June 30, 2010

If you have a respiratory protection program in your workplace, you know it comes with significant costs. One way to save money—and ensure your workplace maintains regulatory compliance—is to take the time to treat your respiratory protection equipment with some "tender loving care." Here is some advice on effective respirator care:

Would your respiratory protection program pass muster if Cal/OSHA walked through your door today? Join us on July 22 for an in-depth webinar on respiratory protection in California and find out.

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1. Proper storage matters: Respirators last longer if properly stored. Proper storage means protecting them from heat, extreme cold, sunlight, excessive moisture, chemicals, dirt, and physical damage; tossing a respirator into the bottom of a locker is not conducive to a long-lived respirator. Respirators should be stored indoors in a clean, cool, dry cabinet—preferably inside air-tight containers. If a respirator came with a storage case (as many SCBAs do), it should be properly packed (as opposed to “stuffed,” which can deform and damage the respirator and its associated equipment) and stored in its case.

2. Clean but do it carefully: Cleaning respirators properly helps improve their lifespan and prevent skin irritation for the workers wearing them. Respirators can be cleaned periodically with nonalcoholic wipes (alcohol wipes can damage the flexible parts of your respirator). Regular cleaning with wipes should be supplemented with “bathes,” especially if they are going into storage or being used by different individuals.

Wash respirators with warm water, not hot—the water should be no hotter than what you could comfortably put your hands in. If detergents are used, make sure they are mild, and rinse the respirator thoroughly afterward to prevent damage to the respirator and worker skin irritation (and never use cleaners with lanolin or other oils as these, like alcohol, can cause significant damage to flexible parts of the respirator). If disinfecting, choose a mild disinfectant.

After cleaning, thoroughly air-dry the respirator to prevent the growth of mold and mildew while it is in storage—mold and mildew will both damage the respirator and make it smell bad, leaving it unwearable. Finally, once the respirator is complete dry, reassemble it to prevent deformation of parts (specifically the valves) while in storage.

3. Don't throw away what you don't have to: First, know which parts on your respirators are replaceable. If a part gets damaged, it's often less expensive to get a replacement part than a completely new respirator (but be sure that all replacement parts come from the manufacturer that made the respirator—don't mix parts from different manufacturers).

Second, consumables are often a large expense category in a respiratory protection program. For cartridge respirators, keeping a good use schedule and paying close attention to end-of-life indicators not only ensure you are adequately protecting your workers—they will also save money if you use them to ensure you're getting the most use out of your cartridges. Remember that cartridges should always be stored according to manufacturers' instructions between uses.

Respiratory Protection: Stepped-Up Cal/OSHA Enforcement Could Cost You Big; How to Prepare

Respirators protect workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. These hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, other diseases, or death.

Cal/OSHA is currently stepping up enforcement actions and switching to a "per employee" citation system for violations of respiratory protection requirements. These changes significantly raise both penalties and risks for “egregious violators.” You don't want to be one of them.

Join us on July 22 when our California safety expert discusses the requirements for respiratory protection and the status and timetable of the California Assigned Protection Factors petition for disposable filtering facepiece respirators. He will also review how this enforcement strategy will affect you, and what you should be doing now to prepare.

You'll learn:

• The current respirator rules and penalties, and how they can be stacked against you
• When a written program is required, and what needs to be in it
• How the Assigned Protection Factors can help you select the correct respirator
• How to calculate Maximum Use Concentrations
• An overview of fit testing and medical evaluation issues, including recordkeeping requirements
• Steps to effective hazard analysis for the selection of appropriate PPE
• Takeaway tips to ensure your respiratory protection program is ready for Cal/OSHA scrutiny

Register now »

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