MAJORREQUIREMENTSOFOSHA’SRESPIRATORYPROTECTIONSTANDARD29CFR1910.134OSHAOfficeofTrainingandEducationRev.December2006ThisdocumentdiscussesthemajorrequirementsofOSHA’sRespiratoryProtectionStandard,29CFR1910.134.Noattempthasbeenmadetodiscusseverydetailofthestandard.ReadersareencouragedtoconsultOSHA’sRespiratoryProtectionwebpageforthecompletetext.1MAJORREQUIREMENTSOF29CFR1910.134Introduction�ThisstandardappliestoGeneralIndustry(Part1910),Shipyards(Part1915),MarineTerminals(Part1917),Longshoring(Part1918),andConstruction(Part1926).(a)PermissiblePractice�Paragraph(a)(1)establishesOSHA’shierarchyofcontrolsbyrequiringtheuseoffeasibleengineeringcontrolsastheprimarymeanstocontrolaircontaminants.Respiratorsarerequiredwhen“effectiveengineeringcontrolsarenotfeasible,orwhiletheyarebeinginstituted.”�Paragraph(a)(2)requiresemployerstoprovideemployeeswithrespiratorsthatare“applicableandsuitable”forthepurposeintended“whensuchequipmentisnecessarytoprotectthehealthoftheemployee.”(b)DefinitionsThisparagraphcontainsdefinitionsofimportanttermsusedintheregulatorytext.(c)RespiratoryProtectionProgram�Mustdesignateaqualifiedprogramadministratortooverseetheprogram.�Mustproviderespirators,training,andmedicalevaluationsatnocosttotheemployee.�OSHAhaspreparedaSmallEntityComplianceGuidethatcontainscriteriaforselectionofaprogramadministratorandasampleprogram.23(d)SelectionofRespirators�MustselectarespiratorcertifiedbytheNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)whichmustbeusedincompliancewiththeconditionsofitscertification.�Mustidentifyandevaluatetherespiratoryhazardsintheworkplace,includingareasonableestimateofemployeeexposuresandidentificationofthecontaminant’schemicalstateandphysicalform.�Whereexposurecannotbeidentifiedorreasonablyestimated,theatmosphereshallbeconsideredimmediatelydangeroustolifeorhealth(IDLH).�RespiratorsforIDLHatmospheres:�Approvedrespirators:•fullfacepiecepressuredemandself-containedbreathingapparatus(SCBA)certifiedbyNIOSHforaminimumservicelifeofthirtyminutes,or•combinationfullfacepiecepressuredemandsupplied-airrespirator(SAR)withauxiliaryself-containedairsupply.�Alloxygen-deficientatmospheres(lessthan19.5%O2byvolume)shallbeconsideredIDLH.Exception:Iftheemployercandemonstratethat,underallforeseeableconditions,oxygenlevelsintheworkareacanbemaintainedwithintherangesspecifiedinTableII(i.e.,between19.5%andalowervaluethatcorrespondstoanaltitude-adjustedoxygenpartialpressureequivalentto16%oxygenatsealevel),thenanyatmosphere-supplyingrespiratormaybeused.�Respiratorsfornon-IDLHatmospheres:�Employersmustusetheassignedprotectionfactors(APFs)listedinTable1toselectarespiratorthatmeetsorexceedstherequiredlevelofemployeeprotection.•Whenusingacombinationrespirator(e.g.,airlinerespiratorswithanair-purifyingfilter),employersmustensurethattheassignedprotectionfactorisappropriatetothemodeofoperationinwhichtherespiratorisbeingused.�Mustselectarespiratorforemployeeusethatmaintainstheemployee’sexposuretothehazardoussubstance,whenmeasuredoutsidetherespirator,atorbelowthemaximumuseconcentration(MUC).•MustnotapplyMUCstoconditionsthatareIDLH;insteadmustuserespiratorslistedforIDLHconditionsinparagraph(d)(2)ofthisstandard.•WhenthecalculatedMUCexceedstheIDLHlevelortheperformancelimitsofthecartridgeorcanister,thenemployersmustsetthemaximumMUCatthatlowerlimit.•Theresp...
