provisions include medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators, and fit testing procedures to ensure respirators fit tightly on each employee.

Selection of Respirators and Fit Testing

• OSHA requires employers to predetermine all respirator hazards in the workplace, identify how respirators will be used, and select respirators based on these factors. All respirators used must also be models approved by NIOSH, the National Institute for Safety and Health. Once a proper respirator has been selected, it must be fit tested. Fit testing ensures that the respirator makes a tight seal on an employee's face and that no unfiltered atmosphere will leak through the mask. An employee must be fit tested again if any physical changes occur, such as facial scarring, dental changes, cosmetic surgery, or an obvious change in body weight.