vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5201G)
EPA-540-B-00-004
OSWER 9285.9-39
March 2000
www.epa.gov/superfund
Superfund
Health and Safety
Eight-Hour Training (165.10
Student Manual
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EPA-54Q-8-00-004
OSWER 9235.9-39
FORWARD
This manual is for reference use of students enrolled in scheduled training $$yf$9S of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While it will be useful to anyQfif who
needs information on the subjects covered, it will have its greatest value as an adjunct to
classroom presentations involving discussions fcmong the students and the (nstwctional
staff.
This manual has been developed with a goal of providing the best availably current
information; however, individual instructors may provide additional material to O^ver
special aspects of their presentation.
Because of the limited availability of the manual, it should not be cited in bibJiograjpWes or
other publications.
References to products and manufacturers are for illustration only; they d,o not imply
endorsement by EPA.
Constructive suggestions for improvement of the content and format of the Health and
Safety Eight-Hour Training (165.10) manual are welcome.
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT HOUR TRAINING
(165.10)
This course is designed to provide eight hours of annual health and safety refresher train-
ing for compliance with 29 CFR §1910.120 (e).
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
• Identify and use regulatory guidance to develop health and safety plans and
Standard Operating Procedures designed to protect workers involved in
hazardous waste operations on Superfund sites.
• Select and use personal protective equipment and air monitoring equipment.
• Discuss medical surveillance requirements and identify and evaluate health
hazards and exposure guidance for hazardous substances.
• Identify decontamination procedures.
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HEALTH AND SAFETY S-HOUR REFRESHER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
1. REGULATORY OVERVIEW
2. RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
3. TOXICOLOGY AND EXPOSURE GUIDELINES
4. DIRECT READING INSTRUMENTS
5. SITE CONTROL
6. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
7. HAZARD RECOGNITION EXERCISE
8. HEAT AND COLD STRESS
9. DRUM HANDLING
10. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
11. DECONTAMINATION
12. HEALTH AND SAFETY PLANS
13. MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
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Introduction
Health and Safety
Eight Hour Training
(165.10)
presented by
TetraTechNUS.Inc.
for the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
Environmental Response Center
Contract Number 68-C7-0033
ERTP Training Program
ERTP Training Program resources
Web link: www.ert.org
www.trainex.org
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE 1
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REGULATORY OVERVIEW
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01 Regulatory Overview
REGULATORY OVERVIEW
REGULATORY OVERVIEW
• CERCLA
• SARA Section 126
• OSHA 29 CFR #1910.120
• EPA 40 CFR #311
REGULATORY OVERVIEW
• Mandatory cleanups at uncontrolled
hazardous waste sites
• Voluntary cleanups at uncontrolled
hazardous waste sites
• Corrective actions at Resource
Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA)
Treatment, Storage, and Disposal
(TSD) facilities
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGEJ
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01 Regulatory Overview
REGULATORY OVERVIEW
Routine hazardous
waste operations at
RCRATSD facilities
Emergency response
without regard to
location
REGULATORY OVERVIEW
(a-f)
a. Scope, application and definitions
b. Safety and health program
c. Site characterization and analysis
d. Site control
e. Training
f. Medical surveillance
REGULATORY OVERVIEW
(g-D
g. Engineering controls, work practices
and PPE
h. Monitoring
i. Informational programs
j. Handling drums and containers
k. Decontamination
I. Emergency response at uncontrolled
hazardous waste sites
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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01 Regulatory Overview
REGULATORY OVERVIEW
(m-q)
m. Illumination
n. Sanitation at temporary workplaces
o. New technology programs
p. TSD facilities
q. Emergency response
REGULATORY OVERVIEW
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix C
• Appendix D
• Appendix E
PPE Test Methods
Levels of Protection
Compliance Guidelines
References
Training Curriculum
Guidelines
REGULATORY OVERVIEW
29 CFR #1910.38
29 CFR #1910.95
29 CFR #1910.96
29 CFR #1910.134
29 CFR #1910.146
29 CFR #1910.147
Emergency Action Plans
Occupational Noise Exposure
Ionizing Radiation
Respiratory Protection
Confined Space Entry
Lockout/tagout
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGES
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01 Regulatory Overview
Regulatory Overview
1. Under the authority of section 126 of the
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization
Act of 1986 (SARA), EPA and OSHA
promulgated identical health and safety
standards to protect workers engaged in
hazardous waste operations and emergency
response.
2. The OSHA regulations, codified at 29 CFR
§1910.120 became effective on March 6,
1990. The EPA regulations incorporate the
OSHA standards by reference and are
codified at 40 CFR Part 311.
3. The EPA and OSHA worker protection
standards for hazardous waste operations and
emergency response (HAZWOPER) apply to
the five groups of workers listed below:
A. Mandatory Cleanups at Uncontrolled
Hazardous Waste Sites.
B. Voluntary Cleanups at Uncontrolled
Hazardous Waste Sites.
C. Corrective Actions at RCRA TSD
Facilities.
D. Routine Hazardous Waste Operations at
RCRA TSD Facilities.
E. Emergency Response Operations Without
Regard to Location.
4. The major provisions of the HAZWOPER
regulation are listed in Table A.
Table A
29 CFR §1910.120
a. Scope, Application, and Definitions
b. Safety and Health Program
c. Site Characterization and Analysis
d. Site Control
e. Training
f. Medical Surveillance
g. Engineering Controls, Work Practices, and
Personal Protective Equipment
h. Monitoring
i. Informational Programs
j. Handling Drums and Containers
k. Decontamination
I. Emergency Response at Uncontrolled Hazard-
ous Waste Sites
m. Illumination
n. Sanitation at Temporary Workplaces
o. New Technology
p. RCRA TSD Facilities
q. Emergency Response
App A PPE Test Methods
App B Levels of Protection
App C Safety and Health Programs and Safety
and Health Plans
App D Refemeces
App E Training Curriculum Guidelines
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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01 Regulatory Overview
6.
The most basic OSHA worker safety
provision is the General Duty Clause. Under
the General Duty clause of the OSH Act of
1970, section 5(a)(l) states that each
employer "shall furnish to each of his
employees employment and a place of
employment which are free from recognized
hazards that are causing or are likely to cause
death or serious physical harm to his
employees".
In addition to the HAZWOPER regulation
and the General Duty Clause, other OSHA
regulations may apply to workers on a
hazardous waste site. Examples of the most
common OSHA regulations are listed in
Table B.
Table B
Additional OSHA Regulations
29 CFR §1910 General Industry
1910.20 Exposure and Medical Records
1910.38 Employee Emergency Plans and Fire
Prevention Plans
1910.95 Occupational Noise Exposure
1910.1096 Ionizing Radiation
1910.134 Respiratory Protection
1910.146 Permit Required Confined Space
Entry
1910.147 LockoutA'agout
1910.1000 Toxic and Hazardous Substances
1910.1200 Hazard Communication
29 CFR §1926 Construction Industry
1926.651 Specific Excavation Requirements
1926.652 Trenching Requirements
7. HAZWOPER definitions (not inclusive).
A. CERCLA means the Comprehensive,
Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act. CERCLA became law
in 1980. CERCLA was our nation's first
comprehensive effort to properly manage
the abandoned hazardous waste cleanup
problem.
B. Emergency response or responding to
emergencies: A response effort by
employees from outside the immediate
release area or by other designated
responders (i.e., mutual-aid groups, local
fire departments, etc.) to an occurrence
which results, or is likely to result, in an
uncontrolled release of a hazardous
substance.
C. Hazardous substance.
(1) Any substance defined under section
101(14) of CERCLA;
(2) Any biological agent and other
disease-causing agent which after
release into the environment and
upon exposure, ingestion,
inhalation, or assimilation into any
person, either directly from the
environment or indirectly by
ingestion through food chains, will
or may reasonably be anticipated to
cause death, disease, behavioral
abnormalities, cancer, genetic
mutation, physiological
malfunctions (including
malfunctions in reproduction) or
physical deformations in such
persons or their offspring.
(3) Any substance listed by the U.S.
Department of Transportation as
hazardous materials under 49 CFR
§172.101 and appendices.
D. IDLH Immediately Dangerous To Life or
Health: An atmospheric concentration of
any toxic, corrosive or asphyxiant
substance that poses an immediate threat
to life or would cause irreversible or
delayed adverse health effects or would
interfere with any individual's ability to
escape from a dangerous atmosphere.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE?
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01 Regulatory Overview
E. Post Emergency Response: That portion
of an emergency response performed
after the immediate threat of a release
has been stabilized or eliminated and
cleanup of the site has begun. If post
emergency response is performed by an
employer's own employees who were
part of the initial emergency response, it
is considered to be part of the initial
response and not post emergency
response. However, if a group of an
employer's own employees, separate
from the group providing initial
response, performs the cleanup
operation, then the separate group of
employees would be considered to be
performing post-emergency response and
subject to paragraph (q)(ll) of this
section.
8.
F. The "Senior Official" is the most senior
official on the site who has the
responsibility for controlling the
operations at the site. Initially it is the
senior officer on the first piece of
responding emergency apparatus to arrive
on the incident scene. As more senior
officers arrive (i.e., battalion chief, fire
chief, state law enforcement official, site
coordinator, etc.) the position is passed
up the line of authority which has been
previously established.
Additional EPA Superfiind Site Health and
Safety Guidance is listed in Table C:
TABLE C
Additional EPA Guidance Publications for Site Health & Safety
Occupational Safety and Health Guidance Manual for Hazardous Waste Activities (NIOSH/OSHA/USCG/
EPA. 1985, NIOSH Publication 85-115 Referred to as the "Four Agency Book"
EPA Health and Safety Audit Guidelines (U.S. EPA, 1989, EPA 540/G-89010)
Standard Operating Procedures for Site Safety Planning (U.S. EPA, 1985, Publication 9285.2-05)
EPA Standard Operating Safety Guides, EPA, 1992, Publication 9285.1-03
PAGES
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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01 Regulatory Overview
Student Exercise
1. HAZWOPER applies to groups of workers
2. The 29 CFR 1910 gives requirements for respiratory protection.
3. The HAZWOPER paragraph that regulates emergencies at ANY location is:
a. q
b. 1
c. b
4. HAZWOPER testing requirements for Level A suits are found in:
a. App A
b. App B
c. App C
5. Permit-Required Confined Spaces (PRCS) are regulated in 29 CFR 1910
6. Hazard Communication training requirements for General Industry are found in:
a. 1910.1200
b. 1910.20
c. 1910.178
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
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02 Respiratory Protection
RESPIRATORY
PROTECTION
29 CFR $1910.134
GENERAL INFORMATION
Purpose
- Prevent the inhalation of harmful airborne
substances and/or provide breathable air
in oxygen-deficient atmosphere
Types of respirators
- Tight-fitting respirators
/ Form a seal with the face of the wearer
- Loose-fitting respirators
/ Form a partial seal with the face
GENERAL INFORMATION (cont.)
FACEPIEC
AIR-PURIFYING
ELEMENT
EXHALATION
VALVE
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
LOOSE-FITTING RESPIRATOR
GENERAL INFORMATION (cont.)
Airborne hazards
- Dusts, fumes, mists
- Gases and vapors
- Smoke
- Oxygen deficiency
TEST ATMOSPHERE
BEFORE ENTRY
GENERAL INFORMATION (cont.)
• Respirator Classifications
- Air Purifying respirators
/ Paniculate
/ Vapor/gas
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02 Respiratory Protection
GENERAL INFORMATION (cont.)
Respirator classifications (continued)
- Atmosphere-supplying Respirators
•/ Supplied-air
^SCBA
S Combination
GENERAL INFORMATION (cont.)
• Limitations of Respirator Use
- Existing medical conditions
- Physical impairment
- Beards/sideburns (facial hair)
RESPIRATOR PROTECTION
PROGRAM (RPP)
The standard: 29 CFR #1910.134
- Selection, use, and care in accordance
with the standard
Worksite-specific procedures
- Meet user-specific requirements
- Step-by-step procedures for compliance
with RPP
Administration
- Qualified person
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
RRP (cont.)
Elements
- Selection procedures
- Medical Evaluations
- Fit testing
- Use of respirators
- Maintenance & cleaning
- Air quality
RRP (cont.)
Elements (continued)
- Training
/ Respiratory hazards
/ Proper use
/ Donning/doffing
/ Limitations
/ Maintenance
- Program evaluation
RESPIRATOR SELECTION
Proper respirator selection
- Fully protect worker from respiratory
hazards
Selection factors
- Nature of the hazard
- Concentrations of atmospheric hazard
- Exposure limits
- Nature of the work
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
RESPIRATOR SELECTION (cont.)
Selection factors (continued)
- Length of time respirator is worn
- Work activities and physical/psychological
stress
- Fit testing
- Physical characteristics and
capabilities/limitations of respirators
- NIOSH-certified respirators
/ Appropriate for contaminant
RESPIRATOR SELECTION (cont.)
Assigned protection factors (APF)
- OSHA definition in reserved status
- OSHA refers to NIOSH and ANSI APFs
- Warning system
/ End of service life indicator (ESLI)
/ Cartridge change-out
schedule based on
objective information
RESPIRATOR SELECTION (cont.)
IDLH
- SCBA
- Combination full-facepiece
pressure demand
SAR with an
auxiliary SCBA
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE-7
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02 Respiratory Protection
MEDICAL EVALUATION
Overview
- Ensure that employees are medically fit to
tolerate the physical and psychological
stress imposed by respirator use
Questionnaire
- PLHCP must perform a medical
evaluation using the medical
questionnaire in Appendix C
Medical factors and conditions
- Identify general medical conditions
FIT TESTING
• Purpose
- Identify the specific make, model, style,
and size of respirator best suited by each
employee
• Requirement
- Required for all negative or positive
pressure tight-fitting facepiece respirators
- Performed prior to the worker entering the
work environment
FIT TESTING (cont.)
• Method
- Show employee how to don, position,
adjust, and determine fit
- Allow employee to choose respirator
- Employee conducts user seal check
- Fit factor ratio of the concentration of a
substance in ambient air to its
concentration inside the respirator
PAGE 8
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
FIT TESTING (cont.)
Types of fit testing
- Qualitative fit testing
/ QLFT may only be used to fit test
negative pressure air-purifying
respirators that must achieve a fit factor
of 100 or less
FIT TESTING (cont.)
Quantitative fit testing
- Equal to or greater than 100 for tight-
fitting half facepiece, or equal to or
greater than 500 for tight-fitting full
facepiece
FIT TESTING (cont.)
Fit test exercises
- Performed for one minute
Retesting
- Employee must be given a reasonable
opportunity for retesting if respirator fit is
unacceptable
/ Different respirator
/ Reevaluation by PLHCP
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
USE OF RESPIRATORS
Conditions of use
Facepiece seal protection
- Allows the use of contact lens
- User seal checks
Continuing respirator effectiveness
- Reactions to extended use of respirators
- Effective cartridge/filter change out
- Proper maintenance
IDLH
Interior Structural Firefighting
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
• Requirements
• Cleaning and Disinfecting
• Storage
• Inspection
• Repair
BREATHING AIR QUALITY
AND USE
• Standards and Specifications
- Compressed Gas Association
/ G-7.1-1989: Grade D air
• Other Specific Requirements
-49CFR£173and$178
/ Cylinder specifications
and hydrostatic testing
PAGE 10
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING.
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02 Respiratory Protection
PROGRAM LOGISTICS
Identification of filters, cartridges, and
canisters
Training and information
- Required before respirator use
- Annual retraining required
PROGRAM LOGISTICS (cont.)
Training and information (continued)
- Understand the operation and use of the
respirator
- Demonstrate the ability to properly use
the respirator
- Why respirator is necessary
- Consequences of improper fit, usage, or
maintenance
PROGRAM LOGISTICS (cont.)
Training and information (continued)
- Limitations and capabilities of respirators
- Emergency situations
- Respirator inspection
- Maintenance and storage
- Medical information
- General requirements of the RPP
- Annual training required
- Additional training requirements
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
PROGRAM EVALUATION
Ensure that RPP is properly implemented
Ensure effectiveness of the program
Consult with employees
- Views of the program
- Identify problems
Recordkeeping
- Medical evaluations
- Fit testing records
- Available for the employee and OSHA
NIOSH GUIDELINES FOR THE
SELECTION AND USE OF
PARTICULATE RESPIRATORS
• 42 CFR #84
• Replaces 30 CFR |11
• Provides three levels of efficiency
- 95%, 99%. 99.97%
- Corresponding to three
classification levels
/95, 99,100
• Provides three categories of resistance
to filter efficiency degradation by oil particles
- N: Not Oil Resistant, R: Resistant, P: Oil Proof
RESPIRATORY
PROTECTION EXERCISE
CALCIUM OXIDE
(NIOSH Pocket Guide: Page 48)
CONCENTRATION = up to 10 mg/m3
RESPIRATOR = ??????
PAGE 12
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02 Respiratory Protection
RESPIRATORY
PROTECTION EXERCISE (cont.)
CALCIUM OXIDE
(NIOSH Pocket Guide: Page 48)
CONCENTRATION = up to 10 mg/m3
RESPIRATOR = DM
Does the "DM* respirator meet the new
42 CFR Part 84 requirements?
RESPIRATORY
PROTECTION EXERCISE (cont.)
wow
42 CFR jflM , :;.
Filter
Efficiency
(3 micron)
95%
99%
99.97%
Classified As
96
99
100
X|i^esistant
•N' Not
Resistant
"R" Oil Resistant
"P" Oil Proof
RESPIRATORY
PROTECTION EXERCISE (cont.)
