Appendix A - ESD - University of Georgia

107 Pages·2013·0.6 MB·English

Environmental Safety Division

Respiratory Protection Program

Procedures and Instructions
INTRODUCTION

This respiratory protection program was developed by the University of Georgia (UGA)
Environmental Safety Division (ESD) and is based on accepted industry standards and
good management practices. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) general industry standard for respiratory protection programs (29 CFR
1910.134) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) practices for respiratory
protection (ANSI Z88.2 - 1992) both provide good models for recommended practices.
UGA employees are covered by the State of Georgia Public Employees Hazardous
Chemical Protection and Right to Know Act. This law requires that all state employees
receive training and information regarding hazardous chemicals they may be exposed to
in their workplace and that they be provided with adequate personal protection protective
equipment, such as respirators, where needed.

PURPOSE

It is the University’s objective to control occupational diseases and injuries at the point of
operation, particularly where the air may be contaminated with harmful dust, fogs, fumes,
mists, gases, smokes, sprays or vapors. Most of the time this may be accomplished by
using engineering controls and good work practices. When effective engineering
controls are not feasible or while they are being instituted, good work practices shall be
used. The use of respirators as the primary means of protecting employees from airborne
hazards is considered acceptable only in very specific situations. When it has been
determined that respiratory protection is needed, it is the responsibility of both ESD and
subsequent department to work together to protect the health of employees.

RESPONSIBILITIES

University faculty, staff, or employees who are potentially exposed to hazardous
environments are required to contact the ESD respiratory program administrator for an
evaluation. The administrator will contact the supervisor to schedule an evaluation of the
work area to determine if engineering controls, respiratory equipment, or both, are
appropriate. The respiratory program administrator can be contacted at 542-5801.

The University of Georgia is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of the
respiratory protection program which shall include respirator selection, training, cleaning
and sanitization, storage, inspection, surveillance of work areas, and assessment of
employee exposure or stress.

The University of Georgia shall provide medical evaluations, respirators, spectacle kits,
training and fit testing; individual departments are responsible for procuring items and for
payment of any costs.

The respiratory program administrator designee is the environmental safety
coordinator within the Environmental Safety Division. The coordinator may choose to
delegate authority for various aspects of the program to other qualified safety specialists
as needed.

Respiratory program administrator responsibilities shall include assisting departments
and supervisors identify respiratory hazards in the work environment, identifying
engineering controls, assisting supervisors in developing and implementing operating
procedures, training respirator users and supervisors in proper use of respirators,
performing fit testing, maintaining fit test records and notifying personnel of annual
retesting, and verifying the effectiveness of the respiratory protection program by
performing annual program evaluations.

Principal investigators and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that personnel
under their supervision seek respiratory protection when the employee’s health could be
compromised due to the nature of work performed.

Principal investigators and supervisors responsibilities shall include identifying
potentially hazardous operations and consulting with ESD, establishing written standard
operating procedures for each operation, identifying employees who may need
respirators, ensuring that employees are physically fit to use respirators, ensuring
employees are trained in the proper use and maintenance of the respirator, ensuring that
fit testing has been performed, enforcing the use of respirators according to
manufacturer’s instructions, monitoring the work area during respirator use, maintaining
records pertaining to personnel, monitoring data, medical evaluations, and ensuring users
maintain respirators properly.
Respirator user responsibilities include informing their supervisor or ESD of any
working conditions for which they feel a respirator may be needed, informing their
supervisor of any personal health problems that could be aggravated when wearing a
respirator, properly wearing and using respirators in accordance with instructions,
ensuring proper cleaning, inspection, and storage of respirators, reporting any ill-fitting
or malfunctioning respirators to supervisors, and reporting any adverse health effects to
supervisors or ESD.

All respirator users are required to have a medical evaluation, training, and a respirator fit
test performed before beginning the assigned work task. ESD will provide the
information needed to schedule a medical evaluation.

Those respirator users who discontinue participation in the respiratory protection program
are required to submit the Respiratory Protection Program Termination Notification form.
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION PROGRAM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Enrollment

2.0 Respirator Selection

3.0 Respirator Use

4.0 Respirator Cleaning

5.0 Detailed Inspection and Storage

6.0 Fit Testing

7.0 Program Evaluation
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY DIVISION
RESPIRATOR
ENROLLMENT INSTRUCTIONS
AND
REQUIREMENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
SECTION NUMBER
1.0 PURPOSE .............................................................1

