1. Respiratory Protection

2. RESPIRATOR PROGRAM
Requires a written program with worksite-specific procedures when respirators are needed.
Must be updated, as needed
A program administrator is required for the entire college.
College must provide respirators, training, and medical evaluations at no cost to employees.

3. RESPIRATOR PROGRAM ELEMENTS
Selection
Medical Evaluation
Respirator Use
Maintenance and Care
Fit Testing
Breathing-Air Quality and Use
Training
Program Evaluation

4. WHERE RESPIRATORS ARE USED BUT NOT REQUIRED
If respirators will not create a hazard, and if requested, OCC may furnish respirators.
If approved, employees may wear their own, but must follow program requirements.
Voluntary use of filtering facepieces (face masks) does not have to be included in the written program.

5. PERMISSIBLE PRACTICES
Engineering Controls (enclosures, confinement of operations, ventilation, use of less toxic materials) are primary means to control hazards.
When effective engineering controls are not available, respirators will be used.
Respirators will be applicable to and suitable for the purpose intended.
Employer will be responsible for maintaining the program .

6. SELECTION OF RESPIRATORS
College will select and provide an appropriate respirator based on the respiratory hazards to which the worker is exposed, workplace factors, and user factors that affect respirator performance and reliability.
Respirators will be selected from a sufficient number of models and sizes to ensure correct fit and comfort.

7. RESRIRATOR PROTECTION TRAINING
Employees that use respirators must be trained and demonstrate skill or knowledge of at least:
Why it is necessary, and how improper use and care can compromise its effectiveness
It’s limitations and capabilities
How to put on, remove, use, and inspect
How to maintain and store
General requirements of this standard

8. RESRIRATOR PROTECTION TRAINING
Training must be provided prior to use.
Retraining required annually, and when:
Prior training becomes obsolete
Employee’s skill or knowledge is inadequate
Other situations arise in which retraining appears necessary

9. EMPLOYEE EXPOSURE
Regulatory Definition: Exposure to a concentration of an airborne contaminant that would occur if the employee were not using respiratory protection.

10. TWO BASIC TYPES OF RESPIRATORS
Air Purifying - Removes contaminants before they reach the breathing zone.
Atmosphere Supplying - Provides fresh air from an external source.

11. AIR PURIFYING May be particulate removing Vapor and gas removing
A combination of the two
Uses a replaceable cartridge or canister

12. AIR PURIFYING USE LIMITATIONS
Does not supply oxygen, therefore there is only as much oxygen available to breath as is in the ambient air
Contaminant must be known and cannot exceed facepiece limitations
Contaminants are not IDLH
Always treat oxygen-deficient air as IDLH

13. ATMOSPHERE SUPPLYING
Type 1 - Airline Respirator. Air is pumped to the user from outside.
Type 2 - Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).

14. AIRLINE RESPIRATOR
Has a pressure demand nozzle that allows user to control air flow
Use Grade D breathing air
May be used with a hood or helmet to supply continuous air
Tight fitting
Hose limited to 300 feet
Some mobility restriction

15. SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS
Breathing air provided from pressurized tanks
Provides highest level of protection and mobility
Commonly used in rescue or emergency situations
Limited to air in tanks (30 or 60 minutes)
Positive pressure provides protection for both oxygen deficient and IDLH atmospheres

16. RESPIRATOR SELECTION Must fit the wearer and be comfortable
Must be the type which best controls the hazards to be faced
Atmospheric hazard evaluation determines which one to wear
Never substitute, or take the chance that a different one will provide adequate protection

17. WRITTEN RESPIRATORY PROTECTION PLAN
Entire program to be assigned to a trained and competent person
Manager of Environmental Health and Safety
Describes in detail the hazard evaluation process
Contains SOPs for respirator selection, use, and maintenance

18. WRITTEN RESPIRATORY PROTECTION PLAN
Contains results of analysis of atmospheric contaminants
Physical and chemical properties
Adverse health effects
Warning properties
Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)
Other accepted exposure limits

