BLRs Safety Training Presentations Respiratory Protection 29 CFR

BLR’s Safety Training Presentations Respiratory Protection 29 CFR 1910. 134 11006115 Copyright ã 1999 Business and Legal Reports, Inc.

Regulatory Requirements n 29 CFR 1910. 134 n Covers all required and voluntary use of respiratory protection in general industry n Requires a written program n Requires employee training, medical evaluation, and fit-testing n Standard revised in 1998 11006115 Copyright ã 1999 Business and Legal Reports, Inc.

Types of Respiratory Protection n Atmosphere supplying – Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) – Airline respirators n Air purifying – Gas and vapor – Particulate – Combination

Types of Face Pieces n n n Mouthpiece Single use/disposable Quartermask Half mask Full face Helmet

Effective Use of Respirators n n n n During installation ofengineering controls During maintenance operations During process turnarounds For nonroutine tasks For emergency response At hazardous waste site operations When other controls are inadequate When other controls are not feasible

Employee Effectiveness The use of respiratory protection limits the effectiveness of the employee by 33. 33 percent.

Maximum Use Concentrations n Half mask w/ov cartridge = 1, 000 ppm or 10 x the PEL, whichever is lower n Full face w/ov cartridge = 1, 000 ppm or 50 x the PEL, whichever is lower n Full face w/acid gas chin canister = 2% by volume or 50 times the PEL, whichever is lower Note: In general, never exceed an APF.

Respirator Selection Criteria n Physical state of the contaminant n Contaminant concentration n Oxygen deficiency n Warning properties of contaminant n Potential for IDLH atmospheres n Can contaminant be ad/absorbed by a media? n Can contaminant be ad/absorbed by the skin? n Is the contaminant irritating to the eyes?

Types of Fit-testing n Qualitative – Isoamyl acetate – Irritant smoke n Quantitative – DOP/corn oil – Ambient atmosphere (portacount)

Elements of a Respiratory Protection Program n n n n Written operating procedures Proper selection Training and fitting Cleaning and disinfecting Storage Inspection and maintenance Work area surveillance

Respiratory Program (cont. ) n Inspection and evaluation to determine effectiveness n Medical examinations n Approved respirators

Revision to 1910. 134 n Effective date: April 8, 1998 n Enforcement date: October 5, 1998

Written Program Requirements n Must be site-specific n Must have a program administrator n Must be developed when respirator use is required

When Respirators Are Not Required n Can use employee respirator if it does not create a hazard n Voluntary users of respirators must be given Appendix D = employee information when respirators are not required n Employers must implement a program for nonrequired users

Respirators Not Required (cont. ) n If dust masks only are used and not required, no written program is required n Appendix D of the standard must be provided to users

General Requirements n Use of NIOSH-approved respirators only n Evaluation of hazards n Availability of multiple respirator types

Respirators for Non-IDLH Use n If cartridges have no “end of service life indicator” a change schedule must be used n Added table for oxygen-deficient atmospheres based on altitude

Medical Evaluation n Use of medical questionnaire (Appendix C) n Follow-up medical exam for any positive response to questionnaire n All medical evaluations must be made confidentially n Employees must be allowed to discuss the questionnaire with the physician

Medical Evaluation (cont. ) n Physicians must be told conditions of respirator use n Employers must provide a PAPR if employees cannot use a negative pressure APR n Follow-up evaluations must be conducted if conditions of use or user health change

Fit-Testing n Respirators will not protect you if they don’t fit properly! n Required for negative or positive pressure tight-fitting face pieces n Must be conducted prior to use n Must be conducted at least annually n Must be retested if respirator fit or wearer change