KING COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 16
SAFETY MANUAL
POLICY: 2405-01
Subject:
Respiratory Protection Program
Reference: WAC 296-305 and WAC 296-62 Part E
Effective Date:
Pages:
7
5/1/99
X-Ref. Policies/Procedures: 4100P-3
Attachments:
Approved By:
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION PROGRAM
WAC 296-305, the State Fire Fighter Safety Standard, section 04001 (4) and WAC 296-62
Part E, the State Respiratory Protection Standard require that a written respiratory protection
program, with specific procedures and elements for required respirator use, be established by
an employer. There are additional requirements in WAC 296-62, Part I-I Asbestos,
Tremolite, Anthophyllite and Actinolite and in Part J.
WAC 296-305-01513 requires that "Every employer shall provide and require the use of
appropriate safety devices and safeguards. All fire fighting methods and operations shall be
so designed as to promote the safety and health of its employees. The employer shall do
everything reasonably necessary to protect the safety and health of employees." Thus it is
mandatory to have a respiratory protection program in place that is designed to reduce or
prevent fire fighters exposure in IDLH, potentially IDLH, unknown atmospheres, and
confined spaces.
WAC 296-62 Part E Respiratory Protection requires the employer to develop and implement
a written respiratory protection program in any workplace where respirators are necessary to
protect the health of the employee, with required work site-specific procedures and elements
for required respirator use. The program must be administered by a suitably trained program
administrator.
The written respiratory protection program shall be updated as necessary to reflect those
changes in workplace conditions that affect respirator use. The employer shall include in the
respiratory protection program all of the following provisions:
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Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace.
Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators.
Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators.
Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and emergency situations.
Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting,
repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators.
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Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air
for atmosphere-supplying respirators.
Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially
exposed during emergency situations.
Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on
and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance.
Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
The program administrator designated by the employer must be qualified by appropriate
training or experience that is commensurate with the complexity of the program to administer
or oversee the respiratory protection program and conduct the required evaluations of
program effectiveness. This individual will have the authority to act on any and all matters
relating to the operation and administration of the respiratory protection program. All
employee/members must cooperate to the fullest extent with the Respiratory Protection
Program Administrator.
The person in this position will have the responsibility for monitoring or conducting an
exposure assessment of the respiratory hazard, developing standard operating procedures for
this program, maintaining records, and conducting program evaluations.
The employer must provide respirators, training, and medical evaluations at no cost to the
employee.
General Requirements. The employer must provide an appropriate respirator based on the
respiratory hazard(s) to which the worker is exposed. Because the fire service cannot identify
or reasonably estimate the employee exposure in an emergency response, the atmosphere is
considered to be IDLH. In IDLH atmospheres only a full facepiece pressure demand SCBA
certified by NIOSH for a minimum service life of thirty minutes, or a combination full
facepiece pressure demand supplied-air respirator (SAR) with auxiliary self-contained air
supply is acceptable. All oxygen-deficient atmospheres also shall be considered IDLH.
The employer must select a NIOSH-certified respirator. Respirators provided only for escape
from IDLH atmospheres shall be NIOSH-certified for escape from the atmosphere in which
they will be used. Each respirator must be used in compliance with the conditions of its
certification.
Management / Supervisory Responsibilities. The fire department may identify by way of
policy, individuals or assignments that are responsible for insuring that personnel under their
control are knowledgeable of the department's respiratory protection requirements and
comply with the respiratory protection program, including respirator inspection and
maintenance. Procedures including re-training and discipline should be administered for
employees who do not comply with respirator requirements.
An effective respirator program has these components:
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A written statement of policy
Written standard operating guidelines
Administration which includes:
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Implementation
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Periodic evaluation
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Modification as needed
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Documentation
Employees / members. It is the responsibility the department to develop an awareness of the
respiratory protection requirements as explained by policy and this manual. Employees are
also responsible for wearing the provided respiratory protective equipment according to
proper instructions and for maintaining the equipment in a clean and operable condition.
They must also report to the responsible person any change in his/her medical status that may
impact their ability to wear a respirator safely.
MEDICAL EVALUATION
Using a respirator may place a physiological burden on employees and the medical status of
the employee. Accordingly, WAC 296-62 Part E specifies the minimum requirements for
medical evaluation that employers must implement to determine the employee's ability to use
a respirator.
Every employee who is being considered for inclusion in the Respiratory Protection Program
must participate in a medical evaluation. A determination is made initially upon
employment, or change into a job classification requiring respiratory protection, and every
twelve months thereafter. If the physician denies approval, the employee will not be able to
participate in the Respiratory Protection Program.
Copies of the medical evaluation and questionnaire must be kept in the employee's personnel
file in accordance with policy. There are additional (optional) supplements to the
questionnaire including a Request for Medical Clearance for Respirator users in the Medical
Section of the Program Supplement. The program administrator will ensure the minimum
information required for the medical questionnaire is completed and provided to the
physician.
