5 Steps to a Respiratory Protection Program

Breathing in airborne hazards like dust, fumes, or smoke puts your workers’ health at risk. If these conditions are present at your workplace, you need a written respiratory protection program, as required by Cal/OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard. It’s a set of rules and steps to make sure workers use respirators correctly, details why respirators are needed at your workplace, and how to meet other requirements such as fit testing and changing filters in respirator cartridges.

Respirators are a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) that cover the nose and mouth, stopping the user from breathing in harmful substances. They must fit tightly to work right.

If respirators are required at workplace, follow these five steps to create and run a strong protection program:

1. Assess your workplace for hazards

Look for signs. Strong smells, visible dust, or worker complaints about the presence of airborne contaminants often signal the need for protection. Always read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) that comes with any chemical product. These sheets tell you what is in the product and the permissible exposure limit (PEL).

Sample the air. The most reliable way to find out if you have hazardous air exposures is to collect air samples through the use of specific supplies identified by OSHA. You then compare the results to the PEL.

Respirators are used when:

Required by a Cal/OSHA standard (working with asbestos, silica, or lead, for example, or a pesticide)
Required by company policy
Requested voluntarily by an employee for extra comfort or protection

2. Choose the right equipment

Once you know a respirator is needed, you must decide which type to use. This depends on the harmful substance and how much is in the air. Every respirator has an assigned protection factor (APF), which tells you how much protection it provides when used correctly. A higher APF means more protection.

Respirator Type	Protection Level (APF)
Half-face mask	10
Full-face mask	50
SCBA (air tank)	10,000

You calculate the maximum level it can handle—or maximum use concentration (MUC) by multiplying the respirator’s APF by the chemical’s PEL. The MUC is the highest level of contaminant that the respirator can protect against when worn correctly.

NOTE

Your program must prohibit the use of air-purifying respirators if air sampling or other testing methods determine conditions are immediately dangerous to life and health.

After choosing the right respirator, you’ll need to select the correct filter. The type of filter needed depends on the physical state of the contaminant.

Particulate filters are used for things like dust, mist, and smoke, and must be changed when it gets hard to breathe through the respirator.
Gas/vapor cartridges are used for solvent vapors and gases.
Combination filter/cartridges (contaminant has properties of both particulates and gas/vapors, such as spray applications of pesticides or solvent-based paints).

Chemical cartridges are made for specific types of chemicals. They use a color code to show what they can protect against. Respirator manufacturers give guides to help pick the right filter and/or cartridge for each chemical. Chemical cartridge change schedules are needed so the cartridges don’t leak or fail. If you’re not sure, it is safer to change them early.

3. Medically evaluate users

You must ensure that every worker is physically healthy enough to wear a respirator. Before a worker uses a tight-fitting respirator (even for fit testing), they must complete a medical evaluation. Employers must identify a physician or other licensed healthcare professional to perform medical evaluations using a questionnaire or an initial medical exam that provides that same information at the questionnaire. Reevaluate if the worker’s health changes, if the job changes, or if the doctor or licensed health professional says it is needed.

4. Fit-test users

Tight-fitting respirators are required to be fit tested before being worn the first time and then at least annually after that.

Fit testing verifies that the respirator fits and seals properly to the face so it can protect your workers.
There are two types of tests: qualitative fit test and quantitative fit test. Both must follow Cal/OSHAs procedures. This includes testing with different head positions and talking out loud.

NOTE

Tight-fitting respirators must seal to the face to work properly. Anything that comes between the respirator seal and the face—facial hair, eye wear, jewelry—will allow air to leak into the respirator. Tight-fitting respirator wearers must be clean shaven.

5. Document and train your workers

Employees need to be trained initially and then at least annually on how to properly use respirators. Training must include:

Why the respirator is needed
What limitations a respirator may have
How to put it on
How to perform a user seal check
How to inspect, clean, disinfect, and store respirators
How improper fit, usage, or maintenance can compromise the protection provided
What the medical signs and symptoms are that can prevent the effective use of respirators

If your program requires respirators, it is important to do it right to help keep your workers safe. Start or update your respiratory program today. Our template can help you get going. You can also ask a safety professional or industrial hygienist for assistance in picking the right respirator and for help developing your program.

5 Steps to a Respiratory Protection Program

1. Assess your workplace for hazards

2. Choose the right equipment

Additional Resources

NOTE

3. Medically evaluate users

4. Fit-test users

NOTE

5. Document and train your workers

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