CALCIUM OXIDE
(NIOSH Pocket Guide: Page 48)
CONCENTRATION = up to 10 mgAn'
RESPIRATOR = DM
Select the mfn'mallv protective Utter required under
Part 84 for the following two situations:
1. No oil aerosols present.
2. Oil aerosols present.
(Use the transition recommendations in the NIOSH Pocket
Guide on Page xxxi for this exercise.)
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
RESPIRATORY
PROTECTION EXERCISE (cont.)
CALCIUM OXIDE
(NIOSH Pocket Guide: Page 48)
CONCENTRATION = up to 10 mg/rn3
RESPIRATOR = DM
Select the rnrimallv protective filter required under
Part 64 for the following two situations:
1. No oil aerosols present. N95
2. Oil aerosols present R95 or P95
PAGE 14
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
OSHA Technical Manual
SECTION VIII: CHAPTER 2
Respiratory Protection
Contents:
I. Introduction
II. History of the Development of
Respiratory Protection
III. General Information
IV. Respirator Protection Program
V. Respirator Selection
VI. Medical Evaluation
VII. Fit Testing
Vm. Use of Respirators
IX. Maintenance and Care
X. Breathing Air Quality and Use
XI. Program Logistics
Appendix VHI: 2-1.
Appendix Vffl:2-2.
Appendix Vffl:2-3.
Appendix Vffl:2-4.
Glossary
User Seal Check
Recommended Procedures
for Cleaning Respirators
NIOSH Guide to the
Selection and Use of
Particulate Respirators
Certified under 42 CFR §84
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Wearing respiratory protective devices to
reduce exposure to airborne contaminants
is widespread in industry. An estimated 5.0
million workers wear respirators, either
occasionally or routinely. Although it is
preferred industrial hygiene practice to use
engineering controls to reduce contaminant
emissions at their source, there are
operations where this type of control is not
technologically or economically feasible or
is otherwise inappropriate.
B. Since respirators are not as consistently
reliable as engineering and work practice
controls, and may create additional
problems, they are not the preferred
method of reducing exposures below the
occupational exposure levels. Accordingly,
their use as a primary control is restricted
to certain circumstances. In those
circumstances where engineering and work
practice controls cannot be used to reduce
airborne contaminants below their
occupational exposure levels (e.g., certain
maintenance and repair operations,
emergencies, or during periods when
engineering controls are being installed),
the use of respirators could be justified to
reduce worker exposure. In other cases,
where work practices and engineering
controls alone cannot reduce exposure
levels to below the occupational exposure
level, the use of respirators would be
essential for supplemental protection.
C. There are many variables that affect the
degree of protection afforded by
respiratory protective devices, and the
misuse of respirators can be hazardous to
employee safety and health. Selection of
the wrong equipment, one of the most
frequent errors made in respiratory
protection, can result in the employee
being exposed to increased concentrations
of the harmful contaminant. This error
may result in a broad range of health
effects caused by the harmful
contaminants, including silicosis,
asbestosis, permanent lung damage, and
cancer. Respirators that are not
maintained and inspected can be less
effective at reducing exposure to the
harmful contaminants, and can place a
greater burden on the respiratory system.
Respirators that are not clean can cause
dermatitis or skin irritation. Because
respirator use may give the employee a
false sense of security and presumed
protection, an improper respirator
program can actually present a high
degree of hazard for the employee.
D. Respirators can only provide adequate
protection if they are properly selected for
the task; are fitted to the wearer and are
consistently donned and worn properly;
and are properly maintained so that they
continue to provide the protection
required for the work situation. These
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
variables can only be controlled if a
comprehensive respiratory protection
program is developed and implemented in
each workplace where respirators are
used. When respirator use is augmented
by an appropriate respiratory protection
program, it can prevent fatalities and
illnesses from both acute and chronic
exposures to hazardous substances.
E. The primary aim of this chapter is to give
detailed instruction in the selection of the
proper respirator and its use and
maintenance. The emphasis is on the
implementation of a respiratory
protection program developed in a logical
progression of steps, outlined below:
• A clear definition of the hazards that
will be encountered and the degree of
protection required;
• The selection and fitting of the
respirator;
• Medical evaluation for respirator
selection and use;
• The required training in the correct
use and care of the respirator; and
• The implementation of a maintenance
program that will ensure that a high
level of respiratory protection is
maintained.
H. HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
A. Early practices. The concept of using
respiratory protective devices to reduce
or eliminate hazardous exposures to
airborne contaminants first came from
Pliny (circa a.d. 23-79) who discussed the
idea of using loose fitting animal bladders
in roman mines to protect workers from
the inhalation of red oxide of lead. (See
proposed respiratory protection standard,
59 Federal Register 58885.) Later, in the
1700s, the ancestors of modern
atmosphere-supplying devices, such as the
self-contained breathing apparatus or
hose mask, were developed. Although the
devices themselves have become more
sophisticated in design and materials,
respirators' performance is still based on
one of two basic principles: purifying the
air by removing contaminants before they
reach the breathing zone of the worker, or
providing clean air from an
uncontaminated source.
B. Development of modern methods. In
1814, a particulate-removing filter
encased in a rigid container was
developed - the predecessor of modern
filters for air-purifying respirators. In
1854 it was recognized that activated
charcoal could be used as a filtering
medium for vapors. During world war I,
with the use of chemical warfare,
improvements in the design of respirators
was necessary. In 1930 the development
of the resin-impregnated dust filter made
available efficient, inexpensive filters that
have good dust-loading characteristics
and low breathing resistance.
C. Latest advances. A more recent
development was the high efficiency
particulate filter made with very fine glass
fibers. These extremely efficient filters are
used for very small airborne particles and
produce little breathing resistance. Some
features that are currently being
incorporated into respirator design
include a smaller facepiece, which
translates into a better field of vision and
a low profile that permits the respirator to
fit under other protective gear such as a
welder's helmet. Over the years there
have been continuing major developments
in the basic design of respirators. Modern
design improvements have created
products that are both more comfortable
to wear and more protective than earlier
respirators.
IE. GENERAL INFORMATION
PAGE 16
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
A. Purpose. The purpose of a respirator is to
prevent the inhalation of harmful airborne
substances and/or an oxygen-deficient
atmosphere. Functionally, a respirator is
designed as an enclosure that covers the
nose and mouth or the entire face or head.
Respirators are of two general "fit" types,
tight-fitting and loose-fitting.
1. The tight-fitting respirator (Figure
RnpMtar
****!#* M.,
fmnt *«»•
FIGURE VIII: 2-1. TIGHT-FITTING RESPIRATORS.
VIQ:2-1) is designed to form a seal
with the face of the wearer. It is
available in three types: quarter mask,
half mask, and full facepiece. The
quarter mask covers the nose and
mouth, where the lower sealing
surface rests between the chin and the
mouth. The half mask covers the nose
and mouth and fits under the chin.
The full facepiece covers the entire
face from below the chin to the
hairline.
FIGURE VIII: 2-2. LOOSE-FITTING RESPIRATORS.
2. The loose-fitting respirator (Figure
VIQ:2-2) has a respiratory inlet
covering that is designed to form a
partial seal with the face. These
include loose-fitting facepieces, as
well as hoods, helmets, blouses, or
full suits, all of which cover the head
completely. The best known loose-
fitting respirator is the supplied air
hood used by the abrasive blaster. The
hood covers the head, neck, and
upper torso, and usually includes a
neck cuff. Air is delivered by a
compressor through a hose leading
into the hood. Because the hood is
not tight-fitting, it is important that
sufficient air is provided to maintain a
slight positive-pressure inside the
hood relative to the environment
immediately outside the hood. In this
way, an outward flow of air from the
respirator will prevent contaminants
from entering the hood.
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B. Airborne (or respiratory) hazards may
result from either an oxygen deficient
atmosphere or breathing air contaminated
with toxic particles, vapors, gases, fumes
or mists. The proper selection and use of
a respirator depend upon an initial
determination of the concentration of the
hazard or hazards present in the
workplace, or the presence of an oxygen
deficient atmosphere.
Airborne hazards generally fall into the
following basic categories:
1. Dusts. Particles that are formed or
generated from solid organic or
inorganic materials by reducing their
size through mechanical processes
such as crushing, grinding, drilling,
abrading, or blasting.
2 Fumes. Particles formed when a
volatilized solid, such as a metal,
condenses in cool air. This physical
change is often accompanied by a
chemical reaction, such as oxidation.
Examples are lead oxide fumes from
smelting, and iron oxide fumes from
arc-welding. A fume can also be
formed when a material such as
magnesium metal is burned or when
welding or gas cutting is done on
galvanized metal.
3. Mists. A mist is formed when a finely
divided liquid is suspended in the air.
These suspended liquid droplets can
be generated by condensation from
the gaseous to the liquid state or by
breaking up a liquid into a dispersed
state, such as by splashing, foaming,
or atomizing. Examples are the oil
mist produced during cutting and
grinding operations, acid mists from
electroplating, acid or alkali mists
from pickling operations, paint spray
mist from spraying operations, and the
condensation of water vapor to form a
fog or rain.
4. Gases. Gases are formless fluids that
occupy the space or enclosure and
which can be changed to the liquid or
solid state only by the combined effect
of increased pressure and decreased
temperature. Examples are welding
gases such as acetylene, nitrogen,
helium and argon; and carbon
monoxide generated from the
operation of internal combustion
engines. Another example is hydrogen
sulfide, which is formed wherever
there is decomposition of materials
containing sulfUr under reducing
conditions.
5. Vapors. Vapors are the gaseous form
of substances that are normally in the
solid or liquid state at room
temperature and pressure. They are
formed by evaporation from a liquid
or solid, and can be found where parts
cleaning and painting takes place and
where solvents are used.
6. Smoke. Smoke consists of carbon or
soot particles resulting from the
incomplete combustion of
carbonaceous materials such as coal
or oil. Smoke generally contains
droplets as well as dry particles.
7. Oxygen deficiency. An oxygen
deficient atmosphere has an oxygen
content below 19.5% by volume.
Oxygen deficiency may occur in
confined spaces, which include, but
are not limited to, storage tanks,
process vessels, towers, drums, tank
cars, bins, sewers, septic tanks,
underground utility tunnels, manholes,
and pits.
C. Respirator classifications. Respirators
provide protection either by removing
contaminants from the air before they are
inhaled or by supplying an independent
source of respirable air. There are two
major classifications of respirators:
1. Air purifying respirators (devices that
remove contaminants from the air);
and
2. Atmosphere-supplying respirators
(those devices that provide clean
breathing air from an uncontaminated
source).
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Each class of respirator may have tight-
fitting and loose-fitting facepieces. An
important aspect of respirator operation
and classification is the air pressure within
the facepiece. When the air pressure
within the facepiece is negative during
inhalation with respect to the ambient air
pressure, the respirator is termed a
negative-pressure respirator. When the
pressure is normally positive with respect
to ambient air pressure throughout the
breathing cycle, the respirator is termed a
positive-pressure respirator. The concept
of negative and positive pressure
operation is important when considering
potential contaminant leakage into the
respirator.
D. Air purifying respirators are grouped into
three general types: paniculate removing,
vapor and gas removing, and
combination. Elements that remove
particulates are called filters, while vapor
and gas removing elements are called
either chemical cartridges or canisters.
Filters and canisters/cartridges are the
functional portion of air-purifying
respirators, and they can generally be
removed and replaced once their effective
life has expired. The exception would be
filtering facepiece respirators (commonly
referred to as "disposable respirators,"
"dust masks," or "single-use respirators"),
which cannot be cleaned, disinfected, or
resupplied with an unused filter after use.
1. Particulate-removing respirators are
designed to reduce inhaled
concentrations of nuisance dusts,
fumes, mists, toxic dusts, radon
daughters, asbestos-containing dusts
or fibers, or any combination of these
substances, by filtering most of the
contaminants from the inhaled air
before they enter the breathing zone
of the worker. They may have single-
use or replaceable filters. These
respirators may be non-powered or
powered air-purifying. A powered air-
purifying respirator (PAPR) uses a
blower to force the ambient
atmosphere through air purifying
elements to the inlet covering.
2. Vapor- and gas-removing respirators
are designed with sorbent elements
(canisters or cartridges) that adsorb
and/or absorb the vapors or gases
from the contaminated air before they
can enter the breathing zone of the
worker. Combination cartridges and
canisters are available to protect
against particulates, as well as vapors
and gases.
E. Atmosphere-supplying respirators are
respirators that provide air from a source
independent of the surrounding
atmosphere instead of removing
contaminants from the atmosphere. These
respirators are classified by the method
that is used to supply air and the way in
which the air supply is regulated.
Basically, these methods are: serf-
contained breathing apparatus (air or
oxygen is carried in a tank on the
worker's back, similar to SCUBA gear);
supplied-air respirators (compressed air
from a stationary source is supplied
through a high-pressure hose connected
to the respirator); and combination self-
contained and supplied-air respirators.
F. Limitations of respirator use. Not all
workers can wear respirators. Individuals
with impaired lung function, due to
asthma or emphysema for example, may
be physically unable to wear a respirator.
Individuals who cannot get a good
facepiece fit, including those individuals
whose beards or sideburns interfere with
the facepiece seal, will be unable to wear
tight-fitting respirators. An adequate fit is
required for a respirator to be effective. In
addition to these problems, respirators
may also cause communication problems,
vision problems, fatigue, and reduced
work efficiency.
In principle, respirators usually are
capable of providing adequate protection.
However, problems associated with
selection, fit, and use often render them
less effective in actual application; these
problems prevent the assurance of
consistent and reliable protection,
regardless of the theoretical capabilities of
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the respirator. Occupational safety and
health experts have spent considerable
effort over the years developing fit-testing
procedures and methods of measuring
respirator effectiveness, thereby
improving protection for those employees
required to wear them.
IV. RESPIRATOR PROTECTION PROGRAM.
A. The standard. Whenever respirators are
required to be worn, a written respirator
protection program must be developed
and implemented in accordance with
OSHA's respirator standard, 29 CFR
§1910.134. (Additional program
requirements may be found in the
standards that regulate the hazards to
which the employee is exposed.) Because
workplaces differ substantially, each
program must be tailored to the specific
conditions of the workplace. The program
must consist of worksite-specific
procedures governing the selection, use,
and care of respirators. The program must
be updated as often as necessary to reflect
changes in workplace conditions and
respirator use.
B. The worksite-specific procedures must
contain all the information needed to
maintain an effective respirator program
to meet the user's individual
requirements. These procedures are a set
of step-by-step instructions written so
that a task (i.e., respirator use, fit-testing
procedures, cleaning and storage, etc.)
can be performed by all personnel in a
uniform and consistent way, while
supplying the maximum protection for
workers who use respirators in the
workplace. The employer must anticipate
both the routine and non-routine use of
respirators, as well as any possible
emergency use based on the conditions in
the workplace in which they are to be
used. Worksite-specific procedures must
be written so as to be useful to those who
are directly involved in the respirator
program: the program administrator,
those fitting the respirators and training
the workers, respirator maintenance
workers, and the supervisors responsible
for overseeing respirator use on the job.
C. Administration. In addition, the respirator
standard requires that the respiratory
protection program be administered by
one qualified individual to ensure that the
integrity of the respiratory protection
program is maintained through the
continuous oversight of one responsible
person. The program administrator must
be qualified by appropriate training and/or
experience in the proper selection, use,
and maintenance of respirators, be
responsible for implementing the
respiratory protection program, and
conduct regular evaluations of the
program's effectiveness.
Although responsibility for respirator
program oversight rests with the program
administrator, he or she may delegate
responsibilities to other qualified
individuals. For instance, a large facility
may find it practical and economical to
have a staff of personnel involved in the
respirator program, each with their own
area of responsibility. However, each of
these people must report to the one
administrator who has overall
responsibility for the program. This
approach promotes coordination of all
facets of the program. The administrator
should have the full support of higher
level management; without it, an effective
respirator program is difficult to initiate
and maintain.
D. Elements. The respiratory protection
program must cover the following basic
elements, as applicable:
• Procedures for selecting respirators
for use in the workplace;
• Medical evaluations of employees
required to use respirators;
• Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting
respirators;
• Use of respirators in routine and
reasonably foreseeable emergency
situations;
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• Procedures and schedules for
cleaning, disinfecting, storing,
inspecting, repairing, and otherwise
maintaining respirators;
• Procedures to ensure adequate air
quality, quantity and flow of breathing
air for atmosphere-supplying
respirators;
• Training of employees in the
respiratory hazards to which they are
potentially exposed;
• Training of employees in the proper
use of respirators, including putting
on and removing them, any limitations
on their use, and maintenance
procedures; and
• Procedures for regularly evaluating
the effectiveness of the program.
V. RESPIRATOR SELECTION
Respirator selection requires correctly
matching the respirator with the hazard, the
degree of hazard, and the user. The respirator
selected must be adequate to effectively
reduce the exposure of the respirator user
under all conditions of use, including
reasonably foreseeable emergency situations.
Proper respirator selection involves choosing
a device that fully protects the worker from
the respiratory hazards to which he or she
may be exposed and permits the worker to
perform the job with the least amount of
physical burden.
A. Selection factors. Many factors must be
considered carefully in respirator
selection. In choosing the appropriate
respirator, one must consider the nature
and extent of the hazard, work
requirements and conditions, and the
characteristics and limitations of the
respirators available. The following
categories of information must be taken
into account:
• Nature of the hazard, and the physical
and chemical properties of the air
contaminant;
• Concentrations of contaminants;
• Relevant permissible exposure limit or
other occupational exposure limit;
• Nature of the work operation or
process;
• Time period the respirator is worn;
• Work activities and physical/
psychological stress;
• Fit testing; and
• Physical characteristics, functional
capabilities and limitations of
respirators.
