Respirator users

Medieal evaluation are required for all respirator users exeept for dust masks, eseape only, and others. Employers are required to provide... 

Respirators are an important part of worker protection. We discussed a variety of pitfalls and disadvantages earlier in this chapter, for the disadvantages are similar to those found in level A and level B protection. Selling respiratory protection is very important. This selling of the program comes through communication, training, and experience. Experienced respirator users know that they work. This faith by workers can... 

End-of-service-life indicator (ESLI) A warning system that alerts a respirator user that the cartridge or canister is approaching the end of its usefulness. 

Atmosphere-supplying respirator means a respirator that supplies the respirator user with breathing air from a source independent of the ambient atmosphere, and includes supplied-air respirators (SARs) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units. 

End-of-service-life indicator (ESLI) means a system that warns the respirator user of the approach ofthe end of adequate respiratory protection,forexample,thatthe sorbent is approaching saturation or is no longer effective. 

Cleaning and disinfecting. The employer shall provide each respirator user with a respiratorthat is clean, sanitary, and in good working order. The employershall ensure that respirators are cleaned and disinfected using the procedures in Appendix B-2 of this section, or procedures recommended by the respirator manufacturer, provided that such procedures are of equivalent effectiveness. The respirators shall be cleaned and disinfected at the following intervals ... 

A respirator study, conducted in a controlled laboratory setting and in which Co and Ci sampling is performed while the respirator user performs a series of set exercises. The laboratory setting is used to control many of the variables found in workplace studies, while the exercises simulate the work activities of respirator users. This type of study is designed to determine the optimum performance of respirators by reducing the impact of sources of variability through maintenance of tightly controlled study conditions. 

Respirator users will be instructed and trained in the proper use of respirators and their limitations. Both supervisors and workers will be trained by the RPA. The training should provide the employee an opportunity to handle the respirator, have it fitted properly, test its face piece-to-face seal, wear it in normal air during a familiarity period, and finally to wear it in a test atmosphere. Fit testing will be accomplished for all tight-fitting respirators used at this location. 

Persons will not be assigned to tasks requiring the use of respirators unless it has been determined that they are physically able to perform the work and use the respirator. The employer will designate a healthcare professional to determine and assess worker health and physical ability to wear a respirator. The respirator user s medical status will be reviewed annually. 

User seal check—An action conducted by the respirator user to determine if a respirator is properly... 

Respirators are a last resort for controlling a hazard and preventing exposure. They should not be used unless all other methods of control are inadequate. Respirators should be properly selected, should be correctly fitted to a person s face, and a person using a respirator should be aware of its uses and limitations. It is essential that all respirator users receive training in respiratory protection and that respirator users must work in teams of at least two workers. ... 

Any modifications to the respirator face piece for fit testing must be completely removed, and the face piece restored to NIOSH approved configuration, before that face piece can be used in the workplace. Fit test records shall be retained for respirator users until the next fit test is administered. Written materials required to be retained must be made available upon request to affected employees. 

For continued protection of respirator users, the following general use rules apply ... 

I) An employer may provide respirators at the request of employees or permit employees to use their own respirators, if the employer determines that such respirator use will not in itself create a hazard. If the employer determines that any voluntary respirator use is permissible, the employer shall provide the respirator users with the information contained in Appendix D to this section ( Information for... 

Cleaning and disinfecting. The empioyer shaii provide each respirator user with a respirator that is dean, sanitary, and in good work-... 

Almost all elements of the respiratory protection program affect respirator users and their knowledge of the principles of respiratory protection is integral to an effective program. Elements that have a more direct impact on the user include ... 

Yes. The location of the compressor intake is critical to the purity of air supplied to the respirator user. The compressor must be located in an area uncontaminated by either combustion exhaust gases produced by vehicles or the compressor motor itself (if applicable), or by other gases from plant processes. 

What is required of the respirator user to determine if the respirator is properly sealed ... 

Environments containing IDLH atmospheres are frequently well-enough understood and controlled that a single standby person is adequate. In most fixed workplaces, the atmosphere is known (i.e., has been well defined either through analysis of monitoring results or through a process hazard analysis). In many industrial IDLH situations, only one respirator user is exposed to the IDLH atmosphere at a time, which means that a single standby person can easily monitor that employee s status (when needed, the standard requires more than one employee outside). 

Even in situations where more than one respirator user is inside an IDLH atmosphere, a single standby person can often provide adequate communication and support. For... 

An employer is allowed to choose the cleaning and disinfecting program the best meets the requirements of the standard and the particular circumstances of the workplace. In other words, the employer can have respirators cleaned and repaired in a centralized type operation where respirators are passed out to employees OR the employer may require the respirator user to handle all cleaning and respirator maintenance functions. What ever method the employer chooses, respirator cleaning, disinfection, and repair activities must be performed by employees who are adequately trained in the proper respirator care procedures. 

No. An employer is obligated to determine that such respirator use will not itself create a hazard, and to provide the respirator users with the information contained in Appendix D of the standard. 

The various basic concepts of toxicology have been discussed. In applying them to the respirator user, we will try to correlate these basics with actual field problems. As a respirator is designed to protect the lungs and inhalation... 

For respirators to provide the protection for which they were designed, users must be fit-tested. Since the OSH A Act was passed, many people responsible for respirator selection simply have handed out respirators. Users were not measured or fitted, and considerations such as glasses, speech amplification and protector factors were not considered. 

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