Important Considerations
When Designing
A Respiratory Protection Program

NOTE: Materials on this page excerpted from OSHA CFR 1910.134 and OSHA Directive CPL 2-0.120. For additional information on respiratory protection and other OSHA regulations visit www.osha.gov.

Use of Respirators: CFR 1910.134(g)

Employers must establish and implement procedures for the proper use of respirators. These procedures include prohibiting conditions that may result in facepiece leakage, preventing employees from removing respirators in hazardous environments, ensuring continued respirator operation throughout the shift, and establishing procedures for the use of respirators in Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) atmospheres.

Selection of Respirators: CFR 1910.134(d)

Employers are required to select and provide an appropriate respirator based on an employer evaluation of the respiratory hazard(s) to which the worker is exposed, and on workplace and user factors that affect respirator performance and reliability. All respirators should be NIOSH-certified and must be used in compliance with the conditions of certification.

Respirators for atmospheres that are not IDLH

The respirator selected by the employer shall be appropriate for the chemical state and physical form of the contaminant. For protection against gases and vapors, the employer shall provide an atmosphere-supplying respirator, or an air-purifying respirator, provided that the respirator is equipped with an end-of-service-life indicator (ESLI) certified by NIOSH for the contaminant. If there is no ESLI appropriate for conditions in the employer's workplace, the employer must implement a change schedule for canisters and cartridges based on objective information or data that will ensure canisters and cartridges are changed before the end of their service life.

Selection of Particulate Respirators: 42 CFR 84

The 42 CFR 84 regulation went into effect July, 1998. The updated standard is designed to give workers more protection in the workplace.

Determine the following when choosing a particulate respirator:

• Are there oil particles (lubricants, cutting fluids, glycerine, etc.) present?
• Level of particulate removal desired

Series	Efficiency
	95%	99%	99.97%
N (not for use with oil particulates)	N95	N99	N100
R (oil resistant, but may require time limits)	R95	R99	R100
P (oil proof)	P95	P99	P100

Respirator Fit Testing: CFR 1910.134(f)

Fit testing is required for all employees using negative or positive pressure tight-fitting respirators, where such respirators are required by OSHA or where the employer requires the use of such a respirator. A fit test is not required for voluntary users or for escape-only respirators.

The fit test must be performed before the respirator is used in the workplace. It must be repeated at least annually and whenever a different respirator facepiece is used or a change in the employee's physical condition could affect respirator fit. If the respirator subsequently becomes unacceptable (i.e., causes irritation or pain) to the employee, the employee must be given the opportunity to select a different respirator facepiece and be retested.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Fit Testing

Qualitative Fit Testing (QLFT) may be used to fit test negative pressure air-purifying respirators if they will only be used in atmospheres less than ten times the permissible exposure limit (PEL). Existing evidence only validates current QLFT protocols to identify respirators that achieve a fit factor of 100 or less.

Quantitative Fit Testing (QNFT) must be used if respirators are to be used in atmospheres with substance concentrations greater than ten times the PEL. When QNFT is used, all full-facepiece respirators must meet or exceed a fit factor of 500, while quarter- and half-mask respirators must meet or exceed 100.