Rubberized Aprons offer additional time to react to the splash than the coat alone. Arm guards should be worn when using an apron. 4.2.7 Respirators OSHA requires primary prevention of atmospheric contamination by the use of engineering controls such as enclosure or confinement of the operation, general and local ventilation, and substitution of less toxic materials. The written program must address such issues as medical evaluation of the worker, surveillance of work area conditions, and respirator selection criteria, inspection, and maintenance. College policy does not permit routine laboratory work requiring the use of respirators to provide protection from harmful vapors.
Respirators are only to be used as part of an emergency procedure.
Operations requiring respirators to provide protection from dust are restricted to areas where posted signs indicate the hazard and limit entry to qualified personnel. Persons will not be assigned work requiring the use of a respirator unless a physician determines that they are physically able to perform the work and use the equipment. All personnel using respirators will be trained in their proper selection, use, maintenance and care. 4.2.8 Vapor Detection Dependance on odor is unreliable as a means of determining that inhalation exposure limits are being exceeded, because odor thresholds can be greater than the Permissible Exposure Limits set by OSHA and Threshold Limit Values suggested by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Whenever there is reason to suspect that a toxic chemical inhalation limit might be exceeded regardless of whether a suspicious odor is noticed, the supervisor must be notified and laboratory workers should implement emergency procedures until measurements of the concentration of the suspect vapor in the air show that the limit is not exceeded.