Title: |
Respiratory Protection |
Publication date: |
6/15/2020 |
Effective date: |
6/15/2020 |
BRIEF
Policy Summary
The Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) ensures that Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) employees and subcontractors are not exposed to respiratory hazards by:
- Reducing or eliminating hazards via engineering and administrative controls.
- Dictating personal protective equipment (PPE) when engineering controls are not adequate.
- Ensuring that respiratory protection users are using the correct respirator.
- Ensuring that respiratory protection users are trained and medically cleared.
- Periodically reviewing the RPP for effectiveness.
Who Should Read This Policy
All persons who will be using respiratory protection while performing work
To Read the Full Policy, Go To:
The POLICY tab on this wiki page
To Read the EHS Program Details, Go To:
ES&H Manual Chapter 44
Contact Information
Respiratory Protection SME
Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Division
Title: |
Respiratory Protection |
Publication date: |
6/15/2020 |
Effective date: |
6/15/2020 |
POLICY
A. Purpose
The Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) ensures that Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) employees and subcontractors are not exposed to respiratory hazards by:
- Reducing or eliminating hazards via engineering and administrative controls.
- Dictating personal protective equipment (PPE) when engineering controls are not adequate.
- Ensuring that respiratory protection users are using the correct respirator.
- Ensuring that respiratory protection users are trained and medically cleared.
- Periodically reviewing the RPP for effectiveness.
B. Persons Affected
All persons who will be using respiratory protection while performing work.
C. Exceptions
None
D. Policy Statement
- Based on identified hazards, the RPP Administrator (RPPA) maintains and issues respiratory protective equipment when required by Berkeley Lab or used voluntarily. Filtering facepieces (dust masks) and PAPRS, however, are issued by the divisions (Work Process A).
- If radiation hazards are present, a Hazard Evaluation is performed by an industrial hygienist and/or a health physicist before respiratory protective equipment is issued (Work Process B).
- Prior to being fitted and trained for respirator use, employees required to wear a respirator and voluntary users must be medically evaluated to ensure they are capable of wearing the respirators. No medical evaluations are required for optional filtering facepiece respirators (Work Process C).
- The safe and effective use of respirators with tight-fitting facepieces requires that the respirator be properly fitted to the employee (Work Process D).
- If use of a respirator is required by Berkeley Lab, affected employees will be enrolled in the RPP and will be subject to all programmatic requirements for respirator issuance, including hazard evaluation, exposure monitoring, applicable cartridge change schedules, medical evaluation, fit testing (for tight-fitting facepieces), training, and annual re-training (Work Process E and Work Process H).
- If use of a respirator is not required by Berkeley Lab, employees may nevertheless choose voluntarily to use a respirator for an extra measure of protection or for personal comfort (Work Process E).
- Employees must follow the requirements listed in the Appendix I, Training Review Guidelines, for use and care of respirators (Work Process F).
- When not in use, respirators must be stored to protect against dust, sunlight, extremes of temperature, excessive moisture, or damaging chemicals (Work Process F).
- In addition to receiving an employee's inspection prior to each use, every respirator must be routinely inspected by the Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Industrial Hygiene Group when it is returned to the Industrial Hygiene Lab. Inspections involve examining the straps, hoses, valves, gaskets, mask body, and filters/cartridges, as required.
- Defective or worn parts will be replaced.
- Parts will not be interchanged between different brands of respirators, as this would void their National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approval.
- Field cleaning of respirators is performed by the user by washing the entire respirator (after removing cartridges and filters) with soap and warm water in a clean area on a regular basis (Work Process G).
- Respirator Training, EHS0310, is provided on an as-needed basis, following completion of a Hazard Evaluation by an industrial hygienist or a health physicist, and successful completion of the Respirator Medical Evaluation by the employee (Work Process H).
