When Is a Facility Required to Comply with the Respiratory Protection Standard?

Whenever the conditions in a facility make it necessary that workers wear respirators, the facility must establish a respiratory protection program. Respiratory protection programs are generally required in the following situations:

• Workers may not have adequate levels of oxygen.
• Workers may be exposed to potentially toxic levels of hazardous gases or vapors.
• Workers may be exposed to potential respiratory hazards, including airborne chemical and biological hazards.

A respiratory protection program must be in place to protect workers even when the respiratory hazard is only a remote possibility. If there is any potential for exposure to respiratory hazards, workers must be protected.

To learn more about Healthcare Respiratory Protection visit our Cal/OSHA Healthcare Respiratory Protection Safety Online Training web page.