19. WRITTEN RESPIRATORY PROTECTION PLAN
Additional plan criteria
Results of workplace atmospheric testing
Nature of the work
Activities that are to be performed
Time expected to complete the task
Written plan to be made available to all involved employees

20. FIT TESTING
Before an employee uses any respirator with a negative or positive pressure tight-fitting facepiece, the employee must be fit tested with the same make, model, style, and size of respirator that will be used.
Must be administered using an OSHA-accepted protocol such as that contained in Appendix A of the OCC Respiratory Protection Program.

21. FIT TESTING Respirators rely on face-to-mask seal
Fit testing determines which device will best fit and seal
Stubble, beard, hairlines, glasses, and goggles will negatively affect fit
Corrective lenses may be mounted inside the facepiece

22. FIT TEST PROCEDURES Fit testing should be conducted annually.
More often, if facial features change or a different respirator is to be used.
Users of tight-fitting respirators must perform a seal test each time they are used.

23. TYPES OF FIT TESTING
Qualitative (QLFT) - challenge agent, vapor, or aerosol released
Fit is inadequate if a presence of the agent is detected (irritation, taste, or odor)
Quantitative (QNFT) - measures actual level of agent both inside and outside the respirator

24. FIT FACTOR
A quantitative estimate of the fit of a particular respirator to a specific individual, and estimates the ratio of:
Concentration of a substance in ambient air versus the concentration inside the respirator when worn

25. FILTERS
A component used in respirators to remove solid or liquid particles, aerosols, and/or fumes from inspired air.
Also called an air purifying element.

26. HEPA FILTERS High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)
Removes 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 micrometers, or greater, in diameter.
Color coded Purple.

27. CANISTER / CARTRIDGE
A container with a filter, sorbent (catalyst), or combination of these items, which removes specific contaminants from the air passed through the container.
All cartridges must be NIOSH/MSHA approved and color coded.

28. SERVICE LIFE
The period of time that a respirator, filter, adsorbant, or other respiratory equipment provides adequate protection to the wearer.

29. END OF SERVICE LIFE INDICATOR (ESLI)
A system that warns the user of the approach of the end of adequate respiratory protection. (i.e., The adsorbant is approaching saturation or is no longer providing protection)

30. NEGATIVE PRESSURE RESPIRATOR
A respirator in which the air pressure inside the facepiece is negative during inhalation with respect to the ambient air pressure outside the respirator.

31. FILTERING FACEPIECE (Dust Mask)
A negative pressure particulate respirator with a filter as an integral part of the facepiece, or with the entire facepiece composed of the filtering medium.

32. POSITIVE PRESSURE RESPIRATOR
A respirator in which the pressure inside the respiratory inlet covering exceeds the ambient air pressure outside the respirator.

33. POWERED AIR-PURIFYING RESPIRATOR (PAPR)
An air purifying respirator that uses a blower to force ambient air through air-purifying elements to the inlet covering.

34. ATMOSPHERE-SUPPLYING RESPIRATOR
A respirator that supplies the user with breathing air from a source independent of the ambient atmosphere.
Includes Supplied-Air Respirators (SARs) and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units.

35. ATMOSPHERE-SUPPLYING RESPIRATORS
Continuous Flow: provides a continuous flow of breathing air to the respiratory inlet covering
Pressure Demand: admits air to the facepiece when the positive pressure inside the facepiece is reduced by inhalation

36. SUPPLIED AIR RESPIRATOR (SAR)
An atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the source of breathing air is not carried by the user.
Also called an airline respirator.

37. SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS (SCBA)
An atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the breathing air is designed to be carried by the user.

