Page 14 - Occupational Health & Safety, February 2017

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
Respirators—Mandatory or Voluntary, Know the Difference
It’s more important than ever for employers to stay focused on OSHA regulations—not only to avoid citations and costly fines, but also to protect the organization’s most valuable asset, the employees.
BY STEVE ADAMAVICH
employee complaint from a recent forklift accident. While escorting the OSHA inspectors to the load- ing dock, one of them noticed a dust mask on a work bench. In turn, the inspector asked the plant manager whether the employees were required to wear them. The plant manager stated that all employees were re- quired to wear dust masks when doing a specific job. As a result, the company received over $10,000 in fines, none of which were in relation to the original complaint of the forklift accident. All of the fines were because the company did not follow the respirator regulations (fit test records, training, program, etc.).
The use of respirators is the last line of defense and should be considered after all other options have been addressed as outlined in the hierarchy of controls. If exposures cannot be reduced to levels deemed safe under OSHA regulations through substitution, elimination, engineering, administrative or work practice controls, then the OSHA Standard 1910.134 may apply depending on the contaminant.
There are specific detailed respiratory protection requirements of this OSHA standard, which apply depending on the following circumstances (see Respirator-Use Requirements Flow Chart):
■ Mandatory or emergency use
■ Voluntary use—disposable dust mask
■ Voluntary use of a respirator more than a dis-
posable dust mask
Whether it’s for mandatory or voluntary respirator use, those responsible for safety in their organizations should know the difference and provide specific de- tails to employees for proper protection.
■ Mandatory or Emergency Use: If a respira- tor is required to be worn as part of the job require- ment or the use is required during an emergency, then the entire OSHA Standard 1910.134 applies. This consists of filtering facepiece respirators, in-
Most people do not think twice when they pick up and use a respirator in the workplace. This “grab and go” mentality has its consequences. When employees
are not provided with proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and specific procedures to ensure the equipment’s effectiveness, health hazards such as cancer, lung impairment, or even death can occur. Conversely, if employers provide respirators without knowing the regulations, they run the risk of being out of compliance.
A few years ago, two OSHA inspectors were at a client’s facility to conduct an inspection due to an
14 Occupational Health & Safety | FEBRUARY 2017
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