A Breath of Fresh Air
11/2022 Issue: A Breath of Fresh Air
By: Ryan Yutzy
Safety and Compliance Manager
This Respiratory Protection Program and Procedure at FSS, Inc. is intended to protect employees from inhalation exposures by utilizing respirators that reduce or eliminate exposures to dusts, fumes, mists, gases, smoke, vapors, and any other airborne contaminant. Respiratory protection should not be a substitute for engineering and/or administrative methods for reducing employee exposure to airborne substances. Respirators will also be used during emergencies, maintenance and in situations where the exposure risk is either unknown or cannot be reduced by means other than the use of respiratory protection.
Respirator selection must be determined based upon several factors, including the following assessment guidelines:
- Nature of the hazard
- Severity of the hazard
- Period of exposure
- Activity of the wearer
- Approval characteristics (NIOSH)
- Limitations of available equipment
- Degree of protection afforded under varying conditions
To continually improve and maintain a healthy work environment for employees, monitoring should be conducted regularly or whenever there is a change of environmental conditions. Monitoring equipment should be used in accordance with applicable standards to sample each work area. Results of these samples will be made available and will pinpoint areas where respiratory protection is required. Results are also used in the determination and selection of respiratory protection.
During fumigations, areas containing Immediate Danger to Life and Health (IDLH) conditions will be posted with appropriate signage and all affected personnel will be made aware of these areas. Entrance into areas where IDLH conditions exist is strictly prohibited without authorization and strict proper use of appropriate PPE.
FSS, Inc. provides respiratory protection free of charge for employees exposed to gases, vapors, oxygen deficient atmospheres, and particulates when appropriate. The type and the levels of exposure are evaluated regularly to determine if PPE selection changes are necessary within this program. FSS provides air-purifying respirators and air-supplying respirators to employees for the exposures generated by work processes when appropriate.
Respirator use is acceptable even when exposures are below the exposure limit, to provide an additional level of comfort and protection for workers. However, if a respirator is used improperly or not kept clean, the respirator itself can become a hazard to the worker. Sometimes, workers may wear respirators to avoid exposures to hazards even if the amount of hazardous substance does not exceed the limits set by OSHA standards. If you choose to use respirators for voluntary use, you still need to take certain precautions to ensure that the respirator itself does not present a hazard.
RESPIRATOR USE PROCEDURES
All employees who wear respirators will follow the guidelines and instructions of the manufacturer. No deviations will be allowed; this includes exiting any contaminated atmosphere at once if breakage or failure occurs. Additionally, if the wearer ever experiences any illness or discomfort while wearing the unit, they must leave or be removed from hazardous atmospheres/environment at once. Corrective lenses that interfere with the seal of the face-piece will not be acceptable. Special corrective lenses may be purchased to fit inside the breathing apparatuses and provide an acceptable seal. Contact lenses are acceptable.
FIT TESTING PROCEDURES
FSS, Inc. uses a controlled negative pressure fit testing device provided by OHD called the Quantifit2. This differs from many other quantitative devices as most feature positive pressure technologies. OSHA also permits qualitative fit testing. This is a pass/fail test method that uses the wearer’s sense of taste, smell, or reactions to an irritant to detect leakage into the respirator facepiece. Because qualitative fit testing is a more subjective option, FSS, Inc. has decided to exclusively use the quantitative method.
RESPIRATOR CLEANING, STORAGE, AND INSPECTION
The most effective cleaning procedure for full face respirators is submersion in fresh clean water. The vessel used for submersion should be free of contaminants and include antibacterial soap and a sterilant. Harsher cleaners like degreasers and certain alcohols should be discouraged as they can degrade the mask components over time. Once the mask has been thoroughly cleaned, it should be left to dry for at least 24 hours.
All respirators should be stored in protective bags or cases to help alleviate scratches or direct impact with other occupational equipment. Respirators should not be left lying around the job site or other places that are not designated for storage. Respirators should be well maintained and accounted for, so each individual employee’s respirator is not mistaken for someone else’s.
All SCBA masks should undergo annual flow testing by an approved service provider to ensure proper functionality. Additionally, SCBA tanks should undergo periodic hydrotesting and tanks that have surpassed the lifespan designated by manufacturer must be decommissioned. While the wearer should regularly inspect each mask before use, management will perform routine inspections of the employee’s respirators. The inspections must include the following:
- Excessive dirt, cracks, tears, and holes in the respirator
- Cracked, or worn threads in the filter holders
- Broken head straps
- Missing or damaged inhalation and exhalation valves
- Expired shelf-life date on the filters (If noted)
- Improper storage arrangements
Any other indication of respirator damage or improper functioning