Respiratory Protection Program Checklist
q In any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of an employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures. The employer shall include in the program:
a) Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace.
b) Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators.
c) Fit testing procedures for tight fitting respirators.
d) Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations.
e) Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators.
f) Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators.
g) Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine situations.
h) Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance.
i) Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
General Requirements
q Has a qualified program administrator been designated? (c)(3)
q Are respirators, training, and medical evaluations being provided at no cost to employee? (c)(4)
Selecting respirators for use in the workplace.
q The employer is required to evaluate respiratory hazards in the workplace. In what format is the evaluation documented and evaluated? (d)
q Is the appropriate respirator being provided to the employee based upon the respiratory hazards present in their workplace? (d)(1)(i)
q Is the respirator supplied a NIOSH-certified respirator? (d)(1)(ii)
q Does the evaluation include a reasonable estimate of employee exposure and an identification of the contaminants chemical state and physical form? Where an employer cannot identify or reasonably estimate the employee exposure, the atmosphere shall be considered Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH). (d)(1)(iii)
q Are respirators acceptable to the user, and do they correctly fit? (d)(1)(iv)
q For Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) atmospheres are Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) with a minimum life of 30 minutes, or Supplied-Air Respirator (SAR) with auxiliary self-contained air supply provided? Are they NIOSH-certified? Exception: If the employer demonstrates that, under foreseeable conditions, the oxygen concentration can be maintained within specified ranges, any atmosphere-supplying respirator may be used. (d)(2)
q Do the respirators provided supply adequate protection to the health of the employee and ensure compliance with all OSHA statutory and regulatory requirements?(d)(3)
q Are the respirators appropriate for the chemical state and physical form of the contaminant? (d)(3)
Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators.
q Has a medical evaluation been conducted to determine the employee’s ability to use a respirator, before the employee is fit tested or required to use a respirator in the workplace? (e)(1)
q Has a physician or licensed health care professional (PLHCP) been identified to perform medical evaluations? (e)(2)
q Is a medical questionnaire completed or the necessary information provided? (e)(2) and Appendix C of standard.
q Are follow-up medical examinations provided for any positive response provided on the questionnaire? Are the results from those follow-up examinations provided (medical test, consultants, or diagnostic procedures) to make final determination? (e)(3)
q Are the questionnaire and examinations administered in a manner that ensures that the employee understands the content and with confidentiality and has the employee been given an opportunity to discuss the results? (e)(4)
q Have all the necessary forms been completed in accordance with the program, and provided to the PLHCP before the recommendations are made for the respirator required? (e)(5)
q Has a current copy of the written Respiratory Program been provided to the PLHCP? (e)(5)
q Has a written recommendation been obtained regarding the employees ability to use the respirator from the PLHCP? (e)(6)
q Are additional medical evaluations conducted when required? (e)(7)
Fit testing of employees required to use any respirator with a negative or positive pressure tight-fitting face-piece.
q Are the employees fit tested with the same make, model, style and size of respirator that they use? (f)
q Has the employee passed the appropriate fit test prior to the initial use of the respirator? (f)(2)
q Are additional fit tests being conducted when requested by the employee, supervisor, program administrator or when visual observations are made to the change in the employee’s physical condition? (f)(3)
q Has the employee been given the opportunity to select the respirator that best fits him/her? (f)4)
q Are respirator fit tests conducted using the appropriate OSHA accepted QLFT or QNFT protocol? (f)(5)
Procedures for the proper use of respirators.
q Has the employer established and implemented procedures for the proper use of respirators? (g)
q Are tight-fitting respirators restricted from use for employees that have facial hair or any other condition that interferes with a proper face-to-face seal? (g)(1)
q Is the employee required to wear any equipment that can interfere with the respirator use? (g)(1)
q Is the employee performing the user seal check prior to each use? (g)(1)