OSHA Proposes to Add Two Additional Fit-Testing Protocols to Respiratory Standard
The protocols would apply to employers in the general, shipyard and construction industries
OSHA has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to add two quantitative fit-testing protocols to the agency’s Respiratory Protection Standard, according to a report. The protocols would apply to employers in the general, shipyard and construction industries.
TSI Incorporated has submitted an application for new protocols for full-facepiece and half-mask elastomeric respirators, and filtering facepiece respirators. The existing standard contains mandatory testing methods to make sure employees’ respirators fit properly and are protective.
OSHA has invited the public to comment on the accuracy of the proposed protocols, and their usefulness in selecting respirators that will protect employees form contaminants in the workplace.
According to the news release, the proposed rule would not require an employer to update o replace current fit-testing methods, as long as the fit-testing methods currently in use meet the existing standards.