WAC

296-307-594 Scope.
296-307-596 Respirator program administrator.
296-307-59605 Designate a program administrator.
296-307-598 Voluntary respirator use requirements.
296-307-59805 Make sure voluntary use of respirators is safe.
296-307-59810 Keep voluntary use program records.
296-307-600 Written respirator program and recordkeeping.
296-307-60005 Develop and maintain a written program.
296-307-60010 Keep respirator program records.
296-307-602 Respirator selection.
296-307-60205 Select and provide appropriate respirators.
296-307-604 Medical evaluations.
296-307-60405 Provide medical evaluations.
296-307-606 Fit testing.
296-307-60605 Conduct fit testing.
296-307-608 Training.
296-307-60805 Provide effective training.
296-307-610 Maintenance.
296-307-61005 Maintain respirators in a clean and reliable condition.
296-307-61010 Store respirators properly.
296-307-61015 Inspect and repair respirators.
296-307-612 Safe use and removal of respirators.
296-307-61205 Prevent sealing problems with tight-fitting respirators.
296-307-61210 Make sure employees leave the use area before removing respirators.
296-307-614 Standby requirements for immediately dangerous to life of health (IDLH) conditions.
296-307-61405 Provide standby assistance in immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) conditions.
296-307-616 Air quality for self-contained breathing apparaatus (SCBA) and air-line respirators.
296-307-61605 Make sure breathing air and oxygen meet established specifications.
296-307-61610 Prevent conditions that could create a hazardous breathing air supply.
296-307-61615 Make sure compressors do not create a hazardous breathing air supply.
296-307-618 Labeling of air-purifying respirator filters, cartridges, and canisters.
296-307-61805 Keep labels readable on respirator filters, cartridges, and canisters.
296-307-620 Required procedures for respiratory protection program.
296-307-62005 Use this medical questionnaire for medical evaluations.
296-307-62010 Follow these fit-testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators.
296-307-62015 Follow procedures established for cleaning and disinfecting respirators.
296-307-62020 Follow procedures established for seal checking respirators.
296-307-622 Definitions.

WAC 296-307-594

Scope

This part applies to all use of respirators at work.

Important:

Before you decide to use respirators, you are required to evaluate respiratory hazards and implement control methods as outlined in WAC 296-307-624 through 296-307-628, Respiratory hazards.

The term “respiratory hazards” will be used throughout this part to refer to oxygen deficient conditions and harmful airborne hazards.

Definition:

Respirators are a type of personal protective equipment designed to protect the wearer from respiratory hazards.

You can use Table 1 for general guidance on which sections apply to you.

Table 1
Sections that apply to your workplace

Reference: See WAC 296-307-100, Personal protective equipment (PPE) to find requirements for other types of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as eye, hand, and head protection.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-594, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-596

Respirator program administrator

Your responsibility:

To make sure a capable individual is in charge of respirator program development and management.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-596, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-59605

Designate a program administrator

Exemption: You don’t need to designate a program administrator if employees use only filtering-facepiece respirators and do so only as voluntary use.

Definition:

Voluntary use is respirator use that is requested by the employee and permitted by the employer when NO respiratory hazard exists.

You must

• Designate a program administrator who has overall responsibility for your program and has sufficient training or experience to:

- Oversee program development and coordinate implementation

- Conduct required evaluations of program effectiveness outlined in WAC 296-307-60005.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-59605, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-598

Voluntary respirator use requirements.

Your responsibility:

To make sure voluntary use of respirators by employees doesn’t create job safety or health hazards.

You must

Make sure voluntary use of respirators is safe

WAC 296-307-59805

Keep voluntary use respirator program records

WAC 296-307-59810

Important:

• Respirator use is NOT voluntary if a respiratory hazard, such as exposure to a substance over the permissible exposure limit (PEL) or hazardous exposure to an airborne biological hazard, is present.
• To evaluate respiratory hazards in your workplace, see WAC 296-307-624, Respiratory hazards.
• Some requirements in this section don’t apply if only filtering-facepiece respirators are used voluntarily. Some filtering-facepiece respirators are equipped with a sorbent layer for absorbing “nuisance” organic vapors. These can be used for voluntary use, but are not NIOSH certified for protection against hazardous concentrations of organic vapor.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-598, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-59805

Make sure voluntary use of respirators is safe.

Definition:

Voluntary use is respirator use that is requested by the employee AND permitted by the employer when no respiratory hazard exists.

Important:

If you choose to require respirator use, use is NOT voluntary and the required use sections of this part apply.

