Related Documents

OSHA’s Assigned Protection Factors for the Revised Respiratory Protection Standard MIOSHA Respirator Assigned Protection Factors Respiratory Equipment Selection and Guidance & NIOSH Respirator Selection Logic Process Qualitative Fit Testing Option Guidance Information for Voluntary Users of Respirators (1910.134 Appendix D) Inspection Guidance for Air-Purifying Respirators (APRs) Respirator Training Information (For all Respirators except PAPRs, SARs, and SCBAs) Specific Procedures for the Use of Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) Specific Procedures for Use of Supplied-Air Respirators (SARs):  (This document must be used in conjunction with the SAR Manufacturer’s operation manual.)  Specific Procedures for Use of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Calculated Cartridge Life Expectancies Respirator Program Assessment Protocol Respirator User Survey Form

The Respiratory Protection Program provides the University community with the necessary information to understand respiratory protection requirements and the means to obtain proper respiratory protection from EHS.  The reliability of any respirator is dependent on proper selection, training, medical screening, and respirator maintenance.  Therefore, University employees must obtain all respiratory protection devices through EHS.  However, filtering facepieces, i.e., dust masks, KN95 and N95s etc, used voluntarily can be obtained through EHS, other U-M departments, or purchased through M-Marketsite or other suppliers provided that the  Information for Voluntary Users of Respirators (1910.134 Appendix D) is provided to the employee.

This Program applies to all University employees that utilize respiratory protection.  Michigan Medicine/Hospital employees are also covered by this Program except for the use of filtering facepiece N95 respirators for protection against infectious diseases.  This type of respirator use is covered under Michigan Medicine’s Respiratory Protection Program.

The University’s Scientific Diving Program covers the use of Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA).

Employee protection from occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fumes, sprays, mists, fogs, smokes, vapors, gases, or radioactive material is best achieved by prevention of atmospheric contamination through the use of engineering control measures, e.g., enclosure or confinement of the operation, general and local ventilation, and substitution of less toxic materials.

MIOSHA regulations specify that compliance with the Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) of potentially hazardous substances MAY NOT be accomplished through the use of respirators alone except:

• During the period necessary to install engineering controls;
• In situations where engineering controls are either not feasible or are insufficient to reduce the airborne concentration of a potentially hazardous substance below the specified PEL; and
• In emergency situations.

Approved respirators must be made available and used only when it is not possible or practical to use or maintain engineering controls.

Reference Regulation: Respiratory Protection Standard (MIOSHA Part 451)