Washington Administrative Code › Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of › Chapter 296-307 - Safety standards for agriculture › SPECIALIZED OPERATIONS › Part Y-5 - Respirators › Section 296-307-60005 - Develop and maintain a written program

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
Exemption:
This section does
NOT
apply to respirator
							 use that is voluntary. See WAC
							 296-307-59805
							 for voluntary use program requirements.
(1) The
				  employer must develop a complete worksite-specific written respiratory
				  protection program that includes the applicable elements listed in Table 3.
Note:
Pay for respirators, medical evaluations, fit
								testing, training, maintenance, travel costs, and wages.
(2) The employer must keep its program
				  current and effective by evaluating it and making corrections. Do ALL of the
				  following:
(a) Make sure procedures and
				  program specifications are followed and appropriate.
(b) Make sure selected respirators continue
				  to be effective in protecting employees. For example, if changes in work area
				  conditions, level of employee exposure, or employee physical stress have
				  occurred, the employer needs to reevaluate respirator selection.
(c) Have supervisors periodically monitor
				  employee respirator use to make sure employees are using them
				  properly.
(d) Regularly ask
				  employees required to use respirators about their views concerning program
				  effectiveness and whether they have problems with:
(i) Respirator fit during use;
(ii) Any effects of respirator use on work
				  performance;
(iii) Respirators
				  being appropriate for the hazards encountered;
(iv) Proper use under current worksite
				  conditions;
(v) Proper maintenance.
When developing a written program include applicable
					 elements listed in Table 3.
Table 3
Required Elements for Required-Use
								Respirator Programs
* Selection:
-Procedures for respirator selection
-A list specifying the appropriate respirator for
								each respiratory hazard in the workplace
-Procedures for issuing the proper type of
								respirator, if appropriate
* Medical evaluation provisions
* Fit-test provisions and procedures, if
								tight-fitting respirators are selected
* Training provisions that address:
-Respiratory hazards encountered during:
*Routine activities
*Infrequent activities, for example, bimonthly
								cleaning of equipment
*Reasonably foreseeable emergencies, for example,
								rescue, spill response, or escape situations
-Proper use of respirators, for example, how to
								put on or remove respirators, and use limitations.
Note:
The employer does NOT need to
								repeat training on respiratory hazards if employees have been trained on this
								in compliance with other rules such as WAC
								296-307-550,
								employer chemical hazard communication.
. Respirator use procedures for:
-Routine activities
-Infrequent activities
-Reasonably foreseeable emergencies
* Maintenance:
-Procedures and schedules for respirator
								maintenance covering:
*Cleaning and disinfecting
*Storage
*Inspection and repair
*When to discard respirators
-A cartridge or canister change schedule
IF
air-purifying respirators are selected for use against gas or vapor
								contaminants AND an end-of-service-life-indicator (ESLI) is not available. In
								addition, provide:
*The data and other information the employer
								relied on to calculate change schedule values (for example, highest contaminant
								concentration estimates, duration of employee respirator use, expected maximum
								humidity levels, user breathing rates, and safety factors)
* Procedures to ensure a safe air quantity and
								quality
IF
atmosphere-supplying respirators (air-line or SCBA) are
								selected
* Procedures for evaluating program effectiveness
								on a regular basis