You must

(1) Make sure voluntary respirator use does NOT:

• Interfere with an employee's ability to work safely, such as restricting necessary vision or radio communication

  OR

• Create health hazards.

Note: Examples of health hazards include:

• Skin irritation, dermatitis, or other health effects caused by using a dirty respirator
• Illness created by sharing contaminated respirators
• Health effects caused by use of an unsafe air supply, such as carbon monoxide poisoning.

You must

(2) Provide all voluntary respirator users with the advisory information in Table 2 at no cost to them.

Note: If you have provided employees with the advisory information required in the previous section, WAC 296-307-598, you don’t need to provide the additional information in Table 2 to those employees.

You must

(3) Develop and maintain a written program that includes the following:

• Medical evaluation provisions as specified in WAC 296-307-604.
• Procedures to properly clean and disinfect respirators, according to WAC 296-307-62015, if they are reused.
• How to properly store respirators, according to WAC 296-307-61010, so that using them doesn’t create hazards.
• Procedures to make sure there is a safe air supply, according to WAC 296-307-616, when using air-line respirators and SCBAs.
• Training according to WAC 296-307-608 when necessary to ensure respirator use does NOT create a hazard.

Note:

• Pay for medical evaluations, training, travel related costs, and wages. You do NOT need to pay for respirators employees use only voluntarily.
• If you have both voluntary and required respirator users, you may choose to treat voluntary users as required users. Doing this exceeds the requirements in this section.

Exemption: If employees use only filtering-facepiece respirators and do so only voluntarily, you don’t need to develop and maintain a written program.

Use Table 2 to provide information to employees who voluntarily use any type of respirator.

Table 2

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-59805, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-59810

Keep voluntary use program records.

Exemption: If employees use only filtering-facepiece respirators voluntarily, you don’t need to follow these recordkeeping requirements.

You must

• Keep copies of:

  - Your current written respirator program

  - Written recommendations from the LHCP

• Allow records required by this section to be examined and copied by affected employees and their representatives.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-59810, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-600

Written respirator program and recordkeeping.

Your responsibility:

To develop, implement, and maintain a written program that provides clear instruction for safe and reliable respirator use.

You must

Develop and maintain a written program

WAC 296-307-60005

Keep respirator program records

WAC 296-307-60010.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-600, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-60005

Develop and maintain a written program.

Exemption: This section does NOT apply to respirator use that is voluntary. See WAC 296-307-59805 for voluntary use program requirements.

You must

(1) Develop a complete worksite-specific written respiratory protection program that includes the applicable elements listed in Table 3.

Note: Pay for respirators, medical evaluations, fit testing, training, maintenance, travel costs and wages.

You must

(2) Keep your program current and effective by evaluating it and making corrections. Do ALL of the following:

• Make sure procedures and program specifications are followed and appropriate.
• Make sure selected respirators continue to be effective in protecting employees. For example:

  - If changes in work area conditions, level of employee exposure, or employee physical stress have occurred, you need to reevaluate your respirator selection.

• Have supervisors periodically monitor employee respirator use to make sure employees are using them properly.
• Regularly ask employees required to use respirators about their views concerning program effectiveness and whether they have problems with:
• - Respirator fit during use
• - Any effects of respirator use on work performance
• - Respirators being appropriate for the hazards encountered
• - Proper use under current worksite conditions
• - Proper maintenance.

When developing your written program include applicable elements listed in Table 3.

Table 3

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-60005, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-60010

Keep respirator program records.

You must

• Keep the following records:

  - Your current respirator program

  - Each employee's current fit test record, if fit testing is conducted. Fit test records must include:

  • Employee name
  • Test date
  • Type of fit-test performed
  • Description (type, manufacturer, model, style, and size) of the respirator tested
  • Results of fit tests, for example, for quantitative fit tests include the overall fit factor AND a print out, or other recording of the test.

  - Training records that include employee's names and the dates trained
  - Written recommendations from the LHCP.

• Allow records required by this section to be examined and copied by affected employees and their representatives.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-60010, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-602

Respirator selection.

Your responsibility:

To select and provide respirators that are appropriate for the hazard, user, and worksite conditions.

Exemption: This section does NOT apply to voluntary respirator use. See WAC 296-307-598 of this part for voluntary use program requirements.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-602, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-60205

Select and provide appropriate respirators.

Important:

See WAC 296-307-624, Respiratory hazards, for:

• Hazard evaluation requirements. Evaluation results are necessary for respirator selection.
• A list of substance-specific rules that may also apply to you. Those listed rules have additional respirator selection requirements.

