Respiratory Protection
Background
The respiratory system is a target organ for many hazardous substances. Inhalation also provides the quickest and most direct path of entry for hazardous materials into the body. Exposure to respiratory hazards may cause various health effects such as damage to the respiratory system, permanent damage to other organs, illnesses, other disabilities, or death. Examples of respiratory hazards include dusts, mists and fumes (asbestos, silica, wood dust, metal working coolant mists, welding fume, animal dander, fungi, hantavirus), vapors (solvents, paints, adhesives), gases (chlorine, carbon monoxide) and oxygen deficient atmospheres.
The University of Arizona's Respiratory Protection Program is designed to minimize respiratory hazards in the work place, thereby reducing occupationally-related lung diseases and other adverse health effects. It also seeks to comply with the OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard 29 CFR 1910.134. Under the OSHA standard, the University must:
- Assess work place conditions and the degree of exposure to respiratory hazards;
- First eliminate or reduce respiratory hazards to the lowest feasible level through engineering controls and work practices. Where this is not possible or while such controls are being implemented, employee protection is to be achieved through use of appropriate respirators;
- Provide medical evaluations to all respirator wearers to ensure that they are physically able to perform work while wearing a respirator;
- Provide appropriate respirators;
- Provide initial and annual training to ensure that employees understand the reasons and proper use of respirators;
- Conduct initial and annual fit testing, to ensure respirators fit and therefore protect the employees; and
- Develop a written Respiratory Protection Plan, maintain records and review program annually.
I Need to Use a Respirator Where Do I Start?
- Please contact Julia Rosen (621-1570 or jcrosen@email.arizona.edu) to register in the program and to obtain medical questionnaires. Please call well in advance of task requiring respirator use, and have the following information available:
- Supervisor contact name, phone and email;
- Names and job titles of personnel needing respiratory protection, and
- A basic description of the operation and hazardous agent used:
- MSDSs for chemical agents used, dilution and method of application (i.e. 10% hydrochloric acid will be hand applied with rags onto 6 foot, 4" metal beam)
- Anticipated task duration (ie one time or on-going: hour once; 4 hours a day for 6 weeks)
- Location of task and existing engineering controls (i.e. indoors with fume hood, outdoors)
- Submit Respiratory Medical Questionnaire to Campus Health Occupational Health Service. Some employees will also be required to complete a medical physical exam, based on their answers to the questionnaire (look for the questionnaire on-line in the near future). Medical clearance is required before fit testing can occur.
- Schedule employee training and fit testing with Risk Management.
- Schedule exposure monitoring (if needed) with Risk Management.
- Purchase respirators and sufficient filter cartridge inventory.
- Anticipate need for annual refresher training and fit testing with Risk Management & Safety.
Who's Responsible?
Supervisors:
- Identify tasks that may require respirators
- Ensure Employees:
- Completed medical questionnaire
- Are trained and fit tested initially and annually
- Wear ONLY the respirator brand and size assigned to employee
- Contact Risk Management and Safety regarding any process changes
Employees:
- Wear assigned respirator when required
- Perform user seal checks
- Clean and store respirator properly
- Report concerns and health status changes to supervisor
Risk Management & Safety (Julia Rosen - phone: 621-1570, fax: 621-3706, e-mail: jcrosen@email.arizona.edu):
- Administer program
- Assess exposures
- Choose NIOSH certified respirators
- Train employees and perform fit tests
- Develop filter cartridge change out schedule
- Fund medical surveillance
- Maintain records
- Review program yearly
Campus Health Services (phone: 621-1929, fax 626-2416):
- Medical clearance for respirator users:
- Review medical questionnaires
- Conduct physical exams, if needed
