Worker Health, Personal Protective Equipment, Hand Hygiene, Sanitizer, EUAs

Respiratory Protection

When you are ready to run a successful workplace respiratory protection program, you must understand and comply with the standards set by state and federal administrations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). If you’ve already begun your research, you know it can be overwhelming. To help you, we’ve summarized an overview of key elements of the federal standard and what you need to do to comply with each one.


Highlights of the OSHA regulations on respiratory protection
When respiratory protection is required by OSHA, a written respiratory protection program should be established. That means the designated program administrator must oversee the following:

  • Assessment of exposure to airborne contaminants.
  • Selection of appropriate respirators.
  • Evaluation of employees’ health to make sure they can wear a respirator.
  • Fit-testing and training of employees regularly.
  • Inspection, repair, cleaning, storage and replacement of respirators as needed.
  • Review of the program periodically to make sure it’s being run properly.
  • Keeping a written record of all of the above.
  • Each part of the program can seem complex. Although as a safety administrator you must follow all applicable rules and regulations, we’ve outlined key highlights to help you navigate them.
    Site: OSHA Federal Regulation 29 CFR 1910.34


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Company policies – Are there company policies that are particularly important to your business? Perhaps a specifc policy has endeared you to employees across the company. This is a good place and time to talk about that subject.


Executive profiles – A company is only as strong as its executive and or management leadership. This is a good time to display who’s occupying the  offices. Write a nice bio about each executive and or management person that includes what they do, how long they’ve been at it, and what motivated them get to where they are.


 

General or basic steps to set up a respiratory protection program for your organization


1. Exposure Assessment


2. Written Program


3. Respirator Selection


4. Medical Evaluation


5. Fit Testing


6. Training & Maintenance

 

7. Program Evaluation


Respiratory Protection is the last line of defense


OSHA specifies that before you resort to respirators for workers, you must first try to eliminate the hazard from the workplace and try to limit worker from the exposure. 


If it’s not feasible or financially viable to remove the risk in your workplace, then respiratory protection is required — and vital to help protect your workers from the airborne hazards they face daily.


Read the OSHA booklet on industrial hygiene.

 

Additional Information


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Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings

Hand Antiseptics

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According to the CDC, an estimated 80 percent of infections are transmitted from and by our hands. Hand hygiene is most often the single and most important practice to reduce the transmission of infections. Some items may or may not be included with personal protective equipment (PPE), or FDA approved depending on the need, environment and or application.

 

World Health Organization's Private Organizations for Patient Safety. 

POPS participants help spread the word about the importance of clean hands in health care, supporting the WHO recommendations.


World Health Organization's Private Organizations for Patient Safety


Additional Information and Hand Hygiene Links