You must

• Select and provide, at no cost to employees, appropriate respirators for routine use, infrequent use, and reasonably foreseeable emergencies (such as escape, emergency, and spill response situations) by completing the following process:

Respirator Selection Process

Step 1: If your only respirator use is for escape, skip to Step 8 to select appropriate respirators.

Step 2: If the respiratory hazard is a biological aerosol, such as TB (tuberculosis), anthrax, psittacosis (parrot fever), or hanta virus, select a respirator appropriate for nonemergency activities recognized to present a health risk to workers and skip to Step 8.

• If respirator use will occur during emergencies, skip to Step 8 and document the analysis used to select the appropriate respirator.
• Use Centers for Disease Control (CDC) selection guidance for exposures to specific biological agents when this guidance exists. Visit http://www.cdc.gov.

Step 3: If the respiratory hazard is a pesticide, follow the respirator specification on the pesticide label AND skip to Step 9.

Step 4: Determine the expected exposure concentration for each respiratory hazard of concern. Use the results from the evaluation required by WAC 296-307-624, Respiratory hazards.

Step 5: Determine if the respiratory hazard is classified as IDLH; if it is NOT IDLH skip to Step 7.

• The respiratory hazard IS classified as IDLH if:

  - The atmosphere is oxygen deficient or oxygen enriched

  OR

  - You CANNOT measure or estimate your expected exposure concentration

  OR

  - Your measured or estimated expected exposure concentration is greater or equal to the IDLH value in the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

Note:

• WISHA uses the IDLH values in the 1990 edition of the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Hazardous Chemicals to determine the existence of IDLH conditions. You may use more recent editions of this guide. Visit www.cdc.gov/niosh for more information.
• If your measured or estimated expected exposure concentration is below NIOSH's IDLH values, proceed to Step 7.

Step 6: Select an appropriate respirator from one of the following respirators for IDLH conditions and skip to Step 8:

• Full-facepiece, pressure demand, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) certified by NIOSH for a minimum service life of thirty minutes

  OR

• Full-facepiece, pressure demand air-line respirator equipped with an auxiliary self-contained air supply

Exception: If the respiratory hazard is oxygen deficiency AND you can show oxygen concentrations can be controlled within the ranges llisted in Table 4 under ALL foreseeable conditions, you are allowed to select ANY type of SCBA or air-line respirator.

Table 4
Concentration Ranges for Oxygen Deficiency

Step 7: Identify respirator types with assigned protection factors (APFs) from Table 5 that are appropriate to protect employees from the expected exposure concentration.

Step 8: Consider hazards that could require selection of specific respirator types.

For example, select full-facepiece respirators to prevent eye irritation or abrasive blasting helmets to provide particle rebound protection.

Step 9: Evaluate user and workplace factors that might compromise respirator performance, reliability or safety.

• If the respiratory hazard is a pesticide, follow the requirements on the pesticide label and skip to Step 11.

Examples:

• High humidity or temperature extremes in the workplace.
• Necessary voice communication.
• High traffic areas and moving machinery
• Time or distance for escape.

Step 10: Follow Table 6 requirements to select an air-purifying respirator.

• If Table 6 requirements can’t be met, you must select an air-line respirator or an SCBA.

Step 11: Make sure respirators you select are certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

• To maintain certification, make sure the respirator is used according to cautions and limitations specified on the NIOSH approval label.

Note: While selecting respirators, you will need to select a sufficient number of types, models or sizes to provide for fit testing. You can also consider other respirator use issues, such as accommodating facial hair with a loose fitting respirator.

Use Table 5 to identify the assigned protection factor for different types of respirators

Table 5
Assigned Protection Factors (APF) for Respirator Types

Use Table 6 to select air-purifying respirators for particle, vapor, or gas contaminants.

Table 6
Requirements for Selecting Any Air-purifying Respirator

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-60205, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-604

Medical evaluations.

Your responsibility:

To make sure a respirator used under your specific worksite conditions isn’t a health risk to employees.

Exemption: This section does NOT apply to employees who only use:

• Filtering-facepiece respirators voluntarily. See WAC 296-307-598 of this part for voluntary use requirements

  OR

• Escape-only respirators that are mouthpiece, loose-fitting, or hooded respirators.

Important:

• Using a respirator can create physical risks for an employee each time it's worn. The extent of these risks depends on these factors:

  - Type of respirator

  - Environmental conditions at the worksite

  - Physical demands of the work

  - Use of other protective clothing

  - Employee's health status.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-604, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-60405

Provide medical evaluations.