1. Nature of the hazard, and the
physical/chemical properties of the air
contaminant. The nature of the
hazard, whether it is in the form of a
gas, dust, organic vapor, fume, mist,
oxygen deficiency or any combination
of hazards, needs to be taken into
account. The physical and chemical
properties of the contaminant that
affect respirator selection, and the
selection of respirator components
such as cartridges, canisters, and
filters must also be considered.
Physical properties include such
factors as particle size for dusts, and
vapor pressure for gases and vapors.
Chemical properties of the air
contaminant that affect breakthrough
times, and the ability of the filter
material to remove, adsorb, or absorb
the contaminant must also be
considered.
2. Concentrations of contaminants.
Sampling and analysis of the
workplace air determines what degree
of exposure is occurring, and thus
what degree of protection is required.
Where such sampling and analysis
have been done, the results are to be
used as a point of comparison with
the occupational exposure level, i.e.,
to determine how much the
concentration must be lowered by the
respirator to reduce employee
exposure to a safe level.
3. The relevant permissible exposure
limit or other occupational exposure
limit. Respirators selected must be
capable of protecting against
overexposure by reducing and
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maintaining exposure to or below the
relevant exposure limit. In addition to
the OSHA limits, employers should
refer to the ACGIH (American
Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienists) recommended
Threshold Limit Values (TLV's), the
NIOSH (National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health)
Recommended Exposure Limits
(REL's), or other occupational
exposure limits.
4. Nature of the work operation or
process. The type of job operation,
the equipment or tools that will be
used, and any motion or travel the job
requires can influence the type of
respirator selected, particularly when
supplied-air respirators, which require
a connection to a clean air source, are
used.
5. Time period respirator is worn. The
employer must also consider the
period of time during which the
respirator will be used by employees
during a work, shift. Breakthrough
times for different chemicals can vary
greatly, and are dependent on the
concentrations of contaminants in the
workplace air, patterns of respirator
use, and environmental factors
including temperature and humidity. A
respirator that provides adequate
protection for one chemical may be
inadequate for another chemical with
a different breakthrough time. In
addition, employees wearing
respirators for longer periods of time
may need respirators that impose the
minimum possible physical burden.
6. Work activities and stress. The work
activities of employees while wearing
respirators are also a factor. Heavy
work that is physically draining may
affect an employee's capability of
wearing certain types of respirators.
Temperature and humidity conditions
in the workplace may also affect the
physical/psychological stress level
associated with wearing a respirator,
as well as the effectiveness of
respirator filters and cartridges. These
types of factors must be assessed in
selecting the appropriate equipment
for a particular work situation.
7. Fit testing. Some employees may be
unable to achieve an adequate fit with
certain respirator models or a
particular type of respirator - such as
half-mask air-purifying respirators -
so an alternative respirator model with
an adequate fit or other type of
respirator that provides adequate
protection must be used. Therefore, it
is necessary for employers to provide
a sufficient number of respirator
models and sizes from which
employees can choose an acceptable
respirator that fits correctly.
8. Physical characteristics, functional
capabilities, and limitations of
respirators. The last category of
information to be considered when
selecting respiratory protection is the
physical characteristics, functional
capabilities, and limitations of the
respiratory protection equipment
itself. Respirators selected must not
impair the worker's vision, hearing,
communication, and physical
movement necessary to perform jobs
safely. For example, airline respirators
should not be used by mobile
employees around moving machinery
to avoid entanglement of the
respirator in the equipment.
B. Selection. Once the above factors have
been taken into account, the employer
must select a NIOSH-certified respirator.
Where NIOSH has not specifically
certified any respirator for use against the
particular contaminant present in the
workplace, the employer must select a
NIOSH-certified respirator that has no
limitation prohibiting its use for that
contaminant. The respirator must be
appropriate for the contaminant's physical
form and chemical properties and the
conditions under which it will be used. All
respirators must be chosen and used
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according to the limitations of the NIOSH
certification, which appears on the
NIOSH certification label.
C. Assigned protection factors. Until such
time as OSHA addresses the issue of
assigned protection factors (APF's),
employers may rely on APF's published
by NIOSH and ANSI. Where there are
conflicts between the NIOSH and ANSI
APF's, the employer should apply the
more protective APR
D. Warning system. When an air-purifying
respirator is selected for protection
against gases and vapors, a system must
be in effect that will reliably warn
respirator wearers of contaminant
breakthrough. These systems are: a
respirator equipped with an end-of-
service life indicator (ESLI) certified by
NIOSH for the contaminant, or an
established and enforced cartridge/
canister change schedule that is based on
objective information or data that will
ensure that canisters and cartridges are
changed before the end of their service
life.
E. Atmospheres requiring highest level of
protection. For atmospheres that are
immediately dangerous to life and health
(IDLH), the highest level of respiratory
protection and reliability is required.
These atmospheres, by definition, are the
most dangerous environments in which
respirators are used. In these
atmospheres, there is no tolerance for
respirator failure. Consequently, only the
following respirators must be provided
and used: full-facepiece pressure demand
self-contained breathing apparatus
(SCBA) certified for a minimum service
life of thirty minutes, or a combination
full-facepiece pressure demand supplied-
air respirator (SAR) with an auxiliary self-
contained air supply.
VI. MEDICAL EVALUATION
A. Overview. Persons assigned to tasks that
require the use of a respirator must be
physically able to perform the work while
using the respirator. Accordingly,
employers have the responsibility of
ensuring that employees are medically fit
to tolerate the physical and psychological
stress imposed by respirator use, as well
as the physical stress originating from job
and workplace conditions.
Employees must be medically evaluated
and found eligible to wear the respirator
selected for their use prior to fit testing or
first-time use of the respirator in the
workplace. Medical eligibility is to be
determined by a physician or other
licensed health care professional (referred
to as a "PLHCP"). A variety of qualified
health care providers, besides physicians,
including occupational health nurses,
nurse practitioners, and physician
assistants, can perform the medical
evaluations provided they are licensed to
do so in the state in which they practice.
B. Questionnaire. In assessing the
employee's medical eligibility to use a
respirator, the PLHCP must perform a
medical evaluation using a medical
questionnaire (Appendix C to 1910.134)
or provide a medical examination that
obtains the same information as the
medical questionnaire. The medical
evaluation must be administered
confidentially and at a time and place,
during working hours, that is convenient
to the employee. Employers are free to
provide respirator users with a medical
examination in lieu of the medical
questionnaire if they chose to do so, but
they are not required by the standard to
administer a medical examination unless
the employee gives a positive response to
specific questions on the questionnaire.
C. Medical factors and conditions. The
purpose of a medical evaluation program
is to determine if employees can tolerate
the physiological burden associated with
respirator use, including: the burden
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imposed by the respirator itself (e.g., its
weight and breathing resistance during
both normal operation and under
conditions of filter, canister, or cartridge
overload); musculoskeletal stress (e.g.,
when the respirator to be worn is a
SCBA); limitations on auditory, visual,
and olfactory sensations; and isolation
from the workplace environment. Since
certain jobs and workplace conditions in
which a respirator is used can also impose
a physiological burden on the user, the
medical evaluation must also consider the
following factors: type and weight of the
respirator to be worn; duration and
frequency of respirator use; expected
physical work effort; use of protective
clothing and equipment to be worn; and
temperature and humidity extremes that
may be encountered. This information
must be provided to the PLHCP before
the PLHCP makes a recommendation
regarding an employee's ability to use a
respirator.
The medical evaluation is designed to
identify general medical conditions that
place employees who use respirators at
risk of serious medical consequences.
Medical conditions known to compromise
an employee's ability to tolerate
respirator-, job-, and workplace-related
physiological stress include:
cardiovascular and respiratory diseases
(e.g., a history of high blood pressure,
angina, heart attack, cardiac arrhythmias,
stroke, asthma, chronic bronchitis,
emphysema); reduced pulmonary function
caused by other factors (e.g., smoking or
prior exposure to respiratory hazards);
neurological or musculoskeletal disorders
(e.g., ringing in the.ears, epilepsy, lower
back pain); impaired sensory function
(e.g., perforated ear drums, reduced or
absent ability to smell); and psychological
disorders (e.g., claustrophobia and severe
anxiety).
D. Standard of evaluation. The employer
must obtain a written recommendation
from the PLHCP on whether the
employee is medically able to wear a
respirator. The recommendation must
identify any limitations on the employee's
use of the ; -pirator, as well as the need
for follow-up medical evaluations that are
needed to assist the PLHCP in making a
recommendation. The employee must also
receive a copy of the PLHCP's written
recommendations. A powered air-
purifying respirator (PAPR) must be
provided to an employee if information
from the medical evaluation indicates that
the employee can use a PAPR but not a
negative pressure respirator. If,
subsequent to this evaluation, the PLHCP
determines that the employee is able to
wear a negative pressure respirator, the
employer is no longer required to provide
a PAPR to that employee.
The standard also requires the employer
to medically re-evaluate an employee
when:
• That employee reports medical signs
or symptoms that are related to the
employee's ability to use a respirator;
• A PLHCP, supervisor, or the
respirator program administrator
observes that the employee is having a
medical problem during respirator use
and they inform the employer of their
observation;
• Information from the respiratory
protection program, including
observations made during fit testing
and program evaluation, indicates a
need for employee re-evaluation;
• A change occurs in workplace
conditions (e.g., physical work effort,
type of respirator used, protective
clothing, temperature) that may result
in a substantial increase in the
physiological burden placed on an
employee.
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VII. FIT TESTING.
It has long been recognized that respirators
must fit properly to provide protection. To
obtain adequate respiratory protection, there
must be a proper match between respirator
and wearer. Respirators that don't seal
properly around the face offer only the
illusion of protection. To accommodate the
variability efface size characteristics among
individuals, a number of manufacturers offer
facepieces in several sizes and models.
A. Purpose. The primary purpose of fit
testing is to identify the specific make,
model, style, and size of respirator best
suited for each employee. In addition, fit
testing also provides an opportunity to
check on problems with respirator wear,
and reinforces respirator training by
having wearers review the proper
methods of donning and wearing the
respirator.
B. Requirement. Fit testing is required for all
negative or positive pressure tight-fitting
facepiece respirators. The OSHA
respiratory protection standard requires
that fit testing be performed before an
employee first starts wearing a respirator
in the work environment, whenever a
different respirator facepiece is used, and
at least annually thereafter.
C. Method. Prior to the actual fit test, the
employee must be shown how to put on a
respirator, position it on the face, set strap
tension, and determine an acceptable fit.
Next, the employee must be allowed to
choose a respirator from a sufficient
number of models and sizes so that the
employee can find an acceptable and
correctly fitting respirator. Once an
acceptable respirator has been found -
which takes into account the position of
the mask on the face, nose, and cheeks;
room for eye protection; and room to talk
- a user seal check must be conducted
(refer to on "Use of Respirators").
D. Types of fit testing. Fit testing may either
be qualitative (QLFT) or quantitative
(QNFT), and must be administered using
an OSHA-accepted QLFT or QNFT
protocol. These protocols are described in
mandatory Appendix A to 1910.134.
Prior to the commencement of the fit test,
the employee must be given a description
of the fit test and a description of the
exercises that he or she will be performing
during fit testing. The respirator to be
tested must be worn for at least five
minutes before the start of the fit test. The
employee must be fit tested with the same
make, model, style, and size of respirator
that will be used in the workplace.
1. Qualitative fit testing (QLFT).
Qualitative fit testing involves the
introduction of a gas, vapor, or
aerosol test agent into an area around
the head of the respirator user. A
determination is then made as to
whether or not the wearer can detect
the presence of the test agent through
means such as odor, taste, or nasal
irritation. If the presence of the test
agent is detected inside the mask, the
respirator fit is considered to be
inadequate.
There are four qualitative fit test
protocols approved in OSFIA's
standard. The isoamyl acetate (IAA)
test determines whether a respirator is
protecting a user by questioning
whether the user can smell the
distinctive odor of IAA. Both the
saccharin and BitrexTM tests involve
substances with distinctive tastes that
should not be detected through an
effective respirator. The irritant smoke
(e.g., stannic chloride) test involves a
substance that elicits an involuntary
irritation response in those exposed to
it.
Before conducting a qualitative test,
the worker must undergo a sensitivity
test to determine if he or she can
taste, smell or react to the substance.
When performing the isoamyl acetate
test, the protocol requires that
separate rooms be used for the odor
screening and fit tests, and that the
rooms be sufficiently ventilated to
ensure that there is no detectable odor
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E.
of IAA prior to a test being
conducted. This will prevent olfactory
fatigue among workers being fit tested
by preventing a buildup of IAA in the
general room air.
2. Quantitative fit testing (QNFT). In a
quantitative fit test, the adequacy of
respirator fit is assessed by
numerically measuring the amount of
leakage into the respirator. This
testing can be done by either
generating a test aerosol as a test
atmosphere, using ambient aerosol as
the test agent, or using controlled
negative pressure (CNP) to measure
the volumetric leak rate. Appropriate
instrumentation is required to quantify
respirator fit.
Fit test exercises. The following test
exercises must be performed for all fit
testing methods described in the OSHA
standards, except the CNP method which
has its own fit testing exercise regimen:
1. Normal breathing in a normal standing
position, without talking;
2. Deep breathing in a normal standing
position, breathing slowly and deeply,
taking precaution not to
hyperventilate;
3. Turning the head slowly from side to
side, while standing in place, with the
employee holding his/her head
momentarily at each extreme so that
the employee can inhale at each side;
4. Moving the head up and down slowly,
while standing in place, inhaling in the
up position when looking toward the
ceiling;
5. Talking out loud slowly, reading from
a prepared text such as the Rainbow
Passage (see Appendix A of the
standard), counting backward from
100, or reciting a memorized poem or
song;
6. Grimacing by smiling or frowning
(only for QNFT testing);
7. Bending at the waist as if to touch
F.
8.
toes (jogging in place can be done
when the fit test enclosure doesn't
permit bending at the waist); and
Normal breathing (as described
above).
Each test exercise must be performed for
one minute, except for the grimace
exercise which must be performed for
15 seconds. The respirator must not be
adjusted once the fit test exercises begin.
Any adjustment voids the test, and the fit
test must be repeated.
The employee must perform exercises in
the test environment while wearing any
applicable safety equipment that may be
worn during actual respirator use and that
could interfere with respirator fit. If the
employee exhibits breathing difficulty
during the fit test, he or she must be
referred to a physician or other licensed
health care professional to determine
whether the employee can wear a
respirator while performing his or her
duties.
Retesting. If the employee finds the fit of
the respirator unacceptable, he or she
must be given a reasonable opportunity to
select a different respirator and to be
retested. In addition, retesting is required
whenever an employee reports, or the
employer, PLHCP, supervisor, or program
administrator observe changes in an
employee's physical condition that could
affect respirator fit. Such conditions
include, but are not limited to, facial
scarring, dental changes (e.g., wearing
new dentures), cosmetic surgery, or an
obvious change in body weight.
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02 Respiratory Protection
VIII. USE OF RESPIRATORS.
A. Conditions. Once the respirator has been
properly selected and fitted, it is
necessary to ensure that the respirator is
used properly in the workplace. The
following conditions may compromise the
effective use of the respirator and
jeopardize worker protection: facepiece
seal leakage; removing the respirator at
the wrong times in hazardous
atmospheres; not properly performing
user seal checks; or not properly repairing
defective parts. In these circumstances,
there is the danger that employees may
have a false sense of security in feeling
that they are protected when they are not.
The employer must also be aware of the
conditions in the work areas where
employees are using respirators.
Employers are required to routinely
evaluate workplace conditions, the degree
of employee exposure, and physical stress
so that they can provide additional or
different respiratory protection when
necessary. By observing respirator use
under actual workplace conditions,
employers can note problems such as
changes in the fit of a respirator due to
the use of other protective equipment, or
conditions leading to skin irritation.
B. Facepiece seal protection.
1. Seal of tight-fitting respirators and
valve function. The employer must
not permit respirators with tight-
fitting facepieces to be worn by
employees who have conditions that
would compromise the facepiece-to-
face seal. Examples of these
conditions include facial hair that
interferes with the facepiece seal or
valve function, absence of normally
worn dentures, facial deformities
(e.g., scars, deep skin creases,
prominent cheekbones), or the use of
jewelry or headgear that projects
under the facepiece seal.
2. Corrective glasses or goggles.
Corrective glasses or goggles, or
other personal protective equipment,
must be worn in such a way that they
do not interfere with the seal of the
facepiece to the face. Since eye
glasses or goggles may interfere with
the seal of half-facepieces, it is
strongly recommended that full-
facepiece respirators be worn where
either corrective glasses or eye
protection is required, since corrective
lenses can be mounted inside a full-
facepiece respirator. In addition, the
full-facepiece respirator may be more
comfortable, and less cumbersome,
than the combination of a half-mask
and chemical goggles. OSHA's
current standard on respiratory
protection, unlike the previous one,
allows the use of contact lenses with
respirators where the wearer has
successfully worn such lenses before.
3. User seal check. A user seal check
(formerly known as a fit check) must
be performed every time a tight-fitting
respirator is put on or adjusted to
ensure proper seating of the respirator
to the face. The user seal check
conducted must be either the positive
and/or negative pressure checks
described in Appendix VIQ:2-2 of this
chapter, or the manufacturer's
recommended procedures (when
equally protective). If the employee
fails the user seal check test, another
facepiece must be selected.
