AssignedProtectionFactors - Occupational Safety and Health ...

1 Assigned Protection Factorsfor the Revised RespiratoryProtection StandardOSHA 3352-02 2009 Employers are responsible for providing a safe andhealthy workplace for their employees. OSHA s roleis to promote the Safety and Health of America sworking men and women by setting and enforcingstandards; providing training, outreach and education;establishing partnerships; and encouraging continualimprovement in workplace Safety and publication provides a general overview of aparticular standards-related topic. This publicationdoes not alter or determine compliance responsibili-ties which are set forth in OSHA standards, and theOccupational Safety and Health Act. Moreover, be-cause interpretations and enforcement policy maychange over time, for additional guidance on OSHA compliance requirements the reader should consultcurrent administrative interpretations and decisionsby the Occupational Safety and Health Review Com-mission and the contained in this publication is in the publicdomain and may be reproduced, fully or partially,without permission.

2 Source credit is requested butnot information will be made available to sensoryimpaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202)693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: Protection Factorsfor theRevised Respiratory Protection StandardOccupational Safety and Department of LaborOSHA 3352-022009 Original cover Illustrations created by Attiliis & AssociatesContentsIntroduction3 The Audience for this Guide3 How to Use this Guide3 History3 Assigned Protection Factors (APFs)and Maximum Use Concentrations(MUCs)3 How to Use APFs and MUCs4 Major Types of Respirators5 Attachment AGlossary7 Attachment BRegulatory Text of theRespiratory Protection Standard10 Permissible practice10 Definitions10 Respiratory protection program12 Selection of respirators13 Table I: Assigned Protection Factors 14 Table II.

3 Oxygen Deficient Atmospheres 15 Medical evaluation15 Fit testing17 Use of respirators17 Maintenance and care of respirators 19 Breathing air quality and use20 Identification of filters, cartridges,and canisters21 Training and information21 Program evaluation22 Recordkeeping22 Effective date23 Appendices23 Appendix A to :FitTesting Procedures (Mandatory) 24 Appendix B-1 to :User Seal Check Procedures(Mandatory)37 Appendix B-2 to :Respiratory Cleaning Procedures(Mandatory)38 Appendix C to :OSHA Respiratory Medical EvaluationQuestionnaire (Mandatory)39 Appendix D to :Information for Employees UsingRespirators When Not Required Underthe Standard (Mandatory)43 OSHA Assistance44 OSHA Regional Offices472 Occupational Safety andHealth AdministrationIntroductionIn a final rule on Assigned Protection Factors (APFs),OSHA revised its existing Respiratory Protectionstandard to add definitions and requirements for APFsand Maximum Use Concentrations (MUCs).

4 (See 63FR 1152; 29 CFR ; 71 FR 50122, August 24,2006.) This guidance document focuses on themandatory selection provisions of the APFs, MUCs,and Table I1at page 14 and their role in the overallRespiratory Protection standard. The provisions canonly be used when respirators are properly selectedand used in compliance with the full Respiratory Pro-tection standard. The final Respiratory Protectionstandard (29 CFR and 29 CFR ) ap-plies to general industry, construction, longshoring,shipyard, and marine terminal Agency developed the final APFs after thor-oughly reviewing the available literature, includingworkplace protection factor studies, comments sub-mitted to the record, and hearing testimony. Thefinal APFs provide employers with critical informa-tion to use when selecting respirators for employeesexposed to atmospheric contaminants found in in-dustry.

5 Proper respirator selection is an importantcomponent of an effective respiratory protection pro-gram. Accordingly, the final APFs are necessary toprotect employees who must use respirators to pro-tect them from airborne Audience for this GuideThe employer should read this guide if it is likely thatyou will need to establish and implement a respira-tory protection to Use this GuideThis guide is divided into sections that correspond tothe recently updated respirator selection provisionsunder section (d) of the Respiratory Protection stan-dard. Specifically, these provisions are (d)(3)(i)(A)and (d)(3)(i)(B). This guide provides information thatanswers the following questions: What are AssignedProtection Factors (APFs)?; What are Maximum UseConcentrations (MUCs)?