E. Roles and Responsibilities
Role |
Responsibility |
EHS Health Services |
|
EHS Radiation Protection Group |
|
EHS Health and Safety Department |
|
Respiratory Protection Program Administrator (RPPA) and Program Staff |
|
Supervisors/Work Leads |
|
Employees |
|
F. Definitions/Acronyms
Term |
Definition |
Air-Purifying Respirator (APR) |
A respirator with an air-purifying filter or cartridge that removes specific air contaminants by passing ambient air through the air-purifying element |
Filtering Facepiece (Disposable Dust Mask) |
A negative pressure particulate respirator with a filter as an integral part of the facepiece, or with the entire facepiece composed of the filtering medium |
Fit Test |
The use of a protocol to qualitatively or quantitatively evaluate the fit of a particular respirator to a specific person. A fit test must be repeated annually. |
Hazardous Atmosphere |
Any atmosphere, either immediately or not immediately dangerous to life or health, which is oxygen-deficient or which contains a toxic or disease-producing contaminant exceeding Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) adopted by Berkeley Lab. |
High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter |
A filter that is at least 99.97% efficient in removing monodisperse particles of 0.3 micrometers in diameter. The equivalent NIOSH 42 CFR Part 84 particulate filters are the N100, R100, and P100 filters (see P100 Filter). |
Negative Pressure Respirator (tight fitting) |
A respirator in which the air pressure inside the facepiece is negative during inhalation with respect to the ambient air pressure outside the respirator |
NIOSH |
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. NIOSH provides a testing approval and certification program for respirators, filters, and cartridges. |
Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) |
An air-purifying respirator that uses a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifying elements and into the inlet covering |
Respirator |
A device designed to protect the wearer from the inhalation of harmful atmospheres |
Voluntary Use |
Situations in which a respirator may be worn for employee comfort but is not necessary (or relied upon) to prevent overexposures |
G. Recordkeeping Requirements
None
H. Implementing Documents
Document Number |
Title |
Type |
07.07.032.001 |
Respiratory Protection |
Program |
07.07.032.002 |
Work Process A. General Requirements |
Process |
07.07.032.003 |
Work Process B. Hazard Assessment |
Process |
07.07.032.004 |
Work Process C. Medical Evaluation |
Process |
07.07.032.005 |
Work Process D. Fit Testing |
Process |
07.07.032.006 |
Work Process E. Respirator Issuance |
Process |
07.07.032.007 |
Work Process F. Respirator Use and Return Work |
Process |
07.07.032.008 |
Work Process G. Maintenance and Care |
Process |
07.07.032.009 |
Work Process H. Training Requirements |
Process |
07.07.024.001 |
Personal Protective Equipment |
Program |
I. Contact Information
Respiratory Protection SME
EHS Division
J. Revision History
Date |
Revision |
By Whom |
Revision Description |
Section(s) Affected |
Change Type |
1/2/2012 |
0 |
H. Toor |
Rewrite for wiki |
All |
Minor |
11/16/2012 |
1 |
H. Toor |
Rewrite for wiki |
All |
Minor |
12/4/2018 |
1.2 |
J. Zhu |
Update ANSI reference to 2015 |
Source Requirements |
Minor |
6/15/2020 | 1.3 | J. Zhu | Reference update to Cal/OSHA to reflect 10 CFR 851 variance | Source Requirements | Minor |
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Title: |
Respiratory Protection |
Document number |
07.07.032.000 |
Revision number |
1.3 |
Publication date: |
6/15/2020 |
Effective date: |
6/15/2020 |
Next review date: |
6/15/2024 |
Policy Area: |
Industrial Hygiene and Safety |
RPM Section (home) |
ESH |
RPM Section (cross-reference) |
None |
Functional Division |
EHS |
Prior reference information (optional) |
ES&H Manual Section 4.13 |
Source Requirements Documents
- 10 CFR 851 — Worker Health and Safety Program
- California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 5144
- ANSI Z88.2-2015 — Practices for Respiratory Protection
- American Conference of Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), Threshold Limit Values (TLVs)
Other Driving Requirements
- ANSI Z88.6 — Respirator, Physical Qualifications for Personnel
Implementing Documents
Document Number |
Title |
Type |
07.07.032.001 |
Respiratory Protection |
Program |
07.07.032.002 |
Work Process A. General Requirements |
Process |
07.07.032.003 |
Work Process B. Hazard Assessment |
Process |
07.07.032.004 |
Work Process C. Medical Evaluation |
Process |
07.07.032.005 |
Work Process D. Fit Testing |
Process |
07.07.032.006 |
Work Process E. Respirator Issuance |
Process |
07.07.032.007 |
Work Process F. Respirator Use and Return Work |
Process |
07.07.032.008 |
Work Process G. Maintenance and Care |
Process |
07.07.032.009 |
Work Process H. Training Requirements |
Process |
07.07.024.001 |
Personal Protective Equipment |
Program |
Other References
- DOE Guide 440.1-8, Section 3.3.2.1.5 — Implementation Guide for Use with 10 CFR Part 851 Worker Safety and Health Program