(1)
General. For employees who use respirators required by this section, the
employer must provide each employee an appropriate respirator that complies
with the requirements of this subsection. Respirators must be used during:
(a) Periods necessary to install or implement
feasible engineering and work-practice controls when employee exposure levels
exceed the PEL;
(b) Maintenance and
repair activities, and brief or intermittent operations, where employee
exposures exceed the PEL and engineering and work-practice controls are not
feasible or are not required;
(c)
Activities in regulated areas as specified in WAC
296-62-07409;
(d) Work operations for which the employer
has implemented all feasible engineering and work-practice controls and such
controls are not sufficient to reduce employee exposures to or below the
PEL;
(e) Work operations for which
an employee who is exposed to cadmium at or above the action level, and the
employee requests a respirator;
(f)
Work operations for which an employee is exposed above the PEL and
engineering
controls are not required by WAC
296-62-07411(1)(b);
and
(g) Emergencies.
(2) Respirator program.
(a) The employer must develop, implement and
maintain a respiratory protection program as required by chapter
296-842 WAC,
Respirators, which covers each employee required by this chapter to use a
respirator.
(b) No employees must
use a respirator if, based on their recent medical examination, the examining
physician determines that they will be unable to continue to function normally
while using a respirator. If the physician determines that the employee must be
limited in, or removed from, their current job because of their inability to
use a respirator, the limitation or removal must be in accordance with WAC
296-62-07423(11) and
(12).
(c) If an employee has breathing difficulty
during fit testing or respirator use, the employer must provide the employee
with a medical examination as required by WAC
296-62-07423(6)(b)
to determine if the employee can use a
respirator while performing the required duties.
(3) Respirator selection. The employer must:
(a) Select and provide the appropriate
respirator as specified in this section and WAC
296-842-13005, found in the
respirator rule.
(i) Provide employees with
full-facepiece respirators when they experience eye irritation.
(ii) Make sure high-efficiency particulate
air (HEPA) filters or N-, R-, or P-100 series filters are provided for powered
air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) and negative-pressure air-purifying
respirators.
(b) Provide
an employee with a powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) instead of a
negative-pressure respirator when an employee who is entitled to a respirator
chooses to use this type of respirator and such a respirator provides adequate
protection to the employee.