Important:

If you have provided an employee with a medical evaluation addressing respirator use, as required by another chapter, that evaluation will meet the requirements of this section.

You must

• Follow the medical evaluation process, Steps 1 through 7 in this section, to provide medical evaluations for employees at no cost to them.

Medical Evaluation Process

Step 1: Identify employees who need medical evaluations AND determine the frequency of evaluations from Table 7. Include employees who:

• Are required to use respirators

  OR

• Voluntarily use respirators that are not filtering-facepiece respirators

Note: You may use a previous employer's medical evaluation for an employee if you can:

• Show the employee's previous work and use conditions were substantially similar to yours

  AND

• Obtain a copy of the licensed healthcare professional's (LHCP's) written recommendation approving the employee's use of the respirator chosen by you.

Step 2: Identify a licensed healthcare professional (LHCP) to perform your medical evaluations.

Note: If you select a different LHCP, you don’t need to have new medical evaluations done.

Step 3: Make sure your LHCP has the following information before the evaluation is completed:

• Information describing the respirators employees may use, including the weight and type.
• How the respirators will be used, including:

  - How often the respirator will be used, for example, daily, or once a month

  - The duration of respirator use, for example, a minimum of one hour, or up to twelve hours

  - The employee's expected physical work effort

  - Additional personal protective clothing and equipment to be worn

  - Temperature and humidity extremes expected during use

• A copy of your written respiratory protection program and this part.

Note:

• You may choose to send the questionnaire to the LHCP ahead of time, giving time to review it and add any necessary questions
• The LHCP determines what questions to add to the questionnaire, if any; however, questions in Parts 1-3 may not be deleted or substantially altered.

Step 4: Administer the medical questionnaire in WAC 296-307-61605 to employees, OR provide them a medical exam that obtains the same information.

Note: You may use on-line questionnaires if the questions are the same and requirements of this section are met.

• Administer the examination or questionnaire at no cost to employees:

  - During the employee's normal working hours

  OR

  - At a time and place convenient to the employee

• Maintain employee confidentiality during examination or questionnaire administration:

- Do not view employee's answers on the questionnaire

- Do not act in a manner that may be considered a breach of confidentiality

Note: Providing confidentiality is important for securing successful medical evaluations. It helps make sure the LHCP gets complete and dependable answers on the questionnaire.

• Make sure employees understand the content of the questionnaire.
• Provide the employee with an opportunity to discuss the questionnaire or exam results with the LHCP.

Step 5: Provide follow-up evaluation for employees when:

• The LHCP needs more information to make a final recommendation

  OR

• An employee gives any positive response to questions 1-8 in Part 2 OR to questions 1-6 in Part 3 of the WISHA medical evaluation questionnaire in WAC 296-307-61605.

Note: Follow-up may include:

• Employee consultation with the LHCP such as a telephone conversation to evaluate positive questionnaire responses
• Medical exams
• Medical tests or other diagnostic procedures.

Step 6: Obtain a written recommendation from the LHCP that contains only the following medical information:

• Whether or not the employee is medically able to use the respirator
• Any limitations of respirator use for the employee
• What future medical evaluations, if any, are needed
• A statement that the employee has been provided a copy of the written recommendation.

Step 7: Provide a powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) when the LHCP determines the employee shouldn't wear a negative-pressure air-purifying respirator AND is able to wear a PAPR.

Reference: See WAC 296-307-602 for requirements regarding selection of air-purifying respirators.

Note:

• You may discontinue medical evaluations for an employee when the employee no longer uses a respirator.
• If you have staff conducting your medical evaluations, they may keep completed questionnaires and findings as confidential medical records, if they are maintained separately from other records.

Use Table 7 to determine medical evaluation frequency.

Table 7
Evaluation Frequency

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-60405, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-606

Fit testing.

Your responsibility:

To make sure negative and positive-pressure tight-fitting respirators can provide an adequate fit and acceptable level of comfort to employees.

Exemption: This section does NOT apply to any respirators that are:

• Voluntarily used. See WAC 296-307-598 for voluntary use requirements.
• Mouthpiece respirators.

Important:

• Fit testing is an activity where the seal of a respirator is tested to determine if it is adequate.
• This section covers general requirements for fit testing. Fit-testing procedures are covered in WAC 296-307-62010 of this part.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-606, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-60605

Conduct fit testing.

