What is the OSHA CFR for respiratory protection?
OSHA’s revised Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134 and 29 CFR 1926.103) went into effect April 8, 1998. The final standard replaces the respiratory protection standards adopted by OSHA in 1971.
Do you have to be certified to perform respirator fit testing?
If the employer provides respirators for voluntary use but they aren’t required, they don’t need to be fit-tested – but 3M still recommends it. Fit testers don’t require certification to perform fit tests.
Does OSHA require annual respirator training?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to train and fit-test employees who use respiratory protection on the job.
How often is fit testing required?
Under 1910.134, fit testing must be performed initially (before the employee is required to wear the respirator in the workplace) and must be repeated at least annually.
What is a NIOSH respirator?
The NIOSH air filtration rating is the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)’s classification of filtering respirators. The ratings describe the ability of the device to protect the wearer from dust and liquid droplets in the air.
Can anyone perform a respirator fit test?
The individual performing the fit test procedure requires no special certification. However, the individual must be able to prepare the test solutions, calibrate the equipment and perform the tests properly, recognize invalid tests, and ensure test equipment is in proper working order.
What happens if you fail a fit test?
What will happen if I fail a fit test? The fit tester should ask you to refit the face piece and repeat the fit test. If a better fit is not obtained you may be asked to try on a different size or type of face piece and repeat the fit test. You should not use a face piece that does not fit you properly.
What are 2 types of respirators?
There are two main types of respiratory protection—air-purifying respirators (APRs) and atmosphere-supplying respirators (ASRs). Each respirator type provides a different level of protection based on its design. Therefore, it’s important to choose the right type of respirator for the specific exposure.
Which one is not an OSHA requirement for the employer’s respirator program?
Exception: Employers are not required to include in a written respiratory protection program those employees whose only use of respirators involves the voluntary use of filtering facepieces (dust masks).
Can you reuse an N95 mask?
This temperature (equivalent to 167 degrees Fahrenheit) is easily achieved in hospitals and field settings allowing for the N95s to be reused once decontaminated. This heat treatment can be applied at least 10 times on an N95 respirator without degrading its fit.
Who needs fit testing?
Cal/OSHA regulations require that you be provided with a fit-test at the time of initial fitting, whenever a different size, make, model or style of respirator is used, and whenever you report a change in physical characteristics that may affect fit, such as major dental work, facial surgery or injury, or a change in …