Respiratory Protection TGA Safety Roundtable March 2015

Respiratory Protection Are you at risk without adequate respiratory protection? What are you doing to protect yourself from hazardous atmospheres today? Will YOU be prepared when an emergency takes place?

Objective Demonstrate a general understanding of the role of respiratory protection in job safety within the requirements in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulations 29 CFR

Purpose of Respiratory Protection To protect employees from: Occupational airborne particles Gases Oxygen deficient atmospheres

Reasons for Respirators

What Is A Respirator? A device that protects workers from inhaling harmful substances. Respirators provide protection from respiratory hazards only when they are worn properly. What are some things that prevent a respirator from working properly?

Why Are Respirators Necessary? Airborne fibers/vaporsFumes GasesMists DustSmokes FogsSprays Most Common: Oxygen Deficient Atmospheres

When Are Respirators Necessary? Anytime all preferred methods of protecting workers from breathing contaminated air have been exhausted or determined to be insufficient. Includes: Engineering Controls Administrative Controls Substituting Non-Hazardous Materials

Types of Respirators Air Purifying Respirator A respirator used in conjunction with filters or canisters to remove contaminants from the air. Note: cannot be used in an IDLH situation unless escape of a hazardous atmosphere

Types of Respirators Supplied Air Respirators (Atmosphere Supplying) Respirators that provide clean air from an uncontaminated source. Compressed breathing air shall meet at least the requirements for Grade D breathing air.

Types of Respirators Dust Masks / Filtering Face Piece Note: cannot be used in IDLH situations

Respiratory Protection Permissible practice: A respirator shall be provided to each employee when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of such employee. The respirators shall be suitable for the purpose intended. The employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protection program.

Respiratory Protection Programs Written All work specific procedures and elements for required respirator use applicable to a particular worksite must be in writing. The program must address respirator selection, fit testing, use, training, medical evaluations, cleaning, disinfecting, storage and maintenance & program evaluation

Respiratory Protection Program Voluntary Use An employer may provide respirators at the request of employees or permit them to use their own respirators, if the employer determines that such respirator use will not in itself create a hazard. Employer will provide the user with information in 29 CFR App D and establish a respiratory protection program with all elements necessary to ensure that voluntary users are medically able to use a respirator.

Respirator Protection Program

Respiratory Protection Programs Voluntary Use A written program is not required for voluntary use of filtering face piece respirators.

Respirator Use Medical Evaluation Purpose: Using a respirator may place physiological burden on employees that varies with the type of respirator worn, the job or workplace conditions. Medical evaluations must be made when employees are required to wear respirators in the workplace to protect the health of the employee. Medical evaluations will be reviewed by a physician or other licensed health care professional (PLHCP) to approved the employee for respirator use.

Respirator Selection Employers shall identify and evaluate a NIOSH certified respirator based on the hazard(s) to which workers are exposed. The evaluation shall include a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazard(s). Where an employee cannot identify or reasonably estimate the employee exposure the employer shall consider the atmosphere to be IDLH.

Respirators for IDLH Atmospheres A full face piece pressure demand SCBA certified by NIOSH for a minimum service life of 30 minutes or a combination full face piece pressure demand supplied air respirator with auxiliary self-contained air supply. Note: all oxygen deficient atmospheres shall be considered IDLH.

Respirators For Non IDLH Atmospheres The employer shall provide a respirator that is adequate to protect the health of the employee and ensure compliance with all other OHSA statutory and regulatory requirements, under routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations.

Air Purifying Filters/Cartridges

Respirator Fit Testing Before an employee may be required to use any respirator with a negative or positive pressure tight fitting face piece, the employee must be fit tested with the same make, model, style and size of respirator that will be used. Fit testing shall be administered using an OSHA accepted Qualitative (QLFT) or Quantitative (QNFT) protocol.

Respirator Fit Testing Employees will be fit tested at least annually, any time a different respirator face piece is used, whenever the employee reports or the employer, PLHCP, supervisor or program administrator makes visual observations of, changes in the employees physical condition that could affect respirator fit. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, facial scarring, dental changes, cosmetic surgery or obvious change in body weight.

Respirator Fit Testing An employer cannot allow employees who have any condition that interferes with the face-to- face piece seal or valve function to wear respirators with tight fitting face pieces. This includes, but not limited to facial hair, corrective glasses, missing dentures, presence of facial scars, wearing of jewelry or headgear that projects under the face piece seal.

Qualitative Fit Testing Series of test using a known irritant or fragrance type test medium. Isoamyl Acetate – banana oil type liquid. Bitrex (sodium saccharine) – sweet bitter after taste. 400 times stronger than table sugar. Stannic Chloride – irritant smoke with a very offensive strong odor. (organic vapor filters shall be used)

Qualitative Fit Testing

Quantitative Fit Testing Using controlled negative pressure and appropriate instrumentation to measure volumetric leak rate of a facepiece to quantify the respirator fit. Fit Factors: ½ face respirator – minimum protection factor of 100 Full facepiece – minimum protection factor of 500 Fit factor estimates the ratio of the concentration of substance in ambient air to its concentration inside the respirator when worn.

Quantitative Fit Testing

Respirator Seal Check The individual who uses a tight fitting respirator is to perform a user seal check to ensure that an adequate seal is achieved each time the respirator is put on. The respirator manufacturer’s recommended method shall be used. User seal checks are not substitutes for qualitative or quantitative fit test.

Respirator Seal Check Seal checks will vary depending on type of respirator and manufacturers specifications.

Respirator Cleaning Wash components in warm (110 deg. F) water with a mild detergent or with a cleaner recommended by the respirator manufacturer. Rinse components thoroughly in clean, warm (100 deg. F) water, preferably running water. Hand dry with a clean lint-free cloth or air dry.

Respirator Cleaning When cleaner does not contain a disinfecting agent, immerse for 2 minutes in the following: Hypochlorite solution (50 ppm chlorine) made by adding 1 milliliter bleach to 1 liter of warm water (110 deg. F) Aqueous solution of iodine (50 ppm Iodine) made by adding 0.8 milliliter tincture of iodine to 1 liter of warm water (110 deg. F) Rinse thoroughly in clean warm water, hand dry or air dry.

Respirator Storage Respirators shall be stored in a manner to protect them from dust, sunlight, extreme heat or cold, moisture, ozone, damaging chemicals and distortion of rubber or other flexible parts.

Respirator Inspections All respirators used in routine situations shall be inspected before each use and during cleaning. All respirators maintained for emergency use a documented inspection shall be conducted at least monthly and in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations. A check of respirator function, tightness of connections, and the condition of various parts including the face piece, head straps, valves, connecting tubes, cartridges, canisters, filters and elastomeric parts.

For Additional Information Visit 29 CFR