While most workplace hazards are visible, some disguise themselves as particles in the air. You may not be able to see them, but they cause just as much, sometimes even more, harm than other immediate dangers.
The hidden dangers of these airborne hazards make respiratory protection vital. But what is respiratory protection? That is one of the questions we will answer today as we look closer at OSHA’s requirements for respiratory protection.
Keep reading to learn how you can protect your employees from respiratory hazards.
Understanding Respiratory Hazards
Before discussing respiratory protection, we need to explain what these hazards are. Respiratory hazards, as the name suggests, are elements in the workplace that can harm the respiratory system.
These hazards are responsible for most of the work-related deaths that happen each year. We can divide them into three groups. Understanding each group will take you a step closer to finding an answer to the question, What is respiratory protection?
So, let’s take a closer look at each one.
Chemical Hazards
Chemical respiratory hazards include toxic fumes, gases, and airborne particles. These hazards are more prevalent in pharmaceuticals, chemical production, and agriculture.
Biological Hazards
Biological respiratory hazards include infectious agents like viruses, bacteria, fungi, and allergens. These hazards are more prevalent in hospitals, clinics, and laboratories.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards include harmful elements like dust, smoke, and airborne debris. These hazards are more prevalent in mining, construction, manufacturing, and firefighting.
Meeting OSHA’s requirements for respiratory protection can keep workers safe from all of these hazards. However, failing to do so can have damaging consequences for their health.
How Do These Respiratory Hazards Affect Health?
To understand what respiratory protection is, you must first understand how respiratory hazards affect your employees’ health.
These hazards can have short-term and long-term consequences that can be prevented with proactive intervention and wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE).
Short-term Effects of Respiratory Hazards
Exposure to respiratory hazards can result in various short-term health consequences that can reduce productivity and compromise the overall quality of life.
Some of these short-term effects include:
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Allergic reactions
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue and weakness
- Coughing and wheezing
- Eye redness and irritation
- Irritation of the respiratory system
Long-term Effects of Respiratory Hazards
Learning about the long-term health effects of respiratory hazards can help you understand what respiratory protection is and why it’s crucial in the workplace.
Here are some of the long-term health effects of respiratory hazards:
- Increased risk of lung cancer
- Permanent lung damage and scarring
- Adverse effects on cardiovascular health
- Reduced lung capacity and difficulty breathing
- Increased susceptibility to respiratory infections and pneumonia
- Increased healthcare costs and potential disability or early mortality
- Decreased quality of life due to chronic respiratory symptoms and impairment in physical activities
- Development of chronic respiratory conditions, including bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
OSHA’s Requirements for Respiratory Protection
To keep employees safe from these health risks, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established a set of requirements for respiratory protection.
Respiratory protection refers to protocols and equipment that protect workers from inhaling dangerous substances. The new OSHA regulations outline what respiratory protection is and why it’s necessary in work environments that expose staff to respiratory hazards.
Let’s look at the main aspects of these requirements to see how they can ensure your staff’s respiratory health and safety.
1. Written Respiratory Protection Program
First, OSHA requires employers to create a health and wellness program for employees that addresses respiratory hazards. This program should be tailored to the nature of your work and outline procedures for protecting employees from respiratory threats.
It should include details on:
- Respiratory hazards assessment
- Selection process for appropriate respirators
- Medical evaluation of employees
- Fit testing procedures
- Training and maintenance procedures
2. Hazard Assessment
Next, employers need to assess the hazards in their workplace to truly grasp what respiratory protection is and what it can do for their employees.
To conduct a thorough assessment, employers must:
- Identify the types of airborne contaminants in their workplace
- Estimate their exposure levels
- Understand the health effects associated with them
Doing a thorough ergonomic evaluation will help employers select the best control measures to mitigate the risks of these respiratory hazards.
3. Respirator Selection
To comply with OSHA’s requirements for respiratory protection, employers must select the appropriate respirators for their workers.
For this process, they should consider:
- The type and concentration of respiratory hazards
- The specific work environment
- Individual factors (facial characteristics and physical limitations)
Understanding what respiratory protection is and how important it is to wear PPE at work can help employers select the best types of respirators for their employees.
Note that the respirator must be approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
4. Medical Evaluations
Before using respirators, employers must perform medical evaluations to ensure their employees can safely use them. Some employees may have medical conditions that will worsen with respirators. So this step is necessary.
Employers can perform medical evaluations using
- Questionnaires
- Medical examinations
5. Fit Testing
Those who understand what respiratory protection is can understand the importance of fit testing.
OSHA requires employees to ensure the proper fitting of respirators. A tight seal must exist between the respirator and the worker’s face. Otherwise, the respirator won’t work effectively.
Fit testing can be:
- Qualitative (using a sensitivity solution)
- Quantitative (using specialized equipment)
Employers must perform fit testing initially and periodically to ensure proper fit throughout.
6. Training and Education
To comply successfully with OSHA’s requirements for respiratory protection, employers must provide comprehensive training to their employees on the proper use, maintenance, and limitations of respirators.
During training sessions, employers must cover information like:
- What respiratory protection is
- The correct way to use a respirator
- How to properly care for and store a respirator
- How to recognize signs of respiratory diseases
One way to prioritize workplace safety training and wellness is to hold frequent refresher training sessions and reinforce practices.
7. Maintenance and Inspection
Routine inspection and maintenance of respirators is necessary to ensure their efficiency. Employers must establish procedures for cleaning, disinfecting, and storing respirators.
Respirators must also undergo routine inspections to identify any damages or malfunctions that could compromise their safety. Employers must document these efforts to improve future maintenance and inspection procedures.
How You Can Comply With OSHA’s Requirements for Respiratory Protection
By understanding what respiratory protection is and how it can keep your employees safe, you can take the proper measures to comply with OSHA’s requirements.
Start by following the steps above. Write a detailed plan and assess the respiratory hazards in your workplace. Select the appropriate respirators and protective equipment while performing the necessary medical evaluations.
Ensure the respirators fit and educate your workers on how to use them. Finally, keep the respirators in check by performing routine inspections.
Apart from these steps, you can also perform thorough ergonomic evaluations to identify other hazards in your workplace and reduce the risk of injuries.
Prevent Respiratory Issues With BIOKINETIX
Now that you know what respiratory protection is, you can keep your workers safe from inhaling hazardous substances and dealing with their consequences.
Our workplace injury prevention program can help you choose the most efficient respirators and create the safest work environment for your employees. Our strategic services have helped organizations save millions of dollars in comp claims. We can help you make your business more profitable, too!
Schedule a free demo of our services now to see how we can help you comply with OSHA’s requirements for respiratory protection!
