Respirator fit testing and respirator safety training requirements | Your Safety Department^SM

How would your organization measure up against this standard? Can you afford to be out of compliance? What if it were you who was required to wear a respirator?

According to a study issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 12% of the manufacturing establishments inspected were found to have violated the Respiratory Protection Standard and of those establishments that underwent health inspections, 22% received Respiratory Protection Violations.

OSHA’s respiratory protection standard took effect on October 5, 1998, and it has over 150 separate provisions within the 13 major sections of the Standard—1910.134(a) to 1910.134(m).

In brief, these are the RP standard’s requirements for employers:

1. Employers must provide respirators and respirator safety training where needed to protect workers’ health.

2. When respirators are required, employers must establish a written RP program that assures that the activities below will be carried out.

3. When employees wear respirators when they are not required to, the employer must establish a partial RP program to ensure that respirator use itself does not harm the worker.

4. Employers must assess whether respirators are needed and provide the appropriate type.

5. Employers must make sure that employees are medically fit to wear respirators and that tight-fitting respirators have the proper respirator fit test.

6. Employers must ensure that workers wear their respirators appropriately and that equipment is properly cleaned and maintained.

7. Employers must provide safety training to workers to use respirators properly.

8. Employers must keep records to document that the preceding steps have been carried out and periodically evaluate their RP program