Respiratory Protection Program

Overview

Respiratory protection equipment is a form of personal protective equipment (PPE). Whenever feasible, exposures should be reduced or eliminated through engineering controls, substitution, or administrative controls before using PPE. Utilizing respirators should be considered the last resort for protecting against inhalation hazards. To ensure that employers provide adequate respiratory protection to their employees, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established the Respiratory Protection Rule (29 CFR 1910.134). Rice University has established a Respiratory Protection Program in compliance with 29 CFR 1910.134. Rice University employees and students who use respirators must be included in the Rice University Respiratory Protection Program as a Required Respirator User or a Voluntary Respirator User. The program includes airborne hazard assessments, medical evaluations, respirator selection, training in proper use, care and cleaning of supplied-air and air purifying respirators, fit-testing, and program evaluation.

Purpose

The purpose of the Respiratory Protection Program is to protect Rice employees and students from inhalation health hazards. Respiratory protection is to be used only if engineering controls, substitution, administrative controls or a combination of such controls are not feasible or adequate to control a potential or identified inhalation hazard. This program fulfills the requirements of the OSHA Respiratory Protection Rule, 29 CFR 1910.134

Scope and Application

This program applies to all Rice employees and students who are required to wear respiratory protection during work related activities and during emergency incidents.

Employees and students who are approved to wear respirators under voluntary status are covered by applicable portions of this program.

Non-Rice University employees are not covered by this program, but must observe an adequate program per 29 CFR 1910.134 if their employees may be exposed to airborne hazards.

Please follow these steps below if you are a Rice University employee and think you should be wearing a respirator while conducting Rice approved work.

Before The Fit Test

  1. Please Fill out the Respiratory Protection Intake Form to schedule a risk assessment with a safety specialist.

  1. An EHSLO safety specialist will perform a risk assessment to determine if and what type of respiratory protection is appropriate for the work that is being performed.

  1. If it is deemed that respiratory protection is necessary, you will be sent information on how to complete a brief mandatory medical evaluation. In rare cases, the doctor may recommend a longer fit test to evaluate how you react to wearing the respirator or determine that you cannot safely wear respiratory protection. This evaluation is done through a service that ensures your case is reviewed by a medical doctor and not shared with Rice staff.

  1. Once your risk assessment and medical evaluation have been cleared, we can schedule the fit test.

Day of the Fit Test

  1. If you have facial hair, you’ll need to be clean shaven before the fit test.

  1. Bring to the fit test any respiratory protection mask that you are currently using.

  1. A fit test for one type of respirator can take anywhere from 10 - 30 minutes depending on how quickly we find the correct fitting mask.

  1. Fit tests need to be recertified annually or sooner if you experience any facial changes (ex., weight gain or loss, dental surgeries, cosmetic or facial surgeries and scaring) or changes in medical status that may affect your breathing.

The full respiratory protection program can be found HERE