2.0 DISCUSSION OF SIGNIFICANCE AND USE ................................1
3.0 RESPONSIBILITY ......................................................1
4.0 HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CONTROLS ...................................1
5.0 PRE-JOB PLANNING
5.1 Prerequisites ......................................................2
6.0 INSTRUCTIONS
6.1 Enrollment .....................................................2–3
6.2 Respiratory Protection Training .....................................3–4
6.3 Respirator Fit Testing ..............................................4
6.4 Respirator User Authorization ........................................4
6.5 Respirator User Requirements ......................................4–5
7.0 RECORDS REVIEW AND DISPOSITION ...................................5
8.0 REFERENCES .........................................................6
9.0 FORMS AND APPENDICES ..............................................6
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1.0 PURPOSE
1.1 This procedure establishes the requirements for participate in the UGA respiratory
protection program.
2.0 DISCUSSION OF SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
2.1 This is significant because respirators may be the best and last line of defense for
employees exposed to potentially harmful work atmospheres. It is to be used by
certain UGA employees as described herein.
2.2 This procedure implements the requirements of the American National Standards
Institute Z88.2 - 1992 and is designed to maintain respirator program efficiency,
ensure the proper respirator is issued to personnel requiring respiratory protection,
and provides a documented record of program activities.
3.0 RESPONSIBILITY
3.1 The environmental safety coordinator and the Environmental Safety Division
(ESD) will oversee administration of this respiratory protection program.
3.2 The respiratory protection program administrator is responsible for the
implementation and revision of this program.
3.3 All ESD personnel qualified to issue respirators are responsible for compliance
with this procedure.
4.0 HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CONTROLS
4.1 The issuance of an inappropriate respirator may compromise the health and safety
of individuals required to wear respiratory protection.
4.2 The improper use and/or maintenance of a respirator may compromise the health
and safety of the user.
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5.0 PRE-JOB PLANNING
5.1 Prerequisites
5.1.1 The following prerequisites shall be satisfied by each proposed user prior
to being issued a respirator.
5.1.1.1 An Evaluation of Respiratory Hazards in the Work Environment
(Appendix A of respirator selection module) must be completed
and reviewed by the respiratory protection administrator.
5.1.1.2 A valid Respirator Selection Checklist (Appendix B of respirator
selection module) with the approval signature of the respiratory
program administrator must be available for justification of the
respirator to be used.
5.1.1.3 A Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire (Appendix A of
this module) must be filled out and submitted to a qualified
physician, documented within the past 12 months.
5.1.1.4 Successful completion of a Respirator Physical Examination
(Appendix B of this module) by a qualified physician
documented within the past 12 months must be available for
justification to the respiratory program administrator.
5.1.1.5 Successful completion of UGA Respiratory Protection Training
(Appendix C of this module) documented within the past 12
months.
5.1.1.6 Successful completion of a Respirator Fit Test (Appendix A of
respirator fit testing module) for the required respirator within
the last 12 months or within 6 months if the respirator is to be
used for protection against asbestos, acrylonitrile, lead, benzene,
or formaldehyde.
6.0 INSTRUCTIONS
6.1 Enrollment
6.1.1 To become enrolled into the respiratory protection program, contact ESD
at 706-542-5801.
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6.1.2 An evaluation of respiratory hazards in the work environment form
(Appendix A of Respirator Selection module) must be completed by the
potential respirator user. Once the form is completed, return it to the UGA
Environmental Safety Division, 240A Riverbend Road, Athens GA 30602
for review by the respiratory program administrator.
NOTE: Once the evaluation of respiratory hazards in the work environment
form has been reviewed, it may be deemed necessary to conduct an
onsite evaluation. The evaluation will indicate if engineering control
measures are in place/needed or if personal monitoring is needed to
determine if respirator protection is required.
6.1.3 The respiratory protection program administrator will then assign a
control number and utilize the “Evaluation of Respiratory Hazards in the
Work Environment” form to complete a respirator selection checklist and
provide a recommendation for the proper respirator protection, filter
media, and any special instructions.
6.1.4 The potential respirator user will then be provided a respirator medical
evaluation questionnaire and a respirator physical examination form to be
completed and submitted to a qualified physician who will review the
questionnaire and conduct a respirator physical.
6.1.5 The principal investigator and/or supervisor will coordinate a respiratory
medical evaluation for the employee with a qualified physician.
Individual departments are responsible for procuring items and for
payment of any costs.
6.1.6 The physician will sign the respirator physical examination form
indicating if the potential respirator user is limited or restricted in the use
of a respirator. The physician will then forward a copy of the results to the
appropriate department.
6.1.7 The potential respirator user will forward a copy of the of respirator
physical examination form signed by the physician to the UGA
Environmental Safety Division.
6.1.8 The respiratory protection program administrator will review the
respirator physical examination form and schedule the potential respirator
user for respiratory protection training and a respirator fit test.
6.2 Respiratory Protection Training
6.2.1 Once training has been received, the potential user will acknowledge (by
signing the respiratory protection training sign-in sheet) that he/she
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