Every year there are complaints to OSHA regarding respiratory protection standard, recordkeeping of workplace related illnesses and fatalities, and reporting to OSHA of work-related hospitalizations and fatalities.
The respiratory protection violations are mostly for lack of medical evaluation of workers prior to use of a respirator, annual fit testing of employees with respirators, and training and information for workers required to wear respirators. Once the use is mandated, then the entire standard 29 CFR 1910.134 becomes required. This includes but is not limited to medical evaluations, fit testing, training, and proper care and use of the respirators in accordance with a written respiratory protection program. The most common of these are N95 dust masks approved by the National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to remove 95% of particulates if proper, worn fitted, and fit tested.
Under the respirator standard, respirators are considered a last line of defense. Engineering controls must be implemented where feasible. These may include increasing supplied air ventilation for dilution as well as increasing air filtration with better grade air filters on air units.
If you need assistance with OSHA compliance, respirator fit testing, building testing services, such as swab and air sampling to test for particulates, post-cleaning verification, or ATP surface testing, please reach out to RPF Environmental. We have been providing air quality testing, including assessments to help measure the amount of fresh air in building spaces since 1991.
Contact RPF Environmental, Inc. today by filling out an online contact form, or by dialing 888-983-9861.
