Respiratory Protection Program

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION PROGRAM PURPOSE During the course of work activities it may be necessary to use respiratory equipment for protection against respiratory hazards. This program’s primary objective is to prevent excessive exposure to harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors. When effective engineering controls are not feasible, or while they are being instituted, appropriate respirators shall be used. This program establishes procedures for respirator selection, use, care, maintenance, medical evaluation, training and storage. RESPIRATORY HAZARD CLASSIFICATION Of the three normally recognized ways toxic materials can enter the body - through the (1) gastrointestinal tract, (2) skin, and (3) lungs – the respiratory system presents the quickest and most direct avenue of entry. This is because of the respiratory system’s direct relationship with the circulatory system and the constant need to oxygenate tissue cells to sustain life. Once the toxic material enters the lungs it then enters the bloodstream. The three basic classifications of respiratory hazards are: 1. Oxygen deficient air 2. Particulate contaminants 3. Gas and vapor contaminants Respiratory hazards exist in many construction work places. Winger Companies, herein referred to as Winger, employees need to be trained to recognize and identify these hazards and to be able to protect themselves. DUSTS – Airborne dusts often represent one of most significant respiratory hazards. Some dusts, such as asbestos, coal dust, and silica, can cause pneumoconiosis, or scarring of the lung with long term exposure. TRACE METALS – Metals such as arsenic and cadmium are contained in low levels in fly ash and boiler tube deposits. If conditions are excessively dusty or if boiler tube deposits are released by cutting or grinding, significant exposure to these substances may occur. Metals can act as general systemic toxins. The type of toxic effects depends on the type of metal. MISTS – Tiny droplets of liquid suspended in the air. Examples are oil mist produced from lubricants used in metal cutting operations, acid mists from electroplating, and paint spray mist from spraying operations. METAL FUMES – Iron oxide, and finely divided particles containing arsenic, cadmium, lead and other metals called fume can be generated during the welding and cutting operations. Fume exposure can affect lung function and may be associated with other toxic effects. GASES – Sulfur oxides from boiler flue gas, sulfuric acid gas and ozone from arcing in precipitators are lung irritants. Carbon monoxide is produced by incomplete combustion of a fuel. CHEMICAL VAPOR – Vapor from solvents, paints and paint thinner, and boiler chemicals such as hydrazine can cause health effects ranging from headache and nausea to nervous system damage. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Winger Companies Safety & Health Manual Respiratory Program Revised September 2017 Page 1 of 13 CARCINOGENS – Overexposure to arsenic and asbestos has been associated with lung and other types of cancer. Hydrazine has been shown to cause cancer in test animals. BIOLOGICAL – Include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other living organisms that are respirable and can cause acute and chronic infections. Examples include Legionnaire’s Disease, animal waste and Histoplasmosis. EVALUATION of the ATMOSPHERE Prior to beginning work activities, the atmosphere in the work area must be evaluated in order to determine the nature and degree of actual or potential exposure. The following guidelines can be used when identifying those specific applications requiring the use of respiratory equipment. OXYGEN DEFICIENT ATMOSPHERES – Any atmosphere that tests lower than 19.5% oxygen is considered to be oxygen deficient. Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) or airline respirators supplied from breathing air cylinders are required. IMMEDIATELY DANGEROUS TO LIFE OR HEALTH (IDLH) - Means an atmosphere that poses an immediate threat to life, would cause irreversible adverse health effects, or would impair the individual’s ability to escape from a dangerous atmosphere. NOT IMMEDIATELY HAZARDOUS ATMOSPHERES – Atmospheres where oxygen levels are adequate but contain gaseous contaminants or particulate matter are considered to be not immediately hazardous atmospheres. Use chemical cartridge respirators for gaseous. Use mechanical filter respirators to protect against particulate matter. HAZARD CONTROL and HAZARD ASSESSMENT The best way to control respiratory hazards is the elimination of conditions that create the potentially hazardous environment. This can be accomplished by three ways; first, engineering design (through process or equipment design process ventilation, and/or the substitution of less hazardous materials) second, administrative controls (special work practices such as washing or vacuuming work areas, establishing regulated areas), or third, the use of respirators and protective clothing may be necessary. The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is always used as a last resort when the first two options cannot reduce the hazard. To the extent possible, the choice of the appropriate type of respiratory protection shall be based upon work place monitoring data. Always check the Material Safety Data Sheet for the material you will be exposed to and identify the proper respirator to be worn. Additional workplace monitoring where the potential exists for employee overexposure to airborne contaminants may also be necessary. EXAMPLES OF TASKS THAT MAY REQUIRE RESPIRATORS Welding Brazing Soldering ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Winger Companies Safety & Health Manual Respiratory Program Revised September 2017 Page 2 of 13 Cutting Spraying Grinding Painting Chemical Use Confined Space Entry SELECTION of EQUIPMENT GUIDELINES The choice of the appropriate respirator is based on the knowledge of the potential hazards to which an employee is likely to be exposed, the specific contaminants, the concentrations of contaminants, the skin absorption potential of the contaminants, and whether there is an adequate supply of oxygen in the contaminated atmosphere. Not all respirators are right for all jobs. There are different types of respirators that must be used in certain situations. Proper selection of respirators is very important. IF you choose the wrong respirator for the job, you could be putting yourself at serious risk. To choose the correct respirator for the job, the air must be tested to find out the condition of the atmosphere or the material must be identified, for example substances in piping systems. Winger employees will only use air-purifying respirators that are NIOSH certified. Air-purifying respirators use filters or chemical absorbing cartridges to remove harmful contaminants from the air the user is breathing. Air-purifying respirators or combination cartridge / filter – simply filters air – does not supply oxygen, therefore cannot be worn in environments which are oxygen deficient (< 19.5%) or immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH). When air contaminants exceed permissible exposure limits, use an air-purifying or filtering respirator coded to protect you against your specific job hazards. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Winger Companies Safety & Health Manual Respiratory Program Revised September 2017 Page 3 of 13 TYPES OF RESPIRATORS There are two basic types of respirators, air purifying and air supplying. Winger provides, at no cost to the employee, different types of air purifying respirators to employees who pass the pulmonary function test; respirator fit test and medical evaluation. AIR PURIFYING RESPIRATORS 1. Particulate Respirators (Dust Masks) – These type of respirators have a Protection Factor (PF) of 5 – 10. Workplace applications include grinding, sanding, sweeping, bagging and other dusty operations. These are disposable and may be used on a voluntary basis. APPENDIX D TO OSHA §1910.134 MANDATORY INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYEES USING RESPIRATORS WHEN NOT REQUIRED UNDER THE STANDARD Respirators are an effective method of protection against designated hazards when properly selected and worn. Respirator use is encouraged, even when exposures are below the exposure limit, to provide an additional level of comfort and protection for workers. However, if a respirator is used improperly or not kept clean, the respirator itself can become a hazard to the worker. Sometimes, workers may wear respirators to avoid exposures to hazards, even if the amount of hazardous substance does not exceed the limits set by OSHA standards. You need to take certain precautions to be sure that the respirator itself does not present a hazard. You should do the following: A. Read and heed all instructions provided by the manufacturer on use, maintenance, cleaning and care, and warnings regarding the respirators limitations. B. Choose respirators certified for use to protect against the contaminant of concern. NIOSH certifies respirators. A label or statement of certification should appear on the respirator or respirator packaging. It will tell you what the respirator is designed for and how much it will protect you. C. Do not wear your respirator into atmospheres containing contaminants for which your respirator is not designed to protect against. For example, a respirator designed to filter

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