Step 5 - Develop & Implement a Written Plan

To ensure that healthcare workers are adequately protected from respiratory hazards, healthcare facilities must develop a written plan that includes the policies and procedures for their respiratory protection program. This document must cover policies and procedures for each of the components of the respiratory protection program, as follows:

• Type of respirator required for specific tasks
• How to use each type of respirator required at the facility in routine and emergency situations
• How to store, maintain, repair, and dispose of respirators
• Medical evaluations of workers who are required to wear respirators
• Respirator fit testing for individual workers
• Worker training in all aspects of the respiratory protection program, including procedures for emergencies
• Recordkeeping
• Program evaluation procedures

It is important to note that employers of facilities in which workers are exposed to ATDs must comply with the respiratory protection standard. Employers must also develop an ATD exposure control plan that includes a biosafety plan that protects all of the employees of a healthcare facility, laboratory operation, or related setting. The additional requirements for this plan include the following:

• Procedures for hazardous exposure incidents
• Procedures for surges (that is, an increased volume of patients who require a specialized medical service, procedure, equipment, or other limited resource)

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