You must

• Provide, at no cost to the employee, fit tests for ALL tight fitting respirators on the following schedule:

  - Before employees are assigned duties that may require the use of respirators

  - At least every twelve months after initial testing

  - Whenever any of the following occurs:

  • A different respirator facepiece is chosen such as a different type, model, style, or size
  • You become aware of a physical change in an employee that could affect respirator fit. For example, you may observe, or be told about, facial scarring, dental changes, cosmetic surgery, or obvious weight changes
  • An employee notifies you, or your LHCP, that the respirator fit is unacceptable. During the retest, you must give an employee reasonable opportunity to select a different respirator facepiece (size, model, etc.).

Note: You may accept a fit test completed by a previous employer IF:

• You obtain written documentation of the fit test

  AND

• The results of the fit test are not more than twelve months old

  AND

• The employee will use the same respirator (the same type, model, style, and size)

  AND

• The fit test was conducted in a way that meets the requirements of WAC 296-307-606 and 296-307-62010.

You must

• Select an appropriate fit-testing procedure from WAC 296-307-62010 of this part

  AND

  - Use quantitative fit-test methods when a negative pressure respirator will be used in concentrations requiring a protection factor greater than 10. This includes:

  • Full facepiece air-purifying respirators
  • SCBAs operated in demand (negative pressure) mode
  • Air-line respirators operated in demand mode.

  - Make sure PAPRs, SCBAs, or air-line respirators are fit tested in negative-pressure mode.

• Make sure the person conducting fit testing is able to do all of the following:

  - Prepare test solutions if required

  - Make sure equipment works properly

  - Perform tests properly

  - Recognize invalid tests

  - Calculate fit factors properly if required.

Note:

• No specific training program or certification is required for those who conduct fit tests.
• You should consider evaluating these individuals to determine their proficiency in the fit-testing method to be used.
• You can use an evaluation form such as the form included in the American National Standard for Respirator Fit Testing Methods, ANSI/AIHA Z88.10-2001 to determine if the individual meets these requirements. Visit www.ansi.org or www.aiha.org.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-60605, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-608

Training.

Your responsibility:

To make sure employees who are required to use respirators understand and can demonstrate proper respirator use and maintenance.

Important:

This section applies to employees who voluntarily use respirators only when training is necessary to prevent the respirator from creating a hazard. See WAC 296-307-598 for voluntary use requirements.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-608, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-60805

Provide effective training.

You must

• Train employees, based on their duties, if they do any of the following:

  - Use respirators

  - Supervise respirator users

  - Issue, repair, or adjust respirators

• Present effective training in a way that employees understand.

Note:

• Training may be provided using audiovisuals, slide presentations, formal classroom instruction, informal discussions during safety meetings, training programs conducted by outside sources, or a combination of these methods.
• You may want to have instructors available when using video or automated training methods to:
  • - Encourage and provide responses to questions for the benefit of employees
  • - Evaluate employees' understanding of the material
  • - Provide other instructional interaction to employees.

You must

• Make sure a qualified instructor provides training
• Provide training, at no cost to the employee, at these times:

  - Initially, before worksite respirator use begins

  - Periodically, within twelve months of the previous training

  - Additionally, when the following occur:

  • The employee hasn’t retained knowledge or skills

    OR

  • Changes in the worksite, or type of respirator make previous training incomplete or obsolete.

Note:

• You may accept an employee's previous training, such as training provided by another employer, to satisfy the initial training requirement if:

  - You can demonstrate the employee received training within the past twelve months

  AND

  - The employee can demonstrate the knowledge and skills to use required respirators effectively.

• If you accept an employee's previous training to satisfy the initial training requirement, you are still responsible for providing periodic, and additional training when needed. Periodic training would need to be provided within 12 months of the employee's previous training.

You must

• Make sure employees can demonstrate the following knowledge and skills as required by their duties:
  • - Why the respirator is necessary. Include, for example, information identifying respiratory hazards such as hazardous chemicals, the extent of the employee's exposure, and potential health effects and symptoms
  • - The respirator's capabilities and limitations. Include, for example, how the respirator provides protection and why air-purifying respirators can’t be used in oxygen-deficient conditions
  • - How improper fit, use, or maintenance can compromise the respirator's effectiveness and reliability
  • - How to properly inspect, put on, seal check, use, and remove the respirator
  • - How to clean, disinfect, repair, and store the respirator, or how to get this done by someone else
  • - How to use the respirator effectively in emergency situations; including what to do when a respirator fails and where emergency respirators are stored
  • - Medical signs and symptoms that may limit or prevent the effective use of respirators such as shortness of breath or dizziness
  • - The employer's general obligations under this part. For example, developing a written program, selecting appropriate respirators, and providing medical evaluations.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-60805, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-610

Maintenance.

