709 Personal Protective Equipment

Respiratory Protection Program Requirements

The program must be administered by a suitably trained program administrator. In addition, certain program elements may be required for voluntary use to prevent potential hazards associated with the use of the respirator.

OSHA's CPL 02-02-054 - Respiratory Protection Program Guidelines will give you insight into the OSHA inspection protocol for respiratory protection. Design your own audits with these strategies in mind.

You can't just hand out respirators and expect employees to use them properly. If respirators are necessary to protect your employees, you must have a written program outlining how you will accomplish the following:

• Select suitable respirators for employees based on the hazards they face.
• Conduct medical evaluations for employees who use respirators.
• Perform fit tests for employees using tight-fitting respirators to ensure a proper seal and fit.
• Ensure employees use respirators correctly during their regular duties and in emergency situations.
• Ensure that respirators are clean and properly maintained.
• Verify that atmosphere-supplying respirators provide safe, breathable air.

• Train employees on protecting themselves from respiratory hazards.
• Evaluate your program's effectiveness.

These are the critical elements of a respiratory protection program. An effective program ensures that employees are medically able to use respirators, that their respirators fit properly, and that they know how to use and care for them.

Inspection Requirements

Respiratory protection is only as effective as the respirator being used, even if it is worn correctly. Frequent random inspections must be conducted by a qualified individual to ensure that respirators are properly selected, used, cleaned, and maintained.

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