The employee must not have any hair
growth (e.g., beard stubble, sideburns, or
beard) that comes between the sealing
surface of the respirator facepiece and the
face, as well as hair that interferes with
valve function, or any other condition that
might interfere with the face-to-facepiece
seal such as jewelry or facial makeup. The
user seal check must be used for all
respirators on which such checks are
possible. If a user seal check cannot be
performed on a tight-fitting respirator, the
OSF£A standard prohibits that respirator
from being used.
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02 Respiratory Protection
C. Continuing respirator effectiveness.
1. Skin or eye irritation. Skin or eye
irritation can result from wearing a
respirator in hot, humid conditions, as
well as in contaminated environments.
Such irritation can be distressing to
workers, causing them to remove or
adjust the respirator, or to refrain
from wearing the respirator
altogether. Therefore, to prevent skin
or eye irritation associated with
respirator use, employees must be
permitted to leave the respirator use
area to wash their faces and respirator
facepieces as needed.
2. Filter, canister, and cartridge elements
for air-purifying respirators.
Whenever the respirator user can
detect vapor or gas breakthrough (by
odor, taste, and/or irritation effects), a
change in breathing resistance or
leakage of the facepiece, the worker
must be allowed to leave the
respirator use area to replace the
respirator or the filter, cartridge, or
canister elements. Similarly,
employees must be permitted to leave
the respirator use area if they are
replacing cartridge or canister
elements according to a change
schedule, or when the end-of-service-
life indicator shows that the canister
or cartridge(s) must be changed.
3. Repair, disposal, and replacement of
Respirators. Since respirators must be
in good working condition to
function, it is imperative that they not
be used if they have been impaired in
any way. Impairments include a
broken strap, loss of respirator shape,
and a face seal that can no longer be
maintained. Therefore, respirators that
are not properly functioning must be
replaced, repaired, or discarded. The
respirator manufacturers can supply
replacement parts for damaged parts
on elastomeric respirators. Only when
the respirator has been replaced or
repaired can the employee return to
the respirator use area.
D. Immediately dangerous to life or health
(IDLH) atmospheres. Atmospheres are
IDLH when they pose an immediate
threat to life, would cause irreversible
adverse health effects, or would interfere
with an individual's ability to escape from
a dangerous atmosphere. Care must be
exercised in these situations since failure
of the respirator to provide the
appropriate protection may result in
serious injury or death. Consequently, the
employer must develop and implement
specific procedures for the use of
respirators in IDLH atmospheres that
include the following provisions:
1. At least one employee (referred to as
the "standby employee") is to be
located outside the IDLH atmosphere
and maintain visual, voice, or signal
line communication with the
employee(s) in the IDLH atmosphere;
2. The standby employee(s) located
outside the IDLH atmosphere must be
trained and equipped to provide
effective emergency rescue;
3. The employer or authorized designee
is to be notified before the standby
employees(s) enter the IDLH
atmosphere to provide emergency
rescue;
4. The employer or authorized designee,
once notified of such entry, must
provide the necessary assistance
appropriate to the situation;
5. Standby employee(s) must be
equipped with pressure demand or
other positive pressure SCBA, or a
pressure demand or other positive
pressure supplied-air respirator with
auxiliary SCBA; and
6. Standby employee(s) must be
equipped with appropriate retrieval
equipment for lifting or removing the
employee from the hazardous
atmosphere, or, when such retrieval
equipment cannot be used because it
would increase the overall risk
resulting from entry, ensure that
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02 Respiratory Protection
equivalent provisions for rescue have
been made.
E. Interior structural firefighting. In the
ultra-hazardous situation of interior
structural firefighting, firefighters must
operate using a buddy system. Safeguards
that may be adequate for well-controlled
and well-characterized IDLH situations
are not adequate in the uncontrolled and
unpredictable situation characterized by a
burning building. Therefore, in addition to
the above safeguards for IDLH
atmospheres, the following requirements
apply to interior structural fire fighting:
1. Two or more firefighters must always
be sent in together and remain in
visual or voice contact with one
another at all times;
2. At least two standby personnel are to
be located outside the fire area;
3. All personnel engaged in interior
structural firefighting must use SCBA.
The "two-in/two-out" requirement does
not take effect until firefighters begin to
perform interior structural fire fighting.
While the fire is in the incipient stage (as
determined by the commander or other
person in charge), or when emergency
rescue operations are required before the
entire team has assembled, the standard
does not require two-member teams
inside and outside the structure.
IX. MAINTENANCE AND CARE.
A. Requirements. The OSHA standard
requires that employers provide each
respirator user with a respirator that is
clean, sanitary, and in good working
order. These requirements are a vital part
of any successful respiratory protection
program. To ensure that the respirator
remains serviceable and delivers effective
protection, a maintenance program must
be in place prior to respirator use.
The OSHA respirator standard strongly
emphasizes the importance of a good
maintenance program, but permits its
tailoring to the type of facilities, working
conditions, and hazards involved.
However, all programs are required to
include at least:
Cleaning and disinfecting procedures;
• Proper storage;
• Regular inspections for defects
(including leak check); and
• Repair methods.
In addition to the OSHA requirements,
the manufacturer's instructions for
inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of
respirators should be consulted to ensure
that the respirator continues to function
properly. A proper maintenance program
ensures that the worker's respirator
remains as effective as when it was new.
B. Cleaning and disinfecting.
1. Cleaning and sanitizing respirators are
necessary to prevent skin irritation,
dermatitis, and to encourage worker
acceptance. Where the contaminant is
a dust, mist, or fume, build-up on the
respirator face-to-facepiece seal or
within the respirator will reduce the
protection provided by the respirator
because the contaminant is in the
breathing zone or has compromised
the seal. In addition, the build-up of
contamination on the respirator can
contribute to the deterioration of the
respirator's materials, which can lead
to reduced protection. Full facepieces
must be cleaned to ensure that
employees can see through the
facepiece.
2. Respirators that are issued for the
exclusive use of an employee must be
cleaned and disinfected as often as
necessary to be maintained in a
sanitary condition. Respirators used
by more than one employee must be
cleaned and disinfected prior to being
used by a different individual.
Respirators maintained for emergency
use as well as respirators used in fit
testing and training, must be cleaned
and disinfected after each use. The
employer must use either the OSHA
cleaning and disinfecting procedures
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02 Respiratory Protection
recommended in Appendix VUI:2-3
of this chapter or the procedures
recommended by the respirator
manufacturer, as long as they are
equivalent in effectiveness to the
OSHA method.
C. Storage.
1. All respirators must be stored so that
they are protected against damage,
contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme
temperatures, excessive moisture, and
damaging chemicals. When respirators
are packed or stored, the facepiece
and exhalation valve must be stored in
a manner that will prevent
deformation. Each respirator should
be positioned so that it retains its
natural configuration. Synthetic
materials and even rubber will warp if
stored in an unnatural shape, thus
affecting the fitting characteristics of
the facepiece.
2. Respirators intended for emergency
use must be kept accessible to the
work area, but not in an area that
might itself be involved in the
emergency because such an area may
become contaminated or inaccessible.
Emergency-use respirators must be
stored in compartments or covers that
are clearly marked to indicate that
they contain emergency respirators,
and stored according to any applicable
manufacturer instructions.
D. Inspection. To ensure the continued
reliability of respiratory equipment, it
must be inspected on a regular basis. The
frequency of inspection and the
procedures to be followed depend on
whether the respirator is intended for
non-emergency, emergency, or escape use
only.
1. The OSHA standard requires that all
respirators used in non-emergency
situations be inspected before each
use and during cleaning. Respirators
designated for use in an emergency
situation are to be inspected at least
monthly and in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions, and
checked for proper function before
and after each use. Emergency
escape-only respirators must be
inspected before being carried into the
workplace.
2. For all respirators, inspections must
include a check of respirator function,
tightness of connections, and the
condition of the various parts
including, but not limited to, the
facepiece, head straps, valves,
connecting tube, and cartridges,
canisters, or filters. In addition, the
elastomeric parts must be evaluated
for pliability and signs of
deterioration.
3. For SCB As, which require monthly
inspections, the air and oxygen
cylinders must be maintained in a fully
charged state and recharged when the
pressure falls to 90% of the
manufacturer's recommended
pressure level. In addition, the
regulator and warning devices must
be inspected to ensure that they
function properly.
4. For respirators that are maintained for
use in emergencies, the OSHA
standard requires certifying the
respirator by documenting the date
that the inspection was performed, the
name or signature of the inspector, the
findings of the inspection, any
required remedial action, and a serial
number or other means of identifying
the inspected respirator. This
information must be provided on a tag
or label that is attached to the storage
compartment for the respirator, is
kept with the respirator, or is stored in
the form of inspection reports (paper
or electronic). The information must
be maintained until it is replaced
following a subsequent certification.
E. Repair. Respirators that fail to pass
inspection or are otherwise found to be
defective, must be removed from service,
and discarded, repaired, or adjusted.
Repairs or adjustments to respirators
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must be done only by appropriately
trained personnel, using only the
respirator manufacturer's NIOSH-
approved parts designed for that
respirator. The repairs also must be made
in accordance with the manufacturer's
recommendations and specifications
regarding the type and extent of repairs to
be performed. Because components such
as reducing and admission valves,
regulators, and alarms are complex and
essential to the safe functioning of the
respirator, they are required to be
adjusted and repaired only by the
manufacturer or a technician trained by
the manufacturer.
X. BREATHING AIR QUALITY AND USE.
A. Standards and specifications.
1. Breathing air for atmosphere-
supplying respirators must be of high
purity, meet quality levels for content,
and not exceed certain contaminant
levels and moisture requirements.
Compressed air, compressed oxygen,
liquid air, and liquid oxygen used for
respiration must be in accordance
with the following requirements:
• Compressed and liquid oxygen
must meet the United States
Pharmacopoeia for medical or
breathing oxygen.
• Compressed breathing air must
meet at least the requirements for
Grade D breathing air as described
in the ANSI/Compressed Gas
Association Commodity
Specification for Air, G-7.1-1989.
2. Compressed oxygen must not be used
in atmosphere-supplying respirators,
including open circuit SCBA's, that
have previously used compressed air.
This prohibition is intended to prevent
fires and explosions that could result
if high-pressure oxygen comes into
contact with oil or grease that has
been introduced to the respirator or
the air lines during compressed-air
operations. Also, oxygen in
concentrations >23.5% can only be
02 Respiratory Protection
used in equipment designed for
oxygen service or distribution.
3. Breathing air may be supplied to
respirators from cylinders or air
compressors. Where cylinders are
used, they must be tested and
maintained as prescribed in the
Shipping Container Specification
Regulations of the Department of
Transportation (49 CFR parts 173 and
178). Cylinders of purchased
breathing air must have a certificate of
analysis from the supplier stating that
the air meets the requirements for
Grade D breathing air. The moisture
content of the compressed air in the
cylinder cannot exceed a dew point of
-50°F (-45.6°C) at 1 atmosphere
pressure. This requirement prevents
respirator valves from freezing, which
can occur when excess moisture
accumulates on the valves. All
breathing gas containers must be
marked in accordance with the
NIOSH Respirator Certification
Standard, 42 CFR part 84.
A. Other specific requirements.
1. Where compressors are used for
supplying air, the compressor must be
constructed and situated so
contaminated air cannot enter the air-
supply system. The location of the air
intake is very important, and must be
in an uncontaminated area where
exhaust gases from nearby vehicles,
the internal combustion engine that is
powering the compressor itself (if
applicable), or other exhaust gases
being ventilated from the plant will
not be picked up by the compressor
air intake.
2: In addition, compressors must be
equipped with suitable in-line, air-
purifying sorbent beds and filters to
further ensure breathing air quality,
and to minimize moisture content so
that the dew point at 1 atmosphere
pressure is 10°F (5.56°C) below the
ambient temperature. Sorbent beds
and filters must be maintained and
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02 Respiratory Protection
replaced or refurbished periodically
according to the manufacturer's
recommendations, and a tag must be
kept at the compressor indicating the
most recent change date and the
signature of the person authorized by
the employer to perform the change.
3. For compressors that are not oil-
lubricated, the employer must ensure
that carbon monoxide levels do not
exceed 10 ppm. This requirement can
be met by several different methods,
including the use of continuous
carbon monoxide alarms, carbon
monoxide sorbent materials, proper
air intake location in an area free of
contaminants, frequent monitoring of
air quality, or the use of high-
temperature alarms and automatic
shutoff devices, as appropriate.
Employers have flexibility in selecting
the method(s) most appropriate for
conditions in their workplace. Since
no single method will be appropriate
in all situations, several methods may
be needed. For example, it may be
necessary to combine the use of a
carbon monoxide alarm with a carbon
monoxide sorbent bed where
conditions are such that a reliable
carbon monoxide-free area for air
intake cannot be found.
4. Oil-lubricated compressors can
produce carbon monoxide if the oil
enters the combustion chamber and is
ignited. This problem can be
particularly severe in older
compressors with worn piston rings
and cylinders. Consequently, if an oil-
lubricated compressor is used, it must
have a high-temperature or carbon
monoxide alarm, or both, to monitor
carbon monoxide levels. If only a
high-temperature alarm is used, the air
from the compressor must be tested
for carbon monoxide at intervals
sufficient to prevent carbon monoxide
in the breathing air from exceeding
10 ppm.
5. Breathing air couplings must be
incompatible with outlets for non-
respirable plant air or other gas
systems to prevent accidental
servicing of air line respirators with
non-respirable gases or oxygen. Also,
no asphyxiating substance must be
allowed in the breathing air lines.
XI. PROGRAM LOGISTICS.
A. Identification of filters, cartridges, and
canisters. The employer must ensure that
all filters, cartridges, and canisters used in
the workplace are labeled and color
coded with the NIOSH approval label,
and ensure that the label is not removed
and remains legible.
B. Training and information.
1. Employee training is an important part
of the respiratory protection program
and is essential for correct respirator
use. The OSHA respiratory protection
standard requires employers to
provide training before the employee
uses a respirator in the workplace. For
the training to be effective, the
training information must be
comprehensive and presented in an
understandable way.
2. Employers should develop training
programs based upon the employees'
educational level and language
background. Such an approach will
ensure that all employees receive
training that enables them to maximize
the effectiveness of the respirators
they use. As a result of this training,
the employee will be able to
understand the operation of the
respirator and demonstrate the ability
to properly use the respirator.
3. Employee training must include a
discussion of why the use of the
respirator is necessary. Such training
would address the identification of the
hazards involved, the extent of
employee exposures to those hazards,
and the potential health effects of such
exposures.
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4. Information regarding the
consequences of improper fit, usage,
or maintenance on respirator
effectiveness must also be provided to
employees. Inadequate attention to
any of these program elements would
obviously defeat the effectiveness of
the respirator. Proper fit, usage, and
maintenance of respirators are critical
to ensure employee protection.
5. Employees must also be provided
with an explanation of the limitations
and capabilities of the respirator
selected for employee use. A
discussion of the limitations and
capabilities of the respirator must
address how the respirator operates.
This training would include, for
example, an explanation of how the
respirator provides protection by
either filtering the air, absorbing the
vapor or gas, or providing clean air
from an uncontaminated source.
Where appropriate, it should include
limitations on the use of the
equipment, such as prohibitions
against using an air-purifying
respirator in IDLH atmospheres and
an explanation of why such a
respirator should not be used in these
situations.
6. Employees must also know how to
use the respirator effectively in
emergency situations, including those
in which the respirator malfunctions.
Comprehensive training is necessary
where respirators are used in IDLH
situations, including oxygen-deficient
atmospheres such as those that occur
in fire fighting, rescue operations, and
confined-area entry.
7. Training must include the procedures
for inspecting the respirator, donning
and removing it, checking the fit and
respirator seal, and actually wearing
the respirator. Employees must also
be capable of recognizing any
problems that may threaten the
respirator's continued protective
capability. The training must include
the steps employees must follow if
they discover problems during
inspection, i.e., to whom problems are
to be reported and where to get
replacement equipment, if necessary.
8. Instructions must be given to
respirator users regarding the proper
procedures for maintenance and
storage of respirators. The extent of
training may vary according to
workplace conditions. In some cases,
where employees are responsible for
performing some or all respirator
maintenance and for storing
respirators while not in use, detailed
training in maintenance and storage
procedures may be necessary. In other
facilities, where specific personnel or
central repair facilities are assigned to
perform these tasks, most employees
may need to be informed only of the
' maintenance and storage procedures
without having to learn detailed
technical information. By providing
this training, respirator users will be
able to identify respirator deficiencies
that can result from improper
maintenance and storage of
respirators so that they will not use
improperly functioning respirators.
9. The training program must also
provide employees with medical
information that is sufficient for them
to recognize the signs and symptoms
of medical conditions (e.g., shortness
of breath, dizziness) that may limit or
prevent the effective use of
respirators. Employee knowledge of
this information is important to ensure
implementation of a successful
respirator program.
10. In addition to specific training
requirements regarding the proper use
of respirators, employees must be
informed of the general requirements
of the OSHA respiratory protection
standard. This discussion could simply
inform employees that employers are
obligated to develop a written
program, properly select respirators,
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02 Respiratory Protection
evaluate respirator use and correct
deficiencies in use, conduct medical
evaluations, provide for the
maintenance, storage, and cleaning of
respirators, and retain and provide
access to specific records. Thus,
employees will know in general what
the employer's obligations are under
the standard with respect to employee
protection.
11. At a minimum, annual training is
required by the OSHA respiratory
protection standard. With few
exceptions, a new employee must be
provided with respirator training prior
to using a respirator in the workplace.
