Selecting Respirators
It's important to select and provide an appropriate respirator based on the respiratory hazard(s) to which the worker is exposed, and workplace and user factors that affect respirator performance and reliability.
The Importance of NIOSH Certification
The employer must select a NIOSH-certified respirator. The respirator must be used in compliance with the conditions of its certification.
The employer must identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace. This evaluation must include a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazard(s) and an identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form.
Where the employer cannot identify or reasonably estimate the employee exposure, the employer must consider the atmosphere to be Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH). Immediately dangerous to life or health means an atmosphere that poses an immediate threat to life, would cause irreversible adverse health effects, or would impair an individual's ability to escape from a dangerous atmosphere.
The employer must select respirators from a sufficient number of respirator models and sizes so that the respirator is acceptable to and correctly fits the user.
Respirators for Atmospheres that Are IDLH
The employer must provide the following respirators for employee use in IDLH atmospheres:
- A full facepiece pressure demand SCBA certified by NIOSH for a minimum service life of thirty minutes.
- A combination full facepiece pressure demand supplied-air respirator (SAR) with auxiliary self-contained air supply.
Respirators provided only for escape from IDLH atmospheres must be NIOSH-certified for escape from the atmosphere in which they will be used. All oxygen-deficient atmospheres must be considered IDLH.
Exception: If the employer demonstrates that, under all foreseeable conditions, the oxygen concentration can be maintained within the ranges specified in Table II of the standard (i.e., for the altitudes set out in the table), then any atmosphere-supplying respirator may be used.
Table II
| Altitude (ft) | Oxygen deficient atmospheres (%O2) for which the employer atmosphere may rely on supplying respirators |
|---|---|
| Less than 3,001 | 16.0 - 19.5 |
| 3,001 - 4,000 | 16.4 - 19.5 |
| 4,001 - 5,000 | 17.1 - 19.5 |
| 5,001 - 6,000 | 17.8 - 19.5 |
| 6,001 - 7,000 | 18.5 - 19.5 |
| 7,001 - 8,000 | 19.3 - 19.5 |
*Above 8,000 feet the exception does not apply. Oxygen-enriched breathing air must be supplied above 14,000 feet.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
4-6. Where the employer cannot identify or reasonably estimate employee exposure to respiratory hazards, the employer must consider the atmosphere to be which of the following?
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