KTA-TATOR,
INC.
Corporate Headquarters
115 Technology Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275
Phone: 412.788.1300
Fax: 412.788.1306
E-mail:
info@kta.com
Instrument
Sales
1-800-KTA-GAGE
Lead
Hotline
1-800-LEAD-OFF
New
OSHA Respiratory
Protection Standard
29 CFR 1910.134 & 29CFR 1926.103
When will the new standard be effective?
OSHA published a revised standard for Respiratory Protection which became
effective on April 8, 1998. The revised standard applies to both the General
and CONSTRUCTION Industries. Employers may follow the requirements of
the old standards (29 CFR 1910.134 and 29 CFR 1926.103) until the start-up
date of OSHA enforcement, January 5, 1999.
Why did OSHA revise the standard?
OSHA believes that the new standard promotes more effective use of respirators
and provides greater compliance flexibility. The new standard consolidates
the respirator provisions from many substance-specific health standards
(e.g., lead, solvents, etc.) into one standard. The intent is to ease
implementation and eliminate confusing, potentially repetitive requirements
regarding respirator use that are found within other standards. The new
standard also reflects the advances in technology since the original standard
was published in 1971.
What changes will I need to make?
A careful comparison of the new standard with your current respiratory
protection program will be required to ensure compliance. A summary of
some of the new requirements in the revised standard follows:
- New performance-oriented requirement for a Program Administrator to
oversee all aspects of the program.
- Written respiratory protection programs are required, including worksite-specific
procedures for selecting, using, cleaning and maintaining respirators.
- Program evaluations (audits) are required to ensure worksite compliance with the program.
- Employer selection of respirators will require the identification of specific respiratory hazards on-site, and a determination of employee exposure levels based on reasonable estimates, objective data or exposure monitoring.
- Medical evaluations are required before initial fit testing and respirator use.
- Medical evaluations may be conducted with a health screening questionnaire, followed by a medical exam for employees with positive responses on the questionnaire.
- Medical evaluations may be conducted by licensed professional health care providers other than physicians, and annual evaluations are not required.
- Frequency of medical evaluations will be determined by the licensed
health care provider at the time of the initial evaluation, or when
the Program Administrator or the employee determines the need based
on symptoms or changes in worksite conditions.
- Fit testing is required for any tight-fitting respirator, both positive (e.g., PAPRs) and negative pressure (e.g., š masks).
- Fit testing must be conducted annually.
- Qualitative fit testing of air-purifying respirators is permitted
where exposures will require an assigned protection factor of 10 or
less. Where assigned protection factors greater than 10 are required,
quantitative fit testing is required.
- Annual training is required, including employee demonstration of respirator use.
- Record keeping requirements include medical evaluations, training
and fit testing.
How can KTA-Tator help?
KTA has reviewed all of the requirements of the new standard. In addition,
we have reviewed OSHA¹s compliance directive for the new standard,
and we revised all of our existing respiratory protection programs accordingly.
Revised Corporate Worker Safety & Health and Deleading Compliance
Programs are currently available for sale to new and existing program
holders.
KTA professionals are also available to consult with you on specific questions regarding the revised respiratory protection standard, monitoring requirements, or to service any of your environmental, health, and safety needs.
To order the revised respiratory protection program, other environmental, health, and safety programs, or to contact the EH&S Group, please call 1-800-LEAD-OFF or send e-mail to sliang@kta.com.
To keep informed and to have the KTA eNews delivered directly to your IN box with more great articles and news from KTA and the industry, please send your e-mail address to us.
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