OSHA believes that annual training is
necessary and appropriate to ensure
that employees know about the
respiratory protection program and
that they cooperate and actively
participate in the program. Training
and interaction with respirator
instructors on at least an annual basis
reinforces employee knowledge about
the correct use of respirators and
other pertinent elements of the
respiratory protection program. It also
builds employee confidence when
using respirators.
12. Under some conditions, additional
training will be required to
supplement the annual training.
Circumstances which require
additional training include situations
where changes in the workplace (e.g.,
process changes, increase in exposure,
emergence of new hazards) or the
type of respirator used by the
employee render previous training
obsolete. Additional training is also
required when the employee has not
retained the requisite understanding or
skill to use the respirator properly, or
when any other situation arises in
which retraining appears necessary.
C. Program evaluation.
1. The employer must conduct
evaluations of the workplace as
necessary to ensure that the
provisions of the current written
respirator program are being properly
implemented for all employees
required to use respirators. In
addition, evaluations must be
conducted to ensure the continued
effectiveness of the program.
Evaluations of the workplace
determine whether the correct
respirators are being used and worn
properly, and will also serve to
determine whether the training
program is effective.
2. The employer must regularly consult
with employees wearing respirators to
ascertain the employees' views on
program effectiveness and to identify
any problems. This assessment must
determine if the respirators are
properly fitted. It must also evaluate
whether: employees are able to wear
the respirators without interfering
with effective workplace performance;
respirators are correctly selectt.. for
the hazards encountered; respirators
are being worn when necessary; and
respirators are being maintained
properly. The employer must correct
any problems associated with wearing
a respirator that are identified by
employees, or that are revealed during
any other part of this evaluation.
D. Recordkeeping. The OSHA respiratory
protection standard requires the employer
to establish and retain written information
regarding medical evaluations, fit testing,
and the respirator program. This
information will promote employee
involvement in the respirator program,
assist the employer in auditing the
adequacy of the program, and provide a
record for compliance determinations by
OSHA.
1. The employer must retain a medical
evaluation record for each employee
subject to medical evaluation. This
record is to include the result of the
medical questionnaire and, if
applicable, a copy of the PLHCP's
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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written opinion and recommendations,
including the results of relevant
medical examinations and tests.
Records of medical evaluations must
be retained and made available as
required by 29 CFR §1910.1020,
OSHA's Access to Employee
Exposure and Medical Records rule.
2. Fit test records must be retained for
respirator users until the next fit test is
administered. These records consist
of:
• Name or identification of the
employee tested;
• Type of fit test performed (QLFT,
QNFT - irritant smoke, saccharin,
etc.);
• Make, model, and size of the
respirator fitted;
• Date of the fit test;
• Pass/fail results if a QLFT is used;
or
• Fit factor and strip chart recording
or other record of the test results
if quantitative fit testing was
performed.
3. If the employee's use of a respirator is
discontinued (e.g., because of a
change of duties or successful
implementation of engineering
controls), fit test records need not be
retained for the employee. Fit test
records must be maintained to
determine whether annual fit testing
has been done, and whether the
employee who was tested passed the
QLFT, or passed the QNFT with a fit
factor that was appropriate for the
type of respirator being used.
4. All written materials required to be
maintained under the recordkeeping
requirements must be made available,
upon request, to the employee who is
subject of the records and to the
Assistant Secretary for OSHA or
designee for examination and copying.
E. NIOSH guidelines for the selection and
use of paniculate respirators. In June
02 Respiratory Protection
1995, NIOSH updated and modernized
the Federal Regulation for certifying air-
purifying paniculate respirators [42 CFR
part 84]. As a consequence of this new
regulation, NIOSH developed a User's
Guide to familiarize respirator users with
the new Part 84 certification regulations
for paniculate respirators, and to provide
guidance for the selection and use of the
new paniculate respirators. The new
regulation became effective on July 10,
1995, and replaces 30 CFR part 11 under
which NIOSH and the Mine Safety and
Health Administration (MSHA) jointly
certified respirators before that date.
Respirators certified under this new
regulation are tested under much more
demanding conditions than under the old
regulation to provide increased worker
protection. See Appendix VUI:2-4 of this
chapter for a summary of the NIOSH
Guide to the Selection and Use of
Paniculate Respirators Certified Under 42
CFR §84.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
Appendix Viii: 2-1. Glossary.
Air-purifying respirator a respirator with an
air-purifying filter, cartridge, or canister that
removes specific air contaminants by passing
ambient air through the air-purifying element.
Assigned protection factor (APF)
[reserved]
Atmosphere-supplying respirator a
respirator that supplies the respirator user
with breathing air from a source independent
of the ambient atmosphere, and includes
supplied-air respirators (SAR's) and self-
contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units.
Canister or cartridge a container with a
filter, sorbent, or catalyst, or a combination of
these items, that removes specific
contaminants from the air passed through the
container.
Demand respirator an atmosphere-supplying
respirator that admits breathing air to the
facepiece only when a negative pressure is
created inside the facepiece by inhalation.
Emergency situation any occurrence such
as, but not limited to, equipment failure,
rupture of containers, or failure of control
equipment that may or does result in an
uncontrolled substantial release of an airborne
contaminant.
Employee exposure an exposure to a
concentration of an airborne contaminant that
would occur if the employee were not using
respiratory protection.
End-of-serv ice-life indicator (ESLI) a
system that warns the respirator user of the
approach of the end of adequate respiratory
protection; for example, that the sorbent is
approaching saturation or is no longer
effective.
Escape-only respirator a respirator intended
to be used only for emergency exit.
Filtering facepiece (dust mask) a negative
pressure particulate respirator with a filter as
an integral part of the facepiece or with the
entire facepiece composed of the filtering
medium.
Filter or air purifying element a component
used in respirators to remove solid or liquid
aerosols from the inspired air.
Fit factor a quantitative estimate of the fit of
a particular respirator to a specific individual,
and typically estimates the ratio of the
concentration of a substance in ambient air to
its concentration inside the respirator when
worn.
Fit test the use of a protocol to qualitatively
or quantitatively evaluate the fit of a
respirator on an individual. See also
"Qualitative fit test (QLFT)" and
"Quantitative fit test (QNFT)."
Helmet a rigid respiratory inlet covering that
also provides head protection against impact
and penetration.
High efficiency particulate air (HEPA)
filter a filter that is at least 99.97% efficient
in removing monodisperse particles of 0.3
micrometers in diameter and larger. The
equivalent NIOSH 42 CFR part 84
particulate filters are the N100, R100, and
P100 filters.
Hood a respiratory inlet covering that
completely covers the head and neck, and
may also cover portions of the shoulders and
torso.
Immediately dangerous to life or health
(H)LH) an atmosphere that poses an
immediate threat to life, would cause
irreversible adverse health effects, or would
impair an individual's ability to escape from a
dangerous atmosphere.
Interior structural firefighting the physical
activity of fire suppression, rescue or both,
within buildings or enclosed structures
involved in a fire situation beyond the
incipient stage.
Loose-fitting facepiece a respiratory inlet
covering that is designed to form a partial
seal with the face.
PAGE 36
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
Maximum use concentration (MUC)
[reserved]
Negative pressure respirator (tight fitting)
a respirator in which the air pressure inside
the facepiece is negative during inhalation
with respect to the ambient air pressure
outside the respirator.
Oxygen deficient atmosphere an
atmosphere with an oxygen content below
19.5% by volume.
Physician or other licensed health care
professional (FLHCP) an individual whose
legally permitted scope of practice (i.e.,
license, registration, or certification) allows
him or her to independently provide, or be
delegated the responsibility to provide, some
or all of the health care services required by
29 CFR 1910.134(e), "Medical evaluation."
Positive-pressure a respirator in which the
pressure inside the respiratory inlet covering
exceeds the ambient air pressure outside the
respirator.
Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)
an air-purifying respirator that uses a blower
to force the ambient air through air-purifying
elements to the inlet covering.
Pressure demand respirator a positive
pressure atmosphere-supplying respirator that
admits breathing air to the facepiece when the
positive pressure is reduced inside the
facepiece by inhalation.
Qualitative fit test (QLFT) a pass/fail fit
test to assess the adequacy of respiratory fit
that relies on the individual's response to the
test agent.
Quantitative fit test (QNFT) an assessment
of the adequacy of respirator fit by
numerically measuring the amount of leakage
into the respirator.
Respiratory inlet covering the portion of a
respirator that forms the protective barrier
between the user's respiratory tract and an
air-purifying device or breathing air source,
or both. It may be a facepiece, helmet, hood,
suit, or a mouthpiece respirator with nose
clamp.
Self-contained breathing apparatus
(SCBA) an atmosphere-supplying respirator
for which the breathing air source is designed
to be carried by the user.
Service life the period of time that a
respirator, filter or sorbent, or other
respiratory equipment provides adequate
protection to the wearer.
Supplied-air respirator (SAR) or airline
respirator an atmosphere-supplying
respirator for which the source of breathing
air is not designed to be carried by the user.
Tight-fitting facepiece a respiratory inlet
covering that forms a complete seal with the
face.
User seal check an action conducted by the
respirator user to determine if the respirator
is properly seated to the face.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING,
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02 Respiratory Protection
Appendix Viii:2-2. User Seal Check.
A. Facepiece Positive and/or Negative Pressure
Checks
Positive Pressure Check
Close off the exhalation valve and exhale
gently into the facepiece. The face fit is
considered satisfactory if a slight positive
pressure can be built up inside the facepiece
without any evidence of outward leakage of
air at the seal. For most respirators, this
method of leak testing requires the wearer to
first remove the exhalation valve cover before
closing off the exhalation valve, and then
carefully replacing it after the test.
Negative Pressure Check
Close off the inlet opening of the canister or
cartridge(s) by covering it with the palm of
the hand(s) or by replacing the filter seal(s).
Inhale gently so that the facepiece collapses
slightly, and hold your breath for ten seconds.
The design of the inlet opening of some
cartridges cannot be effectively covered with
the palm of the hand, which requires that the
test be performed by covering the inlet
opening of the cartridge with a thin latex or
nitrile glove. If the facepiece remains in its
slightly collapsed condition, and no inward
leakage of air is detected, the tightness of the
respirator is considered satisfactory.
B. Manufacturer's Recommended User Seal
Check Procedures
The respirator manufacturer's recommended
procedures for performing a user seal check
may be used instead of the positive and/or
negative pressure check procedures, provided
that the employer demonstrates that the
manufacturer's procedures are equally
effective in detecting seal leakage compared
to the positive pressure and negative pressure
checks described above.
Appendix Viii: 2-3. Recommended
Procedures for Cleaning Respirators.
These procedures are provided for employer use
when cleaning respirators. They are general in
nature, and the employer, as an alternative, may
use the cleaning recommendations provided by
the manufacturer of the respirators used by their
employees, provided such procedures are as
effective as those listed here. Equivalent
effectiveness simply means that the procedures
used must accomplish the objectives set forth in
this Appendix (i.e., must ensure that the
respirator is properly cleaned and disinfected in a
manner that prevents damage to the respirator
and does not cause harm to the user).
A. Remove filters, cartridges, or canisters.
Disassemble facepieces by removing speaking
diaphragms, demand or pressure-demand
valve assemblies, hoses, or any components
recommended by the manufacturer. Discard
or repair any defective parts.
B. Wash components in warm (43°C/110°F
maximum) water with a mild detergent or
with a cleaner recommended by the
manufacturer. A stiff bristle (not wire) brush
may be used to facilitate the removal of dirt.
C. Rinse components thoroughly in clean, warm
(43°C/110°F maximum), preferably running,
water. Drain the components.
D. When the cleaner used does not contain a
disinfecting agent, respirator components
should be immersed for two minutes in:
• Hypochlorite solution (50 ppm of
chlorine) made by adding approximately
one milliliter of laundry bleach to one liter
ofwaterat43°C/110°F;or
• Aqueous solution of iodine (50 ppm
iodine) made by adding approximately 0.8
milliliters of tincture of iodine (6-8 grams
ammonium and/or potassium iodine/100
cc of 45% alcohol) to one liter of water at
43°C/110°F;or
• Other commercially available cleansers of
equivalent disinfectant quality when used
as directed, if their use is recommended
or approved by the respirator
manufacturer.
PAGE 38
HEALTH AND SAFETY.EIGHT-HOURiIRAINING
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02 Respiratory Protection
F. Rinse components thoroughly in clean, warm
(43°C/110°F maximum), preferably running,
water. Drain the components. The importance
of thorough rinsing cannot be
overemphasized. Detergents or disinfectants
that dry on facepieces may result in
dermatitis. In addition, some disinfectants
may cause deterioration of rubber or
corrosion of metal parts if not completely
removed.
G. Components should be hand-dried with a
clean, lint-free cloth, or air-dried.
H. Reassemble facepiece, replacing filters,
cartridges, and canisters where necessary.
I. Test the respirator to ensure that all
components work properly.
Appendix Viii: 2-4. NIOSH Guide to the
Selection and Use of Particulate
Respirators Certified under 42 CFR §84.
Summary for Respirator Users
Appendix Viii: 2-2. User Seal Check.
This summary presents a brief overview of what
the respirator user needs to know about the new
categories of paniculate respirators certified by
the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH).
NIOSH has developed a new set of regulations in
42 CFR §84 (also referred to as "Part 84") for
testing and certifying nonpowered, air-purifying,
particulate-filter respirators. The new Part 84
respirators have passed a more demanding
certification test than the old respirators (e.g.,
dust and mist [DM], dust, fume and mist [DFM],
spray paint, pesticide, etc.) certified under 30
CFR §11 (also referred to as "Part 11").
Changes in the new regulations involve only
nonpowered, air-purifying, particulate-filter
respirators. Certification requirements for all
other classes of respirators (e.g., chemical
cartridges, self-contained breathing apparatus
[SCBA], airlines, gas masks without a paniculate
filter, powered air-purifying respirators [PAPR's]
equipped with high efficiency paniculate air
[HEPA] filters, etc.) have been transferred to
Part 84 without change. Until further notice, the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) is allowing the continued use of Part 11
particulate-filter respirators. Under Part 84,
NIOSH is allowing manufacturers to continue
selling and shipping Part 11 paniculate filters as
NIOSH-certified until July 10, 1998.
The new Part 84 regulation provides for nine
classes of filters (three levels of filter efficiency,
each with three categories of resistance to filter
efficiency degradation). The three levels of filter
efficiency are 95%, 99%, and 99.97%. The three
categories of resistance to filter efficiency
degradation are labeled N, R, and P. The class of
filter will be clearly marked on the filter, filter
package, or respirator box. For example, a filter
marked N95 would mean an N-series filter that is
at least 95% efficient. Chemical cartridges that
include paniculate filter elements will carry a
similar marking that pertains only to the
paniculate filter element.
Filter efficiency is the stated percentage of
particles removed from the air. Filter efficiency
degradation is defined as a lowering of filter
efficiency or a reduction in the ability of the filter
to remove particles as a result of workplace
exposure.
The new classes of nonpowered paniculate
respirators require new decision logic for
selection of the proper respirator. The selection
process for using the new paniculate
classification is outlined as follows and is
discussed in Section II of NIOSH Guide to the
Selection and Use of Particulate Respirators
Certified Under 42 CFR §84:
1. The selection of N-, R-, and P-series filters
depends on the presence or absence of oil
particles, as follows:
• If no oil particles are present in the work
environment, use a filter of any series
(i.e., N-, R-, or P-series).
• If oil particles (e.g., lubricants, cutting
fluids, glycerine, etc.) are present, use an
R-or P-series filter.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING,
-------
02 Respiratory Protection
Note: N-series filters cannot be used if oil
particles are present.
• If oil particles are present and the filter is
to be used for more than one work shift,
use only a P-series filter.
Note: To help you remember the filter
series, use the following guide:
N for Not Resistant to oil
R for Resistant to oil
P for Oil-Proof
2. Selection of filter efficiency (i.e., 95%,
99%, or 99.97%) depends on how much
filter leakage can be accepted. Higher
filter efficiency means lower filter
leakage.
3. The choice of facepiece depends on the
level of protection needed — that is, the
assigned protection factor (APF) needed.
Call 1-800-3 5-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674) for
additional information or for free single copies of
the complete document NIOSH Guide to the
Selection and Use of Particulate Respirators
Certified Under 42 CFR §84 [DHHS (NIOSH)
Publication No. 96-101 ].
NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, Public Health Service, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
PAGE 40
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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TOXICOLOGY AND
EXPOSURE GUIDELINES
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03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
TOXICOLOGY AND
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
~, PAGE*3
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03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
TOXICOLOGY AND
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PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
TOXICOLOGY AND
EXPOSURE GUIDELINES
Adverse health effects:
• Local effects
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TOXICOLOGY AND
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Adverse health effects (coni):
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TOXICOLOGY AND
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Lethal Dose 50% (LDX)
The dose of a substance which is:
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGES
-------
03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
TOXICOLOGY AND
EXPOSURE GUIDELINES
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PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR .TRAINING
-------
03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
TOXICOLOGY AND
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE?
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03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
TOXICOLOGY AND
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definitions
PAGE 8
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
TOXICOLOGY AND
EXPOSURE GUIDELINES
IDLH Exposure (cont):
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PAGE 9
-------
03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
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PAGE 10
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
-------
03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
TOXICOLOGY AND
EXPOSURE GUIDELINES
Question:
A worker exposure is 775 ppm averaged
over 8 hours. If the product is acetone,
has the worker exceeded the OSHA-PEL
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE .11
-------
03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
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PAGE 12
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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03 Toxicology and Exposure Guidelines
TOXICOLOGY
1. Employees at hazardous waste sites may be
exposed to a number of toxic chemicals with
dangerous properties. Most sites have
several contaminants in multiple
compartments (soil, water, air) which
present several exposure scenarios.