6 ; and How to Use APFs andMUCs?Two attachments are provided. Attachment A is theglossary of the final APF rule; and, Attachment B isthe complete final Respiratory Protection colored typedenotes that the provisionsof the final Respiratory Protection standard are a final rule on OSHA s Respiratory Protection stan-dard, OSHA reserved the provisions incorporatingAPFs, MUCs, and the APF Table, for further rulemak-ing. (See 63 FR 1152; 29 CFR ; 71 FR 50122,August 24, 2006.) The APF final standard went intoeffect on November 22, 2006 (71 FR 50122).OSHA s methodology for assigning protection fac-tors to classes of respirators was twofold: first,OSHA analyzed all the data, and second, OSHA re-viewed all the literature. By analyzing all availablestatistical data and literature, OSHA is assured thatthe Agency is measuring and observing the out-comes that are of concern to OSHA.

7 That is, OSHA isobserving and measuring the outcomes achievedwhen employers are in compliance with the full Res-piratory Protection standard. Thus, OSHA has actedin a rigorous manner in establishing the Protection Factors (APFs)and Maximum Use Concentrations(MUCs)The rulemaking on the reserved sections of the Res-piratory Protection standard have now been com-pleted (71 FR 50122; August 24, 2006). These coverprovisions for APFs and MUCs, as well as Table definitions of APFs and MUCs are:AssignedProtectionFactor(APF)means the work-place level of respiratory protection that a respiratoror class of respirators is expected to provide to em-ployees when the employer implements a continu-ing, effective respiratory protection program asspecified by this (MUC)means themaximum atmospheric concentration of a hazardoussubstance from which an employee can be expectedto be protected when wearing a respirator, and is de-termined by the assigned protection factor of the res-pirator or class of respirators and the exposure limitof the hazardous substance.

8 The MUC usually can bedetermined mathematically by multiplying the as-signed protection factor specified for a respirator bythe permissible exposure limit (PEL), short-term ex-posure limit, ceiling limit, peak limit, or any other ex-posure limit used for the hazardous MUC for respirators is calculated by multiplyingthe APF for the respirator by the PEL. The MUC isA S S I G N E D P R O T E C T I O N F A C T O R S F O R T H ER E V I S E D R E S P I R A T O R Y P R O T E C T I O N S T A N D A R D3the upper limit at which the class of respirator is ex-pected to provide protection. Whenever the expo-sures approach the MUC, then the employer shouldselect the next higher class of respirators for the must not apply MUCs to conditions thatare immediately dangerous to life or Health (IDLH);instead, they must use respirators listed for IDLH conditions in paragraph (d)(2) of this the calculated MUC exceeds the IDLH level fora hazardous substance, or the performance limits ofthe cartridge or canister, then employers must setthe maximum MUC at that lower to use APFs and MUCsUnder the Respiratory Protection standard, APFsand MUCs are used specifically in selecting properequipment under section (d)(3), which addresses theselection of respiratory protection equipment fornon-IDLH atmospheres.

9 In this provision, under(d)(3)(i), employers must provide respirators that areadequate to protect employee Health and ensurecompliance with all other OSHA requirements underroutine, and reasonably foreseeable, emergency paragraph (d)(3)(i)(A), employers must selectrespirators according to APFs, using Table I: AssignedProtection Factors. Under paragraph (d)(3)(i)(B), em-ployers must select respirators after considering theMUCs in their workplace under which respirators areto be are used to select the appropriate class of res-pirators that will provide the necessary level of pro-tection. The airborne hazardous exposure can befrom a particulate or a gas or vapor. The APF for theclass of respirators will remain the same. The APFvalue can only be applied to a class of respiratorswhen the respirators are properly selected and usedin compliance with the Respiratory Protection stan-dard (29 CFR ), with properly selected filtersor canisters, as new APF table is on page paragraph (d)(3)(ii), employers must selectrespirators (using APFs as well) that are appropriatefor the chemical state and physical form of the con-taminant.

10 You need different types of filters, car-tridges, and canisters depending on whether dusts,fumes, mists, vapors, or gases are present in yourworkplace and depending on the kinds and concen-trations of the substances hazards may be present in the workplacewhenever an atmosphere does not contain sufficientoxygen, or if it contains chemical, biological, or radi-ological contaminants in sufficient quantity to harmthe Health of employees. Respiratory hazards may bepresent in the workplace in the following physicalforms:Dusts and fibersare solid particles that are formedor generated from solid materials through mechani-cal processes such as crushing, grinding, drilling,abrading or blasting. Examples are lead, silica, solid particles that are formed when ametal or other solid vaporizes and the moleculescondense (or solidify) in cool air.