Respiratory Protection and the Worker Protection Standard
Stan Thomas/ Oregon OSHA
Safety and Health Enforcement Manager
Agriculture Health Program Manager
Agency Liaison – Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot
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Regulatory Application in Agriculture?
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Respiratory select the proper respirator?
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Respirator Maintenance and Training
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Respirator Program Elements
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Where do I go for help?
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Regulatory Application in Agriculture?
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Respiratory select the proper respirator?
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Respirator Maintenance and Training

Respirator Program Elements

Where do I go for help?
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
Some materials that are chemical-resistant to this product are laminate and
butyl rubber ≥ 14 mils.
Mixers, loaders, applicators, and flaggers using engineering controls must
wear:
• Long-sleeved shirt and long pants,
• Shoes plus socks.
In addition, mixers and loaders using engineering controls also must wear:
• Chemical-resistant gloves, and
• Chemical-resistant apron.
See engineering controls for additional requirements.
Handlers performing tasks, such as cleaning equipment or spill clean-up,
for which engineering controls are not feasible must wear:
• Coveralls over long-sleeved shirt and long pants,
• Chemical-resistant gloves,
• Chemical-resistant footwear plus socks,
• Chemical-resistant apron, if exposed to the concentrate,
• Chemical-resistant headgear for overhead exposure, and
• A respirator with an organic-vapor removing cartridge with a prefilter
approved for pesticides (MSHA/NIOSH approval number prefix TC-23C), or
a canister approved for pesticides (MSHA/NIOSH approval number prefix
TC-14G), or a NIOSH-approved respirator with an organic vapor (OV)
cartridge or canister with any R, P, or HE prefilter.
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• A respirator with an organic-vapor
removing cartridge with a prefilter approved
for pesticides (MSHA/NIOSH approval number
prefix TC-23C), or a canister approved for
pesticides (MSHA/NIOSH approval number
prefix TC-14G), or a NIOSH-approved
respirator with an organic vapor (OV)
cartridge or canister with any R, P, or HE
prefilter.
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Divisions 1-7
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1
2
3
4
5
7
Administrative
General Industry - 1910
Construction - 1926
Agriculture - 1928
Maritime (Federal) – 1915
Forestry – 1910.266
437 Regulations (State specific)
437-004-1041
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Sub-Divisions A-Z
◦ Sub C = Safety Awareness
◦ Sub I = Personal Protective Equipment
◦ Sub J = Work Environment
◦ Sub W = Worker Protection Standard
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437-004-1041 / 1910.134
Only applies if required by the label
◦ Requirements are normally found in the Personal
Protective Equipment section
and
◦ Crop specific information
◦ Other states may have specific regulations
◦ Respirators may be required for other tasks such as
welding, grinding, painting
 Respirator selection requires knowledge of the exposure
characteristics
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Assigned Protection Factor (APF)
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Elastomeric
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Engineering Controls
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HEPA – High Efficiency Particulate Air
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IDLH – Immediately Dangerous to Life and
Health
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Maximum Use Concentration
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Negative Pressure
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Positive Pressure
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PAPR
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Qualitative
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Quantitative
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Regulatory Application in Agriculture?

Respiratory select the proper respirator?

Respirator Maintenance and Training

Respirator Program Elements

Where do I go for help?
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Air Purifying Respirators
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Air Supplying Respirators
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Self Contained Breathing Apparatus
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All respirators must conform to NIOSH
certification
All Respirators must be maintained to the
level of the NIOSH certification
Altering respirator voids NIOSH Certification
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Approximately 300 NIOSH
respirator certifications are issued
each year
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90 manufacturers
102 manufacturing sites
18 countries
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Follow the label
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Type of application
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Identify location
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The respirator user
◦ Fumigation
◦ Air blaster
◦ Green house
◦ Inside vs outside
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Beards
Size
Facial structure
Glasses
Don’t forget government inspectors!!
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Two primary
types of filtering
media
◦ Dusts and Mists
◦ Gases and vapors
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Purple (Magenta) – any particulate including
oil mist 99.97% efficient
Orange – Mercury Vapor/Chlorine gas
Black – Organic vapors (solvents and certain
pesticides
Green - Ammonia
Yellow – Organic Vapor and Acid Gas
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What do these numbers mean?
◦ N ~ Not resistant to oil
◦ R ~ Oil resistant
◦ P ~ Oil Proof
◦ 95, 99 or 100 (99.97)
 Filter efficiency
NOT EFFICIENT!!!!!
NOT NIOSH APPROVED!!!!!!
QUIZ!!!!!
QUIZ!!!!!
Ref. 1910.134
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Determined by multiplying the assigned
protection fact by the OSHA permissible
exposure level
Example:
◦ Exposure to unregulated dusts (PNOR)
 OSHA PEL = 10 mg/m3
 ½ face Air Purifying Respirator (APR) = Assigned
Protection Factor (APF) = 10
 Maximum Use Concentration (MUC) of 100 mg/m3

Regulatory Application in Agriculture?

Respiratory select the proper respirator?

Respirator Maintenance and Training

Respirator Program Elements

Where do I go for help?
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1910.134 Appendix B-2 Cleaning Procedures
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Sole user - cleaned as necessary
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When Respirators are shared – after each use
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Respirator inspection/replacement
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Stored in a clean, sealed container
◦ Stored with cartridges?
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Inspected before each use
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During cleaning
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Emergency Respirators inspected monthly
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Escape Respirators inspected before they are
carried into the workplace
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Inspected monthly
Determine that
regulators and warning
devices are operational
Maintain the air cylinder
charge to 90% of the
manufactures
specifications
Ensure appropriate air
cylinder inspection is
completed
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Cartridges need to be change when an
employee experiences
◦ Breakthrough
 Smell
 Taste
◦ According to manufacture guidelines
◦ End of work shift
 Time of spraying operations not end of day
Only when respirators are required
By the label

Regulatory Application in Agriculture?

Respiratory select the proper respirator?

Respirator Maintenance and Training

Respirator Program Elements

Where do I go for help?
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Select a program administrator
Choose the correct respirators
Provide medical evaluations
Fit test employees to selected respirators
Training on how to use respirators properly
Cleaning and maintenance
Cartridge change out schedules
Periodic program review
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Medical Evaluations
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Fit Testing
◦ Questionnaire (confidential)
◦ Reviewed by an Occupational Medical Practitioner
◦ Possible follow up examinations
◦ Protocols described in Appendix A 29CFR1910.134
◦ Two Types of fit testing
 Qualitative
 Quantitative
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User Fit Check

Regulatory Application in Agriculture?

Respiratory select the proper respirator?

Respirator Maintenance and Training

Respirator Program Elements

Where do I go for help?

NIOSH/NASD – National Ag Safety Database
◦ http://www.nasdonline.org/browse/235/respiratory-protection.html
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CDMS – Crop Data Management System
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NPIC – National Pesticide Information Center
◦ http://www.cdms.net/LabelsMsds/LMDefault.aspx?t=
◦ http://npic.orst.edu/
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Oregon OSHA Publications
◦ http://www.orosha.org/standards/publications.html
Kim Faulkner, PhD, MPH
NIOSH/NPPTL
888-654-2294
KFaulkner@cdc.gov
Fact Sheets in English, Spanish
And Russian

Stan Thomas
Oregon OSHA
Bend, Oregon
541-388-6066
stanton.e.thomas@state.or.us