2. Preventing exposure to toxic chemicals is a
primary concern at any site. Protective
clothing and respirators help prevent the
wearer from contamination, and good work
practices and engineering controls help
reduce contamination on protective clothing,
instruments, and equipment.
3. However, contamination can occur even with
these safeguards. It is important to identify
the chemical hazards that exist at a site, and
to take steps to prevent contamination.
4. Chemical exposures are generally divided into
two categories: acute and chronic.
Symptoms resulting from acute exposures
usually occur during and shortly after
exposure to a high concentration of a
contaminants. A chronic exposure usually
occurs at a low concentration over a long
period of time. Lethal concentrations vary
with each chemical. The symptoms of an
acute exposure for a given contaminant may
be completely different from those resulting
from a chronic exposure to the same
contaminant.
5. For chronic and acute exposures, the toxic
effect may be temporary and reversible or
permanent (causing disability or death).
Although some chemicals cause obvious
symptoms (e.g., burning, nausea, rashes),
others may cause health damage without any
warning signs (e.g., cancer, respiratory
disease). Some toxic chemicals may be
colorless and/or odorless, may dull the sense
of smell, or may not produce immediate or
obvious physiological sensation. A worker's
senses or feelings cannot be relied upon in all
cases to warn of toxic exposures.
6. The primary routes of chemical
contamination are as follows:
A. Inhalation is an exposure route of
concern because the lungs are extremely
vulnerable to chemical agents.
Respiratory protection should be used if
there is any possibility that the site may
contain hazardous substances that can be
inhaled. Chemicals can also enter the
respiratory tract through punctured
eardrums.
B. Direct contact of the skin and eyes is
another route of exposure to hazardous
substances. Some chemicals will directly
injure the skin; some may pass through
the skin into the bloodstream where they
are transported to vulnerable organs.
This absorption is enhanced by abrasions,
cuts, heat, and moisture. Workers can
protect against direct contact of a
hazardous chemical by wearing PPE,
refraining from use of contact lenses in
contaminated atmospheres, keeping hands
away from the face, and minimizing
contact with liquid and solid chemicals.
C. Ingestion occurs when chemicals are
accidentally swallowed.
D. Injection can occur when chemicals are
introduced into the body through
puncture wounds, such as those caused by
stepping or tripping or falling onto
contaminated sharp objects. To protect
against this type of exposure, the site
should be prepared and workers should
wear safety shoes, avoid physical hazards,
and take common sense precautions.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGEJ3
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DIRECT-READING
INSTRUMENTS
-------
04 Direct-reading Instruments
DIRECT
READING
INSTRUMENTS
MONITORING FOR
HAZARDOUS ATMOSPHERES
• Flammable and explosive vapors and
gases
• Toxic vapors and gases
• Oxygen deficiency
• Radiation
OBJECTIVES
• Evaluate potential of exposure to
hazardous substances
• Identify and quantify airborne
contaminants
• Selection of PPE and levels of protection
• Define work zones
• Identify medical monitoring needs
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
DIRECT READING
INSTRUMENTS
• Combustible gas indicators
• Oxygen monitors
• Toxic vapors and gases monitors
• Radiation monitors
COMBUSTIBLE GAS
INDICATORS
COMBUSTIBLE GAS
INDICATORS (cont.)
• Wheatstone bridge
• Measures % Lower Explosive Limit (LEL)
• May not identify specific flammable
vapor/gas
• Needs more than 10% oxygen to work
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
OXYGEN METERS
OXYGEN METERS (cont.)
• Passive or pump
• Action level
- <19.5% - oxygen deficient
- >25% - high oxygen (increase fire risk)
MONITORING FOR
TOXIC CONTAMINANTS
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
COLORIMETRIC TUBES
COLORIMETRIC TUBES (cont.)
• Pumps are manual or electric
• Accurate within +1-25%
• General vs. specific tubes
t A^lA^'1'
PHOTOIONIZATION
INSTRUMENTS
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
PHOTOIONIZATION
INSTRUMENTS (cont.)
• Detects many organic and some
inorganic gases and vapors
• Detects total concentration (non-specific)
• Sensitivity relates to lonization Potential
(IP) of compound to UV light
HOW DOES A PID WORK?
Samptoout
Ultraviolet light source
FLAME IONIZATION
INSTRUMENTS
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
FLAME IONIZATION
INSTRUMENTS (cont.)
Detects many organic gases and vapors
Detects total concentrations in survey
mode
Measures specific compounds in gas
chromatograph mode
HOW DOES A FID WORK?
H«
i
Sample
MONITORING FOR
RADIATION
PAGES
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
MONITORING FOR
RADIATION (cont.)
• Monitor for three types of radiation
- Gamma ~y\v^if /<-, /•
- Beta I''
- Alpha
• May require holding monitor very close
to source
• Total dose vs. dose rate instruments
AIR SAMPLING
• Provides more complete information
• Provides data over lifetime of site
• Sorbent tubes and pumps for organic or
inorganic
• Particulate filters
• Colorimetric tubes
PHOTOIONIZATION
DETECTOR (PID)
EXERCISE 1:
• The PID in this exercise has a 10.2 eV probe
• Identify the correct ionization potential, based
on the meter readings of the instrument
• Ignore the Relative Response and calibration
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
WHAT CHEMICAL
HAS THE IP OF: A. 12.5
CHEMCAL NAME
HEXANE
METHANE
TOLUENE
ACETONE
ACTUAL
CONCENTRATION
100 PPM
100 PPM
100 PPM
100 PPM
METER READING
14
0
110
90
IP
7
7
?
?
OWZAT1ON POTENTIALS
A. 125 C. 9.69
B. 10.18 D 8.82
WHAT CHEMICAL
HAS THE IP OF: B. 10.18
CHEMCALNAME
HEXANE
METHANE
TOLUENE
ACETONE
ACTUAL
CONCENTRATION
100 PPM
100 PPM
100 PPM
100 PPM
METER READING
14
0
110
90
IP
7
7
7
?
ONCAHON POTENTIALS
A. 125 C. 989
B. 1018 D. 8.82
WHAT CHEMICAL
HAS THE IP OF: C. 9.69
CHEMCALNAME
HEXANE
METHANE
TOLUENE
ACETONE
ACTUAL
CONCENTRATION
100 PPM
100 PPM
100PPM
100 PPM
METER READING
14
0
110
90
IP
7
7
7
7
IONIZAT10N POTENTIALS
A. 125 C 9.89
B 1018 D. 8.82
PAGE 10
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
'
WHAT CHEMICAL
HAS THE IP OF: D. 8.82
CHEMCAL MAKE
HEXANE
METHANE
TOLUENE
ACETONE
ACTUAL
CONCENTRATION
100 PPM
100 PPM
100 PPM
100 PPM
METER READING
14
0
110
90
f
?
7
?
?
IONIZATON POTENTIALS
A. 125 C. 969
B. 10.18 D. 8.82
PHOTOIONIZATION
DETECTOR (PI D)
EXERCISE 2:
• What is the ppm present in the air for
each of the two chemicals listed below?
Chemical vapors present:
a. Acetone
b. Carbon Tetrachloride (CCI4)
PHOTOIONIZATION
DETECTOR (PID)
EXERCISE 2 (cont.):
• What is the concentration of CCI4 and
acetone?
Stepl:
Look up the IP
a. Acetone IP: 9.69
b. CCU IP: 11.47
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
PHOTOIONIZATION
DETECTOR (PID)
EXERCISE 2 (cont.):
Step 2:
Monitor the air with the following probes
PID with 11.7eVlamp meter reading: 100
PID with 10.2 eV lamp meter reading: 20
PHOTOIONIZATION
DETECTOR (PID)
EXERCISE 2 (cont.):
Step 3:
Find the difference
100 meter reading units with 11.7 eV probe
-20 meter reading units with with 10.2 eV probe
80 meter reading: CCI4
The remaining meter reading units ppm is:
20 meter reading reading: acetone
PHOTOIONIZATION
DETECTOR (PID)
EXERCISE 3:
• Can the meter reading for exercise #2
for acetone be expressed as ppm?
PAGE 12
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
Direct Reading Instruments
1. Direct Reading Instrument Requirements.
A. HAZWOPER requires air monitoring
with direct reading instruments (DRIs) to
be performed wherever the possibility of
employee exposure to hazardous
substances exists. Upon initial entry,
representative air monitoring should be
conducted to identify any Immediately
Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH)
conditions, exposure over Permissible
Exposure Limits (PELs), exposure over a
radioactive material's dose limits, or
other dangerous conditions, such as
flammable or oxygen-deficient or
enriched environments.
B. Air monitoring should also be conducted
to confirm that the area considered for the
Support Zone is clean (i.e., does not
contain concentrations of hazardous
substances that require worker
protection).
C. The results of air monitoring will be used
to evaluate medical monitoring
requirements.
2. Types of Direct Reading Instruments (DR1).
A. Combustible Gas Indicators (CGIs).
(1). CGIs operate using the "Wheatstone
Bridge" principle. The wheatstone
bridge consists of two filaments, or
beads, coated with a catalyst.
However, only one of the filaments
is heated, and this causes the
combustion of the flammable vapors
as they pass over the filament. The
purpose of the catalyst coating on
the filament is to cause combustion
of the hydrocarbon molecules to
occur at temperatures below what is
normally required to produce '
combustion.
(2). As combustion of hydrocarbon
molecules on the surface of the
catalyst increases, this causes an
increase in temperature in the
filament. The increase in
temperature causes higher resistance
to an electric current passing through
the heated filament. As combustion
does not take place on the surface of
the non-heated filament, there is no
associated resistance in current. This
process results in an imbalance of
current passing through the
filaments, and the instrument reads
this imbalance as percent Lower
Explosive Limit (LEL).
(3). CGIs measure the percent LEL. The
LEL for a substance represents the
concentration of ignitible vapors
mixed with oxygen in the air that
will ignite when exposed to an
ignition source. When the percent
LEL is 100% on the face of the CGI,
this represents an ignitible
atmosphere. A substance may
produce enough ignitible vapors to
displace oxygen.
(4). In a condition where the fuel vapors
are so concentrated that oxygen is
displaced, ignition can not take
place. This condition is an example
of a fuel rich environment referred to
as above the Upper Explosive Level
(UEL). CGIs can not be considered
accurate in conditions where less
than approximately 18% oxygen is
present. CGIs usually need a
minimum of 10% oxygen to work.
(5). CGIs are calibrated to a specific
flammable vapor or gas. The
presence of any flammable vapor or
gas will cause the CGI to indicate a
percent LEL on the meter face.
However, the CGI can only be
considered accurate when
monitoring the substance that it is
calibrated for. Reading for all other
substances must be considered to be
a relative response.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
B. Oxygen Meters.
(1). Oxygen meters measure the percent
oxygen in the atmosphere. Oxygen
levels below 19.5% are considered
oxygen deficient and oxygen levels
above 25% are considered to be
unsafe for Superfund site workers.
C. Colorimetric tubes and pumps.
(1). Colorimetric tubes are operated by
attaching the tube to a pump. Most
pumps are hand-aspirated. However,
some of the newer Colorimetric
systems have electric pumps.
(2). Colorimetric tubes contain an
"indicating chemical" that will turn
color in the presence of specific
contaminants. Contaminants with
similar molecular structure may
cause false color changes in the
indicating chemical. The operation
of Colorimetric tubes requires the use
of an operators manual that lists the
types of contaminants that are
known to cause false color changes.
(3). The operator of the Colorimetric tube
must look at the color stain on the
tube and determine visually what the
results are. Colorimetric tubes are
considered to be +/- 25%
D. Photoionization Detectors (PID).
(1). PIDs use ultraviolet light to ionize
the molecules of organic vapors and
gases. PIDs will also ionize some
inorganics. The PID uses a pump or
fan to draw the atmosphere over the
ultraviolet light. If the ultraviolet
light radiation is strong enough to
displace electrons on the molecule
passing over the lamp, the molecule
is left with an overall positive charge
and can carry an electrical current.
The ionized molecules are attracted
to a charged plate near the lamp. As
these ionized molecules accumulate
on the charged plate, an increase in
current through the plate occurs, and
the PID interprets this increase in
current as an indication of ppm on
the meter face.
(2). Since the PID can ionize many
organic compounds, it is considered
to be a total vapor monitor.
However, if only one substance is
present, and the PID is calibrated to
that substance, the results can be
very accurate for that specific
compound.
(3). Some PIDs have interchangeable
probes with lamps of diferent IPs.
The operator must know the
ionization potential of the substance
being monitored in order to select a
lamp with sufficient ionization
energy to ionize the substance.
E. Flame Ionization Detectors (FIDs).
(1). FIDs operate by drawing vapors and
gases over a hydrogen gas flame.
The hydrogen gas flame has a high
enough temperature to ionize many
organics. However, it is not used to
ionize inorganics.
F. Radiation Monitoring Instruments.
(1). The primary radiation hazard on a
Superfund site is gamma radiation.
Gamma radiation is a highly
penetrating form of electromagnetic
radiation. Gamma radiation can pass
through the Radiation Monitoring
Instrument, and through the site
worker.
(2). Beta particles are most commonly a
negative charged electron that is
ejected at high speed from a
radioactive source. Beta particles
only travel about one meter through
air. Beta particles in contact with
skin are penetrating enough to pass
through a few layers of living tissue.
PAGE 14
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
(3). Alpha particles consist of two
positively charged protons and two
neutrons that do not have an
electrical charge. Alpha particles in
contact with skin can not pass
through the layers of dead skin cells
that exist above the layers of living
skin cells.
(4). Monitoring for beta or alpha
particles will require holding the
monitoring instrument very close to
the surface being monitored.
(5). Types of Radiation Meters.
a. Exposure Rate Meters. Exposure
Rate Meters monitor radiation as
Roentgen (R/hr), milliroentgen
(mR/hr), or microroentgen
(jiR/hr) per hour
b. Count Per Minute (CPM)
Radiation Meters monitor
u,R/hr radiation by counting each
ionizing event caused by the
radiation passing through the
instrument detector media.
c. Total Dose Radiation Meters.
Total Dose Radiation Meters
measure the total amount of
radiation that the detector media
was exposed to. As an example, if
the Superfund site worker was
exposed to 10 mR/hr for one hour,
the total dose received would be
10 mR.
3. Identifying Airborne Contaminants.
A. The two methods generally available for
identifying and/or quantifying airborne
contaminants are: (1) on-site use of
direct-reading instruments (DRIs); and
(2) laboratory analysis of air samples
obtained by gas sampling bag, filter,
sorbent, or wet-contaminant collection
methods.
B. DRIs may be used to quickly detect
flammable or explosive atmospheres,
oxygen deficiency, certain gases and
vapors, and ionizing radiation, as well as
to identify changing site conditions.
C. Because DRIs provide information at the
time of monitoring sampling and allow
for rapid decision-making, they are the
primary tools of initial site
characterization. All DRIs, however,
have inherent limitations in their ability
to detect hazards. DRIs detect and/or
measure only specific classes of
chemicals and usually are not designed to
detect airborne concentrations below 1
ppm.
D. DRIs are usually calibrated to detect one
particular substance. The presence of
other substances result in inaccurate
readings. DRIs must be operated, and
their data interpreted, by qualified
individuals using properly calibrated
instruments. Additional monitoring and
air sampling should be conducted at any
location where a positive instrument
response occurs in order to identify the
substance.
4. Air Sampling.
A. To obtain more complete information
about air contaminants, measurements
obtained with DRIs should be
supplemented with air sampling. To
assess air contaminants more thoroughly,
air sampling devices equipped with
appropriate collection media should be
placed at various locations throughout the
area. These samples provide air quality
information, and can indicate the
presence and concentrations of
contaminants over the lifetime of site
operations. As data are obtained (from
the analysis of samples, DRIs, and site
operations), adjustments should be made
in the type and number of samples,
frequency of sampling, and analysis
required. In addition to air samplers, area
sampling stations may also include DRIs
equipped with recorders and operated as
continuous air monitors.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
5. Sample Collection and Analysis.
A. Samples are analyzed to determine types
and quantities of substances present at a
site. Good sources of information on
collecting and analyzing samples for a
variety of chemical substances include:
(1) EPA's Compendium of Methods for
Determination of Toxic Organic
Compounds in Air, (2) the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health's (NIOSH) Manual of Analytical
Methods, (Volumes 1-3, 4th Edition); and
(3) OSHA Analytical Methods. These
references may be consulted for specific
procedures.
PAGE 16
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04 Direct-reading Instruments
Student Exercise
1. The "Wheatstone" Bridge Filament is a part of this instrument.
2. The PID produces this type of light
3. You are sure that methane gas is present. However, the PID registers "0 ppm". What's the
problem?
4. Although the indicator tube (colorimetric tube) can identify a chemical vapor, it has an accuracy
of about +/- percent.
5. The "F" in FID means lonization Detector.
a. Flame
b. Fast
c. Fleeting
6. Your PID shows 10 ppm at 8:00 am on the first day of August. At 2:00 p.m. that same day the
PID indicated 100 ppm at the same location. What may have caused the difference in these air
monitoring results?