Your responsibility:

To make sure respirators are maintained so they will function properly and not create health hazards such as skin irritation.

You must

Maintain respirators in a clean and reliable condition

WAC 296-307-61005

Store respirators properly

WAC 296-307-61010

Inspect and repair respirators

WAC 296-307-61015

Important:

This section applies to employees who voluntarily use respirators only when maintenance is necessary to prevent the respirator from creating a hazard. See WAC 296-307-598 for voluntary use requirements.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-610, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-61005

Maintain respirators in a clean and reliable condition.

You must

• Make sure respirators are kept, at no cost to the employee, clean, sanitary and in good working order. Do at least the following:

  - Clean and disinfect respirators as often as specified in Table 8 of this section.

Note:

• Use required cleaning and disinfecting procedures in WAC 296-307-62015, or the manufacturer's procedures that:

  - Result in a clean and sanitary respirator

  - Do not damage the respirator

  - Do not harm the user

• Automated cleaning and disinfecting are permitted

• Cleaning and disinfecting may be done by a central facility as long as you make sure respirators provided are clean, sanitary, and function properly.

You must

• Make sure respirators are assembled properly after cleaning or disinfecting.

Use Table 8 to determine how often to clean and disinfect respirators.

Table 8
Required Frequencies for Cleaning and Disinfecting Respirators

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-60105, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-61010

Store respirators properly.

You must

• Store respirators to protect them from ALL of the following:

  - Deformation of the facepiece or exhalation valve

  - Sunlight or extreme temperatures or other conditions

  - Contamination such as dust or damaging chemicals

  - Excessive moisture.

Note: Use coffee cans, sealable plastic bags, or other suitable means of protection.

You must

• Follow these additional requirements for emergency respirators:

  - Keep respirators accessible to the work area

  - Store respirators in compartments or with covers clearly marked as containing emergency respirators

  - Follow additional storage instructions from the respirator manufacturer

  - Store an adequate number of emergency respirators in each area where they may be needed.

Note: Emergency respirators include mouthpiece respirators and other respirators that are limited to escape-only use by their NIOSH certification.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-61010, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-61015

Inspect and repair respirators.

You must

• Conduct respirator inspections as often as specified in Table 9.
• Make sure respirator inspections cover all of the following:

  - Respirator function

  - Tightness of connections

  - The condition of the facepiece, head straps, valves, connecting tubes, and cartridge, canisters or filters

  - Pliability and deterioration of elastomeric parts

  - Maintenance of air or oxygen cylinders

  - Making sure SCBA air cylinders are at 90y percent of the manufacturer's recommended pressure level

  - Proper functioning of SCBA regulators when air-flow is activated

  - Proper functioning of SCBA low-pressure warning devices when activated

• Certify inspections for emergency respirators by documenting the following:

- Inspection date

- Serial number of each respirator or other identifying information

- Inspector's name or signature

- Inspection findings

- Required action, if problems are found.

Note:

• When documenting inspections you may either:

  - Provide the information on a tag or label and attach it to the respirator compartment

  OR

  - Include the information in an inspection report stored in paper or electronic files accessible to employees.

You must

• Repair or replace any respirator that isn’t functioning properly before the employee returns to a situation where respirators are required.

  - If respirators fail inspection or are not functioning properly during use due to problems such as leakage, vapor or gas breakthrough, or increased breathing resistance, ALLof the following apply:

  • Do NOT permit such respirators to be used until properly repaired or adjusted
  • Use only NIOSH-certified parts
  • Make sure repairs and adjustments are made by appropriately trained individuals

  - Use the manufacturer or a technician trained by the manufacturer to repair or adjust reducing and admission valves, regulators, and warning devices on SCBAs or air-line respirators.

Follow the manufacturer's recommendations and specifications for the type and extent of repairs.

Use Table 9 to determine how often to inspect respirators.

Table 9
Required Frequencies for Respirator Inspections

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, .040, .050, and .060. 05-01-166 (Order 04-19), § 296-307-61015, filed 12/21/04, effective 04/02/05.]

WAC 296-307-612

Safe use and removal of respirators.

Your responsibility:

To make sure respirator use and removal is safe.

Exemption: These sections do NOT apply to employees who voluntarily use any type of respirator. See WAC 296-307-598 for voluntary use requirements.

You must

Prevent sealing problems with tight-fitting respirators