A fire department should provide and require the structured participation of all members in a
program to develop and maintain appropriate levels of physical fitness. The maintenance of a
fitness level should be based on fitness standards determined by the department and physician
that reflects the individuals assigned functions and activities, and that are intended to reduce
the probability and severity of occupational injuries and illnesses.
Limitations. The employer must provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's
ability to use a respirator before the employee is fit tested or required to use the respirator in
fire department operations. The employer may discontinue an employee's medical
evaluations when the employee is no longer required to use a respirator and cannot be
assigned tasks requiring the use of SCBA.
USE OF RESPIRATORS, SELECTING RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
Only positive pressure SCBA with a rated 30 minutes or greater service life, or positive pressure
air line respirators with auxiliary SCBA will be allowed in IDLH, potentially IDLH and
unknown atmospheres. Negative and positive pressure respirators shall not be used with beards
or other facial hair that prevents direct contact between the face and the edge of the respirator.
The emergency response community usually goes straight to the positive pressure SCBA, which
provides the best available respiratory protection. However, some response teams may be able
to work using air purifying filter respirators for some of their work, so they and others who may
use a variety of types of respirators will need to work from an established selection process for
when and where each respirator may be used. The selection process must be contained in the
respiratory protection program which will establish when and where each respirator may be
used. The type of air purifying respirators referred to include:
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Singe use or quarter mask
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Half mask
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Full facepiece
It is important to remember that downgrading the level of respiratory protection below that of
positive pressure SCBA only may be done when the incident commander determines through the
use of air monitoring and/or in the case of air borne pathogens, that the decreased level of
respiratory protection will not result in hazardous exposures to personnel.
Single Use or Disposable Respirators
A respirator must be provided to a member who transports an individual with suspected or
confirmed infectious TB in an enclosed vehicle (e.g. ambulance, helicopter) or who transports
an individual with suspected or confirmed infectious TB within a facility when that individual is
not masked. Single use or disposable respirators are used for protection against M Tuberculosis
(TB). These HEPA or N-HEPA filters are highly efficient, they remove the airborne TB virus or
droplets by physically trapping them as air is inhaled though the filter material. Individually
issued respirators may be re-used and only discarded when excessive resistance, physical
damage, or any other conditions renders the respirator unsuitable for use.
Mechanical Filter Respirators
Mechanical filter respirators do not provide protection against gases, vapors, or oxygen
deficiency. These filters consist essentially of a soft resilient facepiece of either half mask or
full face design to which is directly attached one of several types of mechanical filters. Other
than the difference between a half-mask and a full facepiece, which is used when the particulate
exposure is harmful irritating to the eyes, as well as the respiratory tract, the filter is the most
essential component. Mechanical filter respirators are approved for one or any combination of
the following particulate hazards: nuisance, fibrosis-producing and/or toxic dusts; mists and
fumes; radon daughters and radionuclides.
Chemical Cartridge Respirators
Chemical Cartridge Respirators are non-emergency respiratory protection devices and should
never be used in immediately dangerous atmospheres (IDLH) They afford protection against
light concentrations of certain acid and alkaline gases, organic vapors and mercury vapors by
utilizing various chemical filters to purify the inhaled air. They differ from mechanical filter
respirators only in that they use cartridges containing chemicals to remove harmful gases and
vapors.
RESPIRATOR TRAINING
Employee training must be performance orientated. Members will be tested on their knowledge
of their responsibilities in the respiratory protection program. They will also be instructed in the
hazards, need, use, limitations, and care of their respirator using materials from the Training
Appendix. Retraining must be given at least every quarter and annually after the initial training
for each individual.
FIT TESTING
Before an employee may be required to use any respirator with a negative or positive pressure
tight-fitting facepiece, the employee must be fit tested with the same make, model, style, and
size of respirator that will be used. The department's Respiratory Protection Policy will specify
the kinds of fit tests allowed, and the policies' medical appendix will describe the procedures for
conducting them, and how the results of the fit tests must be used.
When fit test problems occur with specific challenge agents, there are choices of challenge
agents and related protocols described in the Supplement to the Respiratory Program. Positive
pressure tight fitting respirators are fit tested in the negative pressure mode. Individual fit
testing records are kept on each individual completing the Qualitative or Quantitative Fit Test.
Record forms are found in the Policy Fit Test Appendix.
Fit testing of employees with any facial hair growth such as stubble beard growth, beard or long
sideburns that extend under the face seal or interfere with the facial seal is prohibited.
SCBA INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE CARE AND STORAGE
The respiratory protection program must indicate the means by which respirators will be
maintained to retain their original effectiveness by way of periodic inspection, repair, cleaning
and proper storage. This respiratory protection standard requires the employer to provide for the
cleaning, disinfecting, storage, inspection, and repair of respirators used by employees.