DRI EXERCISE RESULTS
% LEL:
% OXYGEN:
COLORIMETRIC TUBE:
PID:
RADIATION METER:
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING*
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SITE CONTROL
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05 Site Control
SITE CONTROL
COMPONENTS
• Control personnel and equipment
• Minimize worker exposure
• Develop site map
• Establish work zones
WORK ZONES
• Exclusion zone
- Hot line
• Contamination reduction zone
- Contamination control line
• Support zone
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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05 Site Control
SITE CONTROL
EXCLUSION ZONE
HOTLINE
I EXIT POINT
BTTRANCE
POINT
CONTAMINATION
CONTROL LINE
SITE CONTROL
CONTAMINATION
REDUCTION
ZONE
EXIT SITE
WIND
SUPPORT
ZONE
ACCESS
CONTROL
POINTS
CONTAMINATION CONTROL LINE
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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05 Site Control
SITE CONTROL
1. Requirements.
A. As an essential element of the Health and
Safety Plan (HASP), the site control
program is used to control the activities
and movement of people and equipment
at hazardous waste sites in order to
minimize the potential for worker
exposure to hazardous substances. The
provisions of 29 CFR §1910.120(d)
require that an appropriate site control
program be developed prior to the
implementation of response operations.
B. Although the degree of site control
necessary for the protection of workers
depends largely on site-specific
characteristics (e.g., site size, nature of
contamination, etc.), 29 CFR
§1910.120(d)(3) identifies some essential
elements of an effective site control
program.
2. The Exclusion Zone.
A. The Exclusion Zone is the area where
contamination is either known or
expected to occur and the greatest
potential for exposure exists. The outer
boundary of the Exclusion Zone (hot
zone), is called the Hotline. The Hotline
separates the area of contamination from
the rest of the site.
3. The Contamination Reduction Zone (CRZ)
A. As the transition area between the
Exclusion Zone ("hot zone") and the
Support Zone ("cold zone"), the CRZ is
the area in which decontamination
procedures take place. The purpose of
the CRZ is to reduce the possibility that
the Support Zone will become
contaminated or affected by the site
hazards.
B. Because of both distance and
decontamination procedures, the degree
of contamination in the CRZ generally
will decrease as one moves from the
exclusion zone to the support zone.
C. The Contamination Control Line marks
the boundary between the CRZ and the
support zone and separates the clean
areas of the site from those areas used to
decontaminate workers and equipment
(i.e., partially contaminated areas).
4. The Support Zone.
A. The Support Zone (cold zone) is the
uncontaminated area where workers are
unlikely to be exposed to hazardous
substances or dangerous conditions. The
Support Zone is the appropriate location
for the command post, medical station,
equipment and supply center, field
laboratory, and any other administrative
or support functions that are necessary to
keep site operations running efficiently.
B. Because the Support Zone is free from
contamination, personnel working within
it may wear normal work clothes, and
access to and from the area is not
restricted to authorized site personnel.
Any potentially contaminated clothing,
equipment, and samples must remain
outside of the Support Zone until
decontaminated. However, all personnel
located in the Support Zone must receive
instruction in the proper evacuation
procedures in case of a hazardous
substance emergency.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
OBJECTIVES
Protect workers from safety hazards
- Fire
- Noise
- Injury
OBJECTIVES (cont.)
• Protect workers from health hazards
• Toxic hazards
• Radiation hazards
• Biological hazards
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
FACTORS TO DETERMINE
LEVELS OF PROTECTION
• Identification of hazards
- Known and unknown
• Routes of entry
• Performance of Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) materials
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
Level of Protection (A-D)
Level
A
B
C
D
Respiratory
Protection
Supplied air
Supplied air
Air purifying respirator
None
Chemical
Suit
Gas tight suit
Splash suit
Splash suit
None
PERSONAL USE FACTORS
• Facial hair
• Spectacle kits
• Personal hygiene
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
EQUIPMENT LIMITATIONS
• Permeation
• Degradation
• Penetration
• Storage and maintenance
TRAINING
• Familiarize worker with PPE
• Instill confidence
• Increase proficiency of PPE use
• Develop awareness of advantages and
disadvantages of PPE.
RESPIRATOR FIT TEST
• Facepiece to face seal
• Isoamyl acetate protocol
• Saccharin protocol
- Solution/aerosol protocol
• Irritant fume protocol
• Rainbow passage
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
1. Key Selection Factors
A. As required by Hazardous Waste
Operations and Emergency Response
(HAZWOPER), Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) must protect employees
from the specific hazards they are likely
to encounter on-site. Selection of the
appropriate PPE is a complex process
that should take into consideration a
variety of factors. Key factors should
include: (1) identification of the hazards
or suspected hazards; (2) potential
exposure routes (e.g., inhalation, skin
absorption, etc.); and (3) the performance
of the PPE materials and seams in
providing a barrier to these hazards.
2. Levels of Protection
A. Level A: Is the highest level of
protection. Level A is required when the
greatest potential for exposure to hazards
exists, and when the greatest level of
skin, respiratory, and eye protection is
required. The following are examples of
appropriate Level A equipment: positive
pressure, full face-piece self-contained
breathing apparatus (SCBA) or positive
pressure supplied air respirator with
escape SCBA; totally-encapsulating
chemical-protective suit; inner and/or
outer chemical-resistant gloves; and
disposable protective suit, gloves, and
boots.
B. Level B: Is required under circumstances
requiring the highest level of respiratory
protection, with a lesser level of skin
protection. Potential Level B equipment
includes: positive pressure, full face-
piece SCBA or positive pressure supplied
air respirator with escape SCBA; inner
and/or outer chemical-resistant gloves;
face shield; hooded chemical resistant
clothing; coveralls; and outer chemical-
resistant boots.
(1) Level B is the minimum level of
protection for initial site entry.
C. Level C: Is required when the
concentration and type of airborne
substances is known, and the criteria for
using air purifying respirators is met.
Typical Level C equipment includes: full-
face air-purifying respirators, inner and
outer chemical-resistant gloves, hard hat,
escape mask, and disposable chemical-
resistant outer boots.
D. Level D: Is the lowest level of
protection. Appropriate Level D
protective equipment may include:
gloves, coveralls, safety glasses, face
shield, and chemical-resistant steel-toe
boots or shoes. Level D protection is
primarily a work uniform. This
protection is sufficient under the
following conditions: No contaminants
are present; or Work operations preclude
splashes, immersion, or the potential for
unexpected inhalation of or contact with
hazardous levels of any chemicals.
3. Personal Use Factors and Equipment
Limitations
A. Certain personal features of workers may
jeopardize safety during equipment use.
Prohibitive or precautionary measures
should be taken as necessary for the
following personal features:
B. Facial hair and long hair that passes
between the face and the sealing surface
of the respirator should be prohibited
because it interferes with respirator fit
and wearer vision, allowing excessive
contaminant penetration. Long hair must
be effectively contained within protective
hair coverings.
C. Eyeglasses with conventional temple
pieces will interfere with the respirator-
to-face seal of a full face-piece. A
spectacle kit should be installed in the
face masks of workers requiring vision
correction, providing a gas-tight seal.
Contact lenses may trap contaminants
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
and/or paniculate between the lens and
the eye, causing irritation.
4. Training and Fit Testing
A. Site workers should be trained in the
proper use of protective equipment prior
to using any PPE on-site. The purpose of
training is to: (1) become familiar with
the equipment in a nonhazardous
situation; (2) instill confidence and
awareness in the user of the limitations
and capabilities of the equipment; (3)
increase the operating and protective
efficiency of PPE use; and (4) reduce
maintenance expenses.
B. The fit testing of the respirator begins
with the facepiece-to-face seal of a
respirator to the worker's face. The fit test
is performed to ensure a tight seal; every
facepiece does not fit every wearer.
Certain features, such as scars, very
prominent cheekbones, deep skin creases,
dentures or missing teeth, and the
chewing of gum and tobacco may
interfere with the respirator-to-face seal.
Under conditions where these features
may impede a good seal, a respirator must
not be worn.
C. For a qualitative respirator fit testing
protocol, see 29 CFR 1910.134 Appendix
A. For specific quantitative testing
protocols, literature supplied by
manufacturers of quantitative fit testing
equipment should be consulted.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING.
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
Excerpt from:
OSHA Technical Manual
SECTION VIII: CHAPTER 1
I. CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
A. Introduction
1. The purpose of chemical protective
clothing and equipment is to shield or
isolate individuals from the chemical,
physical, and biological hazards that
may be encountered during hazardous
materials operations. During chemical
operations, it is not always apparent
when exposure occurs. Many
chemicals pose invisible hazards and
offer no warning properties.
2. These guidelines describe the various
types of clothing that are appropriate
for use in various chemical
operations, and provides
recommendations in their selection
and use. The final paragraph
discusses heat stress and other key
physiological factors that must be
considered in connection with
protective clothing use.
3. It is important that protective clothing
users realize that no single
combination of protective equipment
and clothing is capable of protecting
you against all hazards. Thus
protective clothing should be used in
conjunction with other protective
methods. For example, engineering or
administrative controls to limit
chemical contact with personnel
should always be considered as an
alternative measure for preventing
chemical exposure. The use of
protective clothing can itself create
significant wearer hazards, such as
heat stress, physical and
psychological stress, in addition to
impaired vision, mobility, and
communication. In general, the
greater the level of chemical
protective clothing, the greater the
associated risks. For any given
situation, equipment and clothing
should be selected that provide an
adequate level of protection.
Overprotection as well as under-
protection can be hazardous and
should be avoided.
H. DESCRIPTIONS
A. Protective Clothing Applications
Protective clothing must be worn
whenever the wearer faces potential
hazards arising from chemical exposure.
Some examples include:
1. Emergency response;
2. Chemical manufacturing and process
industries;
3. Hazardous waste site cleanup and
disposal;
4. Asbestos removal and other
paniculate operations; and
5. Agricultural application of pesticides.
6. Within each application, there are
several operations which require
chemical protective clothing. For
example, in emergency response, the
following activities dictate chemical
protective clothing use:
a. Site Survey: The initial
investigation of a hazardous
materials incident; these
situations are usually
characterized by a large degree of
uncertainty and mandate the
highest levels of protection.
b. Rescue: Entering a hazardous
materials area for the purpose of
removing an exposure victim;
special considerations must be
given to how the selected
protective clothing may affect the
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ability of the wearer to carry out
rescue and to the contamination of
the victim.
c. Spill Mitigation: Entering a
hazardous materials area to
prevent a potential spill or to
reduce the hazards from an
existing spill (i.e., applying a
chlorine kit on railroad tank car).
Protective clothing must
accommodate the required tasks
without sacrificing adequate
protection.
d. Emergency Monitoring:
Outfitting personnel in protective
clothing for the primary purpose
of observing a hazardous
materials incident without entry
into the spill site. This may be
applied to monitoring contract
activity for spill cleanup.
e. Decontamination: Applying
decontamination procedures to
personnel or equipment leaving
the site; in general a lower level
of protective clothing is used by
personnel involved in
decontamination.
7. The clothing ensemble. The approach
in selecting personal protective
clothing must encompass an
"ensemble" of clothing and
equipment items which are easily
integrated to provide both an
appropriate level of protection and
still allow one to carry out activities
involving chemicals. In many cases,
simple protective clothing by itself
may be sufficient to prevent chemical
exposure, such as wearing gloves in
combination with a splash apron and
face shield (or safety goggles).
The following is a checklist of
components that may form the
chemical protective ensemble:
a. Protective clothing (suit,
coveralls, hoods, gloves, boots);
b. Respiratory equipment (SCBA,
combination SCBA/SAR, air
purifying respirators);
c. Cooling system (ice vest, air
circulation, water circulation);
d. Communications device;
e. Head protection;
f. Eye protection;
g. Ear protection;
h. Inner garment;
i. Outer protection (overgloves,
overboots, flashcover)
8. Factors that affect the selection of
ensemble components include:
a. How each item accommodates the
integration of other ensemble
components. Some ensemble
components may be incompatible
due to how they are worn (e.g.,
some SCBA's may not fit within
a particular chemical protective
suit or allow acceptable mobility
when worn).
b. The ease of interfacing ensemble
components without sacrificing
required performance (e.g. a
poorly fitting overglove that
greatly reduces wearer dexterity).
c. Limiting the number of
equipment items to reduce
donning time and complexity (e.g.
some communications devices are
built into SCBA's which as a unit
are MOSH certified).
B. Level of Protection
Table VIE: 1-1 lists ensemble
components based on the widely used
EPA Levels of Protection: Levels A, B,
C, and D. These lists can be used as the
starting point for ensemble creation;
however, each ensemble must be tailored
to the specific situation in order to
provide the most appropriate level of
protection. For example, if an emergency
response activity involves a highly
contaminated area or if the potential of
contamination is high, it may be
advisable to wear a disposable covering
such as Tyvek® coveralls or PVC splash
suits, over the protective ensemble.
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TABLE VIII: 1-1. EPA LEVELS OF PROTECTION
Level A:
Vapor protective suit (meets NFPA1991) Pressure-demand, full-face SCBA, Inner chemical-resistant
gloves, chemical-resistant safety boots, two-way radio communication.
Optional: Cooling system, outer gloves, hard hat
Protection Provided: Highest available level of respiratory, skin, and eye protection from solid, liquid and
gaseous chemicals.
Used When: The chemical(s) have been identified and have high level of hazards to respiratory system,
skin and eyes. Substances are present with known or suspected skin toxicrty or carcinogenity.
Operations must be conducted in confined or poorly ventilated areas.
Limitations: Protective clothing must resist permeation by the chemical or mixtures present. Ensemble
items must allow integration without loss of performance.
Level B:
Liquid splash-protective suit (meets NFPA 1992)
Pressure-demand, full-facepiece SCBA, Inner chemical-resistant gloves, chemical-resistant safety boots,
two-way radio communications, Hard hat.
Optional: Cooling system, outer gloves
Protection Provided: Provides same level of respiratory protection as Level A, but less skin protection.
Liquid splash protection, but no protection against chemical vapors or gases.
Used When: The chemical(s) have been identified but do not require a high level of skin protection. Initial
site surveys are required until higher levels of hazards are identified. The primary hazards associated
with site entry are from liquid and not vapor contact.
Limitations: Protective clothing items must resist penetration by the chemicals or mixtures present.
Ensemble items must allow integration without loss of performance.
Level C:
Support Function Protective Garment (meets NFPA 1993) Full-facepiece, air-purifying, canister-equipped
respirator Chemical resistant gloves and safety boots Two-way communications system, hard hat
Optional: Face shield, escape SCBA, Protection Provided: The same level of skin protection as Level B,
but a lower level of respiratory protection. Liquid splash protection but no protection to chemical vapors or
gases.
Used When: Contact with site chemical(s) will not affect the skin. Air contaminants have been identified
and concentrations measured. A canister is available which can remove the contaminant. The site and its
hazards have been completely characterized.
Limitations: Protective clothing items must resist penetration by the chemical or mixtures present.
Chemical airborne concentration must be less than IDLH levels. The atmosphere must contain at least
19.5% oxygen.
Not Acceptable for Chemical Emergency Response
Level D:
Coveralls, safety boots/shoes, safety glasses or chemical splash goggles
Optional: Gloves, escape SCBA, face-shield, Protection Provided: No respiratory protection, minimal skin
protection.
Used When: The atmosphere contains no known hazard. Work functions preclude splashes, immersion,
potential for inhalation, or direct contact with hazard chemicals.
Limitations: This level should not be worn in the Hot Zone. The atmosphere must contain at least 19.5%
oxygen.
Not Acceptable for Chemical Emergency Response
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The type of equipment used and the
overall level of protection should be
reevaluated periodically as the amount of
information about the chemical situation
or process increases, and when workers
are required to perform different tasks.
Personnel should upgrade or downgrade
their level of protection only with
concurrence with the site supervisor,
safety officer, or plant industrial
hygienist.
The recommendations in Table VIE: 1-1
serve only as guidelines. It is important
for you to realize that selecting items by
how they are designed or configured
alone is not sufficient to ensure adequate
protection. In other words, just having the
right components to form an ensemble is
not enough. The EPA levels of protection
do not define what performance the
selected clothing or equipment must
offer. Many of these considerations are
described in the "limiting criteria"
column of Table VIII: 1-1. Additional
factors relevant to the various clothing
and equipment items are described in
subsequent Paragraphs.
C. Ensemble Selection Factors
1. Chemical Hazards. Chemicals present
a variety of hazards such as toxicity,
corrosiveness, flammability,
reactivity, and oxygen deficiency.
Depending on the chemicals present,
any combination of hazards may
exist.
2. Physical Environment. Chemical
exposure can happen anywhere: in
industrial settings, on the highways,
or in residential areas. It may occur
either indoors or outdoors; the
environment may be extremely hot,
cold, or moderate; the exposure site
may be relatively uncluttered or
rugged, presenting a number of
physical hazards; chemical handling
activities may involve entering
confined spaces, heavy lifting,
climbing a ladder, or crawling on the
ground. The choice of ensemble
components must account for these
conditions.
3. Duration of Exposure. The protective
qualities of ensemble components
may be limited to certain exposure
levels (e.g. material chemical
resistance, air supply). The decision
for ensemble use time must be made
assuming the worst case exposure so
that safety margins can be applied to
increase the protection available to
the worker.
4. Protective Clothing or Equipment
Available. Hopefully, an array of
different clothing or equipment is
available to workers to meet all
intended applications. Reliance on
one particular clothing or equipment
item may severely limit a facility's
ability to handle a broad range of
chemical exposures. In its acquisition
of equipment and clothing, the safety
department or other responsible
authority should attempt to provide a
high degree of flexibility while
choosing protective clothing and
equipment that is easily integrated
and provides protection against each
conceivable hazard.
