Sample Respirator Program
Appendix 1 SELECTION AND USE
1. The selection of a specific respirator must be made by individuals knowledgeable about the limitatio selection process if adequate worker protection is to be achieved.
A. Criteria for Selecting Respirators
To use this decision logic, the user must first assemble the necessary toxicological, safety, and other re
• General use conditions, including determination of contaminant(s);
• Physical, chemical, and toxicological properties of the contaminant(s); - Odor threshold data; if applicable.
• NIOSH recommended exposure limit, (REL), ACGIH threshold limit values, (TLVs), OSHA
permissible exposure limit (PEL) or other applicable exposure limit (Exposure limits are
• Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) concentration;
• Eye irritation potential; and
• Any service life information available (for cartridges and canisters).
When conflicting or inadequate data are found, experts should be consulted before decisions are made that could affect the proper use of the selection procedure. In addition, the adequacy of the respirator selected is dependent on the validity of the exposure limit used.
The information obtained on general use conditions for respirators should include a description of the actual job task, including the duration and frequency, location and physical demands. Some general use conditions may preclude the use of specific types of respirators in certain circumstances because the individual must be medically and psychologically suitable to wear a given respirator for a given task, particularly if the respirator is a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
Information obtained on the service life of the cartridge/canister under conditions of intended use should be evaluated regardless of the odor warning properties of the chemicals. These evaluations should be based on all gases and vapors present at the temperature and relative humidity extremes (high and low) in the workplace. Cartridge replacement schedules will be based on the type of operation and will generally be at the end of each shift of work or more often as indicated by odor break through, or high breathing resistance. Cartridge replacement may be at more frequent intervals.
B. Restrictions and Requirements for All Respirator Usage
The following requirements and restrictions must be considered to ensure that the respirator selected
Respiratory Protection Program
• Respirator users must receive annual training in basic maintenance, inspection, cleaning, and evaluation of the respirator; use of the respirator in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; fit testing; and environmental monitoring. Minimum
Hazards and in other publications.
• Qualitative or quantitative fit tests should be provided as appropriate to ensure that adequate respiratory protection. When quantitative fit testing (QNFT) is used, the fit factor screening level should be chosen with caution and with the recognition of the uncertainty of its effectiveness since no studies have demonstrated what fit factor values provide
adequate accept/reject criteria for quantitative fit screening.
• Negative pressure respirators should not be used when facial scars or deformities
• No respirator (including positive pressure respirators) should be used when facial hair
• The respirators should be properly maintained, correctly used, and conscientiously worn.
• The usage limitations of air-purifying elements, particularly gas and vapor cartridges,
• In order to select air purifying respirators the following criteria must be met in almost Compound must be identified and quantified.
Compound must have adequate warning properties.
There must be at least 19.5% oxygen present.
• The respirators must be approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and
• Full face respirators are the only respirators approved for Office of Superfund
• Workers must leave the contaminated area immediately upon suspicion of
• In order to select air purifying respirators the following criteria must be met in almost Compound must be identified and quantified.
Compound must have adequate warning properties.
Respiratory Protection Program There must be at least 19.5% oxygen present.
• The respirators must be approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the
• Full face respirators are the only respirators approved for Office of Superfund personnel.
• Workers must leave the contaminated area immediately upon suspicion of respirator
• Workers are not exposed to single unvarying concentrations of hazardous substances.
for each respirator wearer. Respirator selection will be made based on the compound with the most toxic and/or carcinogenic property or potential.
• Respirator wearers should be aware of the variability in human response to the warning
• Published assigned protection factors (APFs) of various respirators are based for the most part on laboratory studies. However, a few APFs have been validated by data obtained from studies of workplace protection factors (WPFs). For the present, the APFs should be
C. Respirator Decision Logic Sequence
After all criteria have been identified and evaluated and after the requirements and protection:
1. Is the respirator intended for use during firefighting?
a. If yes, only a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) with a full face-piece operated in pressure demand or other positive pressure mode is
b. If no, proceed to Step 2.
2. Is the respirator intended for use in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere, i.e., less than 19.5% oxygen at sea level?
a. If yes, a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) with a full face-piece demand or other positive pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary
is interrupted.
Respiratory Protection Program b. If no, proceed to Step 3.
3. Is the respirator intended for use during emergency situations?
a. If yes, two types of respirators are recommended: a SCBA with a full face- piece operated in pressure demand or other positive pressure mode or a
demand or other positive pressure mode. The Auxiliary SCBA must be of sufficient duration to permit escape to safety if the air supply is interrupted.
b. If no, proceed to Step 4
4. Is the contaminant regulated by the Department of Labor as an occupational a. If yes, the respirator selected, either supplied air, or air purifying, will depend on the properties of the contaminant: confirmed, or suspected human carcinogen, assigned numeric exposure limit, no exposure limit assignment, and the concentration of the contaminant at the work location.
(Respirator selections for carcinogenic contaminants should be referred to the
Superfund Contact person.)
b. If no, proceed to Step 5.
5. Is the exposure concentration of the contaminant, as determined by acceptable (Whenever a worker is given a respirator to use on a voluntary basis when ambient levels are below applicable limits, OSHA requires the implementation of a complete respiratory protection program, which includes medical evaluation,
a. If yes, a respirator would not be required except for an escape situation.
required at any concentration above background.) b. If no, proceed to Step 6.
6. Are conditions such that a worker who is required to wear a respirator can escape from the work area and not suffer loss of life or immediate or delayed irreversible health effects if the respirator fails, i.e., are the conditions not immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH)?
a. If yes, conditions are not considered to be IDLH. Proceed to Step 7.
Respiratory Protection Program
b. If no, conditions are considered to be IDLH. Two types of respirators are in pressure demand or other positive pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary SCBA operated in pressure demand or other positive pressure 7. Is the contaminant an eye irritant, or can the contaminant cause eye damage at
the exposure concentration?
a. If yes, a respirator equipped with a full face-piece, is required. Full face 8. If the physical state of the contaminant is a particulate (solid or liquid) during
Step 10, if it is a combination of gas or vapor and particulate, proceed to Step 11.
9. A filter medium that will provide protection against exposure to the particulate in the REL/TLV/PEL. In some instances other filters may be approved for nuisance dusts only.
Maximum use concentration of the respirators used as protection against toxic respirator selection requirements based on their concentrations.
10. Gas/Vapor Respirators
Are the warning properties for the gas/vapor contaminant adequate at or below the NIOSH REL/ TLV/PEL or their applicable exposure limit?
a. If yes, proceed to Step 11.
b. If no, an air-purifying respirator equipped with an effective end-of-service-life indicator (ESLI), a supplied-air respirator, or a self-contained breathing
11. A combination air-purifying chemical cartridge/canister and HEPA filter respirator is required that has a sorbent suitable for the chemical properties of the anticipated
Note: Because of the mix of un-quantified compounds generally found at hazardous
Because the standard criteria for selecting air-purifying respirators (identifying, selected under these conditions. (See level of protection based on dial reading response in EPA's Standard Operating Safety Guides.)