38. ESCAPE ONLY RESPIRATOR
A respirator designed and intended to be used only for emergency exit.

39. PUTTING THE RESPIRATOR ON (DONNING)
Donning the Respirator:
Donning procedures may vary from respirator to respirator.
Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended procedures for putting on a respirator.
In general:
Place facepiece over mouth and nose
Pull straps over head, or attach behind head, as appropriate
Tighten straps from bottom to top

40. POSITIVE PRESSURE SEAL TEST
Performed each time respirator is put on
Block off exhalation valve with palm.
Blow outward gently.
A good fit results in the pressure holding and no leaks found.

41. NEGATIVE PRESSURE SEAL TEST
Performed each time a respirator is put on
Place palms over the inhalation inlets, or squeeze the breathing tube.
Inhale gently. Facepiece should collapse slightly.
Hold breath for about ten seconds.
Good test indicated by pressure holding and no leaks found.

42. TAKING THE RESPIRATOR OFF (DOFFING)
Doffing the Respirator
Procedures may vary from respirator to respirator
Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended procedures for removing a respirator
In general:
While holding the facepiece, loosen the straps from top to bottom
Pull the straps over the head and in front of the facepiece, or detach buckles, depending upon the design
Remove the respirator

43. CONTINUING RESPIRATOR EFFECTIVENESS
Maintain constant surveillance of respirator effectiveness.
Employees must leave the respirator use area:
To wash face or facepiece
If a “breakthrough” is detected (see below)
There is a change in breathing resistance
There is leakage of the facepiece
To replace respirator, filter, cartridge, or canister
Since the respirator is designed to prevent many chemicals from reaching the wearer, any unusual odors detected in the mask should be treated as a breakthrough.

44. RESPIRATOR MAINTENANCE
Step 1 – Inspection
Inspect before and after each use
Step 2 – Cleaning / Decontamination
Clean/decontaminate after each use or when respirator becomes contaminated/dirty
Step 3 – Storage
Store in sealed container after each use

45. STEP 1 - INSPECTION Check for: Holes in the filters
Loss of elasticity or tears in headstraps and hoses
Broken or loose connectors and hoses
Cracked or scratched facepieces
Detergent residue
Dirt in valves
General cleanliness

46. STEP 2 - CLEANING / DECONTAMINATION
Explicitly follow manufacturers directions.
If worn by only one person, clean and disinfect periodically.
If possible to be worn by more than one person, clean and disinfect after each use.

47. STEP 3 - STORAGE
Must be protected from dust, sunlight, heat, cold, moisture, and chemicals
Facepiece should be stored in an individual plastic bag
Store masks with valves and breathing tubes in a natural, undistorted position
Store cartridges/canisters in air-tight plastic bags, as the adsorbent material within them will continue to adsorb airborne chemicals even when not being used.

48. BREATHING AIR QUALITY
Compressed breathing air must meet at least the requirements for Grade D breathing air.
Systems supplying breathing air must be equipped with appropriate in-line air purifying sorbent beds and filters, and maintained per manufacturer’s instructions.

49. CLASSES OF FILTERS
Three levels of filter efficiency (95%, 99%, and 99.97%).
Three levels of filter resistance to efficiency degradation (labeled N, R, and P).
Total of nine classes of filters.

50. MEDICAL EVALUATION PROCEDURES
Provide medical evaluation before fit testing and respirator use.
Licensed Health Care Provider (LHCP) may use questionnaire (Sections 1 and 2, Part A of Appendix C) and/or examination.
Follow-up is required for any positive response to questions 1-8 in Section 2, Part A of Appendix C, or demonstrates the need during examination.

51. ADDITIONAL MEDICAL EVALUATIONS
Annual review is no longer required.
Must provide additional evaluations if:
Employee reports problem using device
LHCP, supervisor, or program administrator thinks there should be
Observations during fit-testing indicates there should be
Changes occur in the workplace or the employee

52. RECORDKEEPING
Training and medical records must be maintained and made available.
Fit test records must be maintained until the next test is administered.
A written copy of the current program must be maintained.
All written materials must be available to affected employees, as well as state and federal agencies.