Storage. The employer shall ensure that respirators are stored to protect them from damage,
contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging
chemicals. They shall be packed or stored to prevent deformation of the facepiece and
exhalation valve. Whenever feasible, individual facepieces should be issued with individual
members responsible for cleaning, inspection and storage.
Cleaning and disinfecting. The employer must provide each member with a respirator that is
clean, and sanitary. The employer shall ensure that respirators are cleaned and disinfected using
the procedures in the Respiratory Protection Policy appendix, or procedures recommended by
the respirator manufacturer, provided that such procedures are of equivalent effectiveness.
Respirators shall be cleaned and disinfected at the following intervals:
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Respirators issued for the exclusive use of an employee shall be cleaned
and disinfected as often as necessary to be maintained in a sanitary
condition.
Respirators issued to more than one employee shall be cleaned and
disinfected before being worn by different individuals.
Respirators used in fit testing and training shall be cleaned and disinfected
after each use.
Inspection. The employer must ensure that respirators are inspected before each use and during
cleaning. Respirator inspections include the following:
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A check of respirator function, tightness of connections, and the condition
of the various parts including, but not limited to, the facepiece, head
straps, valves, connecting tube, and cartridges, canisters or filters.
A check of elastomeric parts for pliability and signs of deterioration.
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Self-contained breathing apparatus shall be inspected monthly. Air cylinders shall be
maintained in a fully charged state and shall be recharged when the pressure falls to 90% of the
manufacturer's recommended pressure level. The employer shall determine that the regulator
and warning devices function properly.
Company officers should periodically spot check respirators for fit, usage and condition.
Detailed inspection procedures are located in the Respiratory Program Policy Appendix.
Repairs. The employer shall ensure that respirators that fail an inspection or are otherwise
found to be defective are to be removed from service immediately and replaced, discarded,
repaired or adjusted in accordance with the following procedures:
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Repairs or adjustments to respirators are to be made only by persons
appropriately trained to perform such operations and shall use only the respirator
manufacturer's NIOSH-approved parts designed for the respirator.
No attempt shall be made to replace components or make adjustments,
modifications or repairs beyond the manufacturer's recommendation.
Repairs shall be made according to the manufacturer's recommendations and
specifications for the type and extent of repairs to be performed.
Reducing and admission valves, regulators, and alarms shall be adjusted or
repaired only by the manufacturer or a technician trained by the manufacturer.
Fire fighters must in no way adjust the interior parts of a regulator unless
he/she is a certified technician trained by the manufacturer or a recognized
agent of the manufacturer.
BREATHING AIR QUALITY AND USE
The employer must provide employees using atmosphere-supplying respirators (supplied-air
and SCBA) with breathing gases of high purity and ensure that compressed air, compressed
liquid air, for respiration accords with the minimum requirements for Grade D Air
established by the Compressed Gas Association as stated in Commodity Specification for Air
(ANSI/CGA G-7. 1), 1989 as well as meeting a water vapor level of 24 ppm or less. Air
must be tested at least quarterly, see Breathing Air Quality Appendix.
Testing. SCBA bottles, and Cascade System DOT bottles must be tested at a frequency
specified by the manufacturer.
RESPIRATOR USE
Use of Respirators. Members must use a properly fitting respirator at all times while
performing an operation defined as hazardous or potentially hazardous. Operations in the
following situations are considered hazardous:
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Smoke
Overhaul
Oxygen Deficient
Airborne Pathogens
Toxic, Poisonous
Members must use only positive pressure SCBA in IDLH situations, unknown atmospheres
or concentrations and oxygen deficient atmospheres. Negative pressure respiratory protection
may only be used for fumes, mists and airborne pathogens where the substance and its
concentration is known.
Emergency Procedures. Training must cover emergency procedures for each model of
SCBA utilized by the department.
Team Requirements. Members must not work in a hazardous atmosphere on an individual
basis. Fire Fighters must always work in teams of two with additional members suitably
equipped with a similar breathing apparatus in contact with the entry team and available to
render assistance if necessary.
PROGRAM EVALUATION
In addition to periodic monitoring, the Respiratory Protection Program must be reviewed and
evaluated every twelve months. The program evaluation must determine that SCBA's are
used, fitted and maintained in a safe manner. The program is audited by using the procedures
in the Program Evaluation Appendix and immediate action must taken to correct all defects
found in the evaluation. A written report should be made of the evaluation, summarizing the
findings and recommended target dates for implementation of corrective plans. Copies of the
summary reports would be filed with the Department's Safety Officer. Program evaluation
records shall be maintained for a five (5) year period.
Requirements. The requirements contained in the Respiratory Protection Program are not
optional for members. The Department must consider their policy mandatory and a condition
of employment for each member.