D. Classification of Protective Clothing
Personal protective clothing includes the
following:
1. Fully encapsulating suits;
2. Non-encapsulating suits;
3. Gloves, boots, and hoods;
4. Firefighter's protective clothing;
5. Proximity, or approach clothing;
6. Blast or fragmentation suits; and
7. Radiation-protective suits.
Firefighter turnout clothing, proximity
gear, blast suits, and radiation suits by
themselves are not acceptable for
providing adequate protection from
hazardous chemicals.
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Table VIII: 1-2 describes various types of protection clothing available, details the type of
protection they offer, and lists factors to consider in their selection and use.
TABLE VIII: 1-2. TYPES OF CLOTHING FOR FULL BODY PROTECTION
Description
Type of Protection
Use Considerations
Fully encapsulating suit One-
piece garment Boots and
gloves may be integral, attached
and replaceable, or separate.
Protects against splashes,
dust gases, and vapors.
Does not allow body heat to escape. May
contribute to heat stress in wearer,
particularly if worn in conjunction with
a closed-circuit SCBA; a cooling garment
may be needed. Impairs worker
mobility vision, and communication.
Non-encapsulating suit
Jacket, hood, pants or
bib overalls, and one-piece
coveralls.
Protects against splashes, dust,
and other materials but not against
gases and vapors. Does not
protect parts of head or neck.
Do not use where gas-tight or pervasive
splashing protection is required. May
contribute to heat stress in wearer.
Tape-seal connections between pant
cuffs and boots and between gloves and
sleeves.
Aprons, leggings, and sleeve
protectors Fully sleeved and
gloved apron. Separate
coverings for arms and legs.
Commonly worn over
non-encapsulating suit
Provides additional splash
protection of chest, forearms,
and legs.
Whenever possible, should be used over
a non-encapsulating suit to minimize
potential heat stress. Useful for
sampling, labeling, and analysis
operations. Should be used only when
there is a low probability of total body
contact with contaminants.
Firefighters' protective clothing
Gloves, helmet, running or
bunker coat, running or bunker
pants (NFPA No. 1971, 1972,
1973, and boots (1974).
Protects against heat, hot water,
and some particles. Does not
protect against gases and vapors,
or chemical permeation or
degradation. NFPA Standard
No. 1971 specifies that a garment
consists of an outer shell, an inner
liner and a vapor barrier with a
minimum water penetration of
25 Ib/in2 (1.8 kg/cm2) to prevent
passage of hot water.
Decontamination is difficult Should not
be worn in areas where protection
against gases, vapors, chemical
splashes or permeation is required.
Proximity garment (approach
suit) One- or two-piece
overgarment with boot covers,
gloves, and hood of aluminized
nylon or cotton fabric. Normally
worn over other protective
clothing, firefighters' bunker gear,
or flame-retardant coveralls.
Protects against splashes,
dust, gases, and vapors.
Does not allow body heat to escape.
May contribute to heat stress in wearer,
particularly if worn in conjunction with
a closed-circuit SCBA; a cooling garment
may be needed. Impairs worker mobility,
vision, and communication.
Blast and fragmentation suit
Blast and fragmentation vests
and clothing, bomb blankets,
and bomb carriers.
Provides some protection
against very small detonations.
Bomb blankets and baskets can
help redirect a blast.
Does not provide for hearing protection.
Radiation-contamination
protective suit Various types of
protective clothing designed to
prevent contamination of the
body by radioactive particles.
Protects against alpha and beta
particles. Does not protect against
gamma radiation.
Designed to prevent skin contamination.
If radiation is detected on site, consult an
experienced radiation expert and
evacuate personnel until the radiation
hazard has been evaluated.
Flame/Tire retardant coveralls
Normally worn as an
undergarment.
Provides protection from flash fires.
Adds bulk and may exacerbate heat
stress problems and impair mobility
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E. Classification of Chemical Protective
Clothing. Table VIII: 1-3 provides a
listing of clothing classifications.
Clothing can be classified by design,
performance, and service life.
TABLE VIII: 1-3. CLASSIFICATION OF CHEM. PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
By Design
By Performance
By Service Life
glovesboots aprons, jackets,
coveralls, full body suits
participate protection
liquid-splash protection
vapor protection
single use
limited use reusable
Categorizing clothing by design is mainly
a means for describing what areas of the
body the clothing item is intended to
protect.
In emergency response, hazardous waste
site cleanup, and dangerous chemical
operations, the only acceptable types of
protective clothing include fully or totally
encapsulating suits and non-encapsulating
or "splash" suits plus accessory clothing
items such as chemically resistant gloves
or boots. These descriptions apply to how
the clothing is designed and not to its
performance.
1. Performance. The National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) has
classified suits by their performance
as:
a. Vapor-protective suits (NFPA
Standard 1991) provide "gas-
tight" integrity and are intended
for response situations where no
chemical contact is permissible.
This type of suit would be
equivalent to the clothing required
in EPA's Level A.
b. Liquid splash-protective suits
(NFPA Standard 1992) offer
protection against liquid
chemicals in the form of splashes,
but not against continuous liquid
contact or chemical vapors or
gases. Essentially, the type of
clothing would meet the EPA
Level B needs. It is important to
note, however, that by wearing
liquid splash-protective clothing,
the wearer accepts exposure to
chemical vapors or gases because
this clothing does not offer gas-
tight performance. The use of
duct tape to seal clothing
interfaces does not provide the
type of wearer encapsulation
necessary for protection against
vapors or gases.
c. Support function protective
garments (NFPA Standard 1993)
must also provide liquid splash
protection but offer limited
physical protection. These
garments may comprise several
separate protective clothing
components (i.e., coveralls,
hoods, gloves, and boots). They
are intended for use in non-
emergency, nonflammable
situations where the chemical
hazards have been completely
characterized. Examples of
support functions include
proximity to chemical processes,
decontamination, hazardous waste
clean-up, and training. Support
function protective garments
should not be used in chemical
emergency response or in
situations where chemical hazards
remain uncharacterized.
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d. These NFPA standards define
minimum performance
requirements for the manufacture
of chemical protective suits. Each
standard requires rigorous testing
of the suit and the materials that
comprise the suit in terms of
overall protection, chemical
resistance, and physical
properties. Suits that are found
compliant by an independent
certification and testing
organization may be labeled by
the manufacturer as meeting the
requirements of the respective
NFPA standard. Manufacturers
also have to supply
documentation showing all test
results and characteristics of their
protective suits.
e. Protective clothing should
completely cover both the wearer
and his or her breathing
apparatus. In general, respiratory
protective equipment is not
designed to resist chemical
contamination. Level A protection
(vapor-protective suits) require
this configuration. Level B
ensembles may be configured
either with the SCB A on the
outside or inside. However, it is
strongly recommended that the
wearer's respiratory equipment be
worn inside the ensemble to
prevent its failure and to reduce
decontamination problems. Level
C ensembles use cartridge or
canister type respirators which are
generally worn outside the
clothing.
2. Service Life
a. Clothing item service life is an
end user decision depending on
the costs and risks associated with
clothing decontamination and
reuse. For example, a Saranex/
Tyvek® garment may be designed
to be a coverall (covering the
wearer's torso, arms, and legs)
intended for liquid splash
protection, which is disposable
after a single use.
b. Protective clothing may be
labeled as:
(1) Reusable, for multiple
wearings; or
(2) Disposable, for one-time use.
The distinctions between these
types of clothing are both vague
and complicated. Disposable
clothing is generally lightweight
and inexpensive. Reusable
clothing is often more rugged and
costly. Nevertheless, extensive
contamination of any garment
may render it disposable. The
basis of this classification really
depends on the costs involved in
purchasing, maintaining, and
reusing protective clothing versus
the alternative of disposal
following exposure. If an end user
can anticipate obtaining several
uses out of a garment while still
maintaining adequate protection
from that garment at lower cost
than its disposal, the suit becomes
reusable. Yet, the key assumption
in this determination is the
viability of the garment following
exposure. This issue is further
discussed in the Paragraph on
decontamination.
F. Protective Clothing Selection Factor
Clothing design - Manufacturers sell
clothing in a variety of styles and
configurations.
1. Design Considerations.
2. Clothing configuration;
3. Components and options;
4. Sizes;
5. Ease of donning and doffing;
6. Clothing construction;
7. Accommodation of other selected
ensemble equipment;
8. Comfort; and
9. Restriction of mobility.
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G. Material Chemical Resistance. Ideally,
the chosen material(s) must resist
permeation, degradation, and penetration
by the respective chemicals.
1. Permeation is the process by which a
chemical dissolves in or moves
through a material on a molecular
basis. In most cases, there will be no
visible evidence of chemicals
permeating a material.
Permeation breakthrough time is the
most common result used to assess
material chemical compatibility. The
rate of permeation is a function of
several factors such as chemical
concentration, material thickness,
humidity, temperature, and pressure.
Most material testing is done with
100% chemical over an extended
exposure period. The time it takes
chemical to permeate through the
material is the breakthrough time.
An acceptable material is one where
the breakthrough time exceeds the
expected period of garment use.
However, temperature and pressure
effects may enhance permeation and
reduce the magnitude of this safety
factor. For example, small increases
in ambient temperature can
significantly reduce breakthrough
time and the protective barrier
properties of a protective clothing
material.
2. Degradation involves physical
changes in a material as the result of a
chemical exposure, use, or ambient
conditions (e.g. sunlight). The most
common observations of material
degradation are discoloration,
swelling, loss of physical strength, or
deterioration.
3. Penetration is the movement of
chemicals through zippers, seams, or
imperfections in a protective clothing
material.
It is important to note that no material
protects against all chemicals and
combinations of chemicals, and that no
currently available material is an
effective barrier to any prolonged
chemical exposure.
H. Sources of information include:
1. Guidelines for the Selection of
Chemical Protective Clothing, 3rd
Edition. This reference provides a
matrix of clothing material
recommendations for approximately
500 chemicals based on an evaluation
of chemical resistance test data,
vendor literature, and raw material
suppliers. The major limitation for
these guidelines are their presentation
of recommendations by generic
material class. Numerous test results
have shown that similar materials
from different manufacturers may
give widely different performance.
That is to say manufacturer A's butyl
rubber glove may protect against
chemical X, but a butyl glove made
by manufacturer B may not.
2. Quick Selection Guide to Chemical
Protective Clothing. Pocket size
guide that provides chemical
resistance data and recommendations
for 11 generic materials against over
400 chemicals. The guide is color-
coded by material-chemical
recommendation. As with the
"Guidelines..." above, the major
limitation of this reference is its
dependence on generic data.
3. Vendor data or recommendations.
The best source of current
information on material compatibility
should be available from the
manufacturer of the selected clothing.
Many vendors supply charts which
show actual test data or their own
recommendations for specific
chemicals. However, unless vendor
data or the recommendations are well
documented, end users must approach
this information with caution.
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Material recommendations must be
based on data obtained from tests
performed to standard ASTM
methods. Simple ratings of "poor,"
"good," or "excellent" give no
indication of how the material may
perform against various chemicals.
NOTE: Mixtures of chemicals can
be significantly more aggressive
towards protective clothing materials
than any single chemical alone. One
permeating chemical may pull
another with it through the material.
Very little data is available for
chemical mixtures. Other situations
may involve unidentified substances.
In both the case of mixtures and
unknowns, serious consideration must
be given to deciding which protective
clothing is selected. If clothing must
be used without test data, garments
with materials having the broadest
chemical resistance should be worn,
i.e. materials which demonstrate the
best chemical resistance against the
widest range of chemicals.
I. Physical Properties
As with chemical resistance,
manufacturer materials offer wide ranges
of physical qualities in terms of strength,
resistance to physical hazards, and
operation in extreme environmental
conditions. Comprehensive
manufacturing standards such as the
NFPA Standards set specific limits on
these material properties, but only for
limited applications, i.e. emergency
response.
End users in other applications may
assess material physical properties by
posing the following questions:
1. Does the material have sufficient
strength to withstand the physical
strength of the tasks at hand?
2. Will the material resist tears,
punctures, cuts, and abrasions?
3. Will the material withstand repeated
use after contamination and
decontamination?
4. Is the material flexible or pliable
enough to allow end users to perform
needed tasks?
5. Will the material maintain its
protective integrity and flexibility
under hot and cold extremes?
6. Is the material flame-resistant or self-
extinguishing (if these hazards are
present)?
7. Are garment seams in the clothing
constructed so they provide the same
physical integrity as the garment
material?
J. Ease of Decontamination. The degree of
difficulty in decontaminating protective
clothing may dictate whether disposable
or reusable clothing is used, or a
combination of both.
K. Cost. Protective clothing end users must
endeavor to obtain the broadest protective
equipment they can buy with available
resources to meet their specific
application.
L. Chemical Protective Clothing Standards.
Protective clothing buyers may wish to
specify clothing that meets specific
standards, such as 1910.120 or the NFPA
standards (see Paragraph on classification
by performance). The NFPA Standards
do not apply to all forms of protective
clothing and applications.
ffl. General Guidelines
A. Decide if the clothing item is intended to
provide vapor, liquid-splash, or
paniculate protection.
Vapor protective suits also provide liquid
splash and paniculate protection. Liquid
splash protective garments also provide
paniculate protection. Many garments
may be labeled as totally encapsulating
but do not provide gas-tight integrity due
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to inadequate seams or closures. Gas-
tight integrity can only be determined by
performing a pressure or inflation test
and a leak detection test of the respective
protective suit. This test involves:
1. Closing off suit exhalation valves;
2. Inflating the suit to a specified
pressure; and
3. Observing whether the suit holds the
above pressure for a designated
period.
ASTM Standard Practice F1052 (1987
Edition) offers a procedure for
conducting this test.
Splash suits must still cover the entire
body when combined with the respirator,
gloves, and boots. Applying duct tape to
a splash suit does not make it protect
against vapors. Paniculate protective
suits may not need to cover the entire
body, depending on the hazards posed by
the paniculate. In general, gloves, boots
and some form efface protection are
required. Clothing items may only be
needed to cover a limited area of the body
such as gloves on hands. The nature of
the hazards and the expected exposure
will determine if clothing should provide
partial or full body protection.
B. Determine if the clothing item provides
full body protection.
Vapor-protective or totally encapsulating
suit will meet this requirement by passing
gas-tight integrity tests.
Liquid splash-protective suits are
generally sold incomplete (i.e. fewer
gloves and boots).
Missing clothing items must be obtained
separately and match or exceed the
performance of the garment.
Buying a PVC glove for a PVC splash
suit does not mean that you obtain the
same level of protection. This
determination must be made by
comparing chemical resistance data.
C. Evaluate manufacturer chemical
resistance data provided with the
clothing.
Manufacturers of vapor-protective suits
should provide permeation resistance data for
their products, while liquid and paniculate
penetration resistance data should
accompany liquid splash and paniculate
protective garments respectively. Ideally data
should be provided for every primary
material in the suit or clothing item. For
suits, this includes the garment, visor, gloves,
boots, and seams.
Permeation data should include the
following:
1. Chemical name;
2. Breakthrough time (shows how soon the
chemical permeates);
3. Permeation rate (shows the rate that the
chemical comes through);
4. System sensitivity (allows comparison of
test results from different laboratories);
and
5. A citation that the data was obtained in
accordance with ASTM Standard Test
Method F739-85.
If no data are provided or if the data lack any
one of the above items, the manufacturer
should be asked to supply the missing data.
Manufacturers that provide only numerical or
qualitative ratings must support their
recommendations with complete test data.
Liquid penetration data should include a pass
or fail determination for each chemical listed,
and a citation that testing was conducted in
accordance with ASTM Standard Test
Method F903-86. Protective suits which are
certified to NFPA 1991 or NFPA 1992 will
meet all of the above requirements.
Paniculate penetration data should show
some measure of material efficiency in
preventing paniculate penetration in terms of
paniculate type or size and percentage held
out. Unfortunately, no standard tests are
available in this area and end users may have
little basis for company products.
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Suit materials which show no breakthrough
or no penetration to a large number of
chemicals are likely to have a broad range of
chemical resistance. (Breakthrough times
greater than one hour are usually considered
to be an indication of acceptable
performance.) Manufacturers should provide
data on the ASTM Standard Guide F1001-86
chemicals. These 15 liquid and 6 gaseous
chemicals listed in Table VHI:l-4 below
represent a cross-section of different
chemical classes and challenges for
protective clothing materials. Manufacturers
should also provide test data on other
chemicals as well. If there are specific
chemicals within your operating area that
have not been tested, ask the manufacturer
for test data on these chemicals.
TABLE VIII: 1-4. RECOMMENDED CHEMICALS TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING MATERIALS
Chemical
Class
Acetone
Acetonitrile
Ammonia
1,3-Butadiene
Carbon Disutfide
Chlorine
Dichloromethane
Diethylamine
Dimethyl Formamide
Ethyl Acetate
Ethyl Oxide
Hexane
Hydrogen Chloride
Methanol
Methyl Chloride
Nitrobenzene
Sodium Hydroxide
Sulfuric Acid
Tetrachloroethylene
Tetrahydrofuran
Toluene
Ketone
Nitrile
Strong base (gas)
Olefin (gas)
Sulfur-containing organic
Inorganic gas
Chlorinated hydrocarbon
Amine
Amide
Ester
Oxygen heterocydic gas
Aliphatic hydrocarbon
Acid gas
Alcohol
Chlorinated hydrocarbon (gas)
Nitrogen-containing organic
Inorganic base
Inorganic acid
Chlorinated hydrocarbon
Oxygen heterocyclic
Aromatic hydrocarbon
D. Obtain and examine the manufacturer's
instruction or technical manual.
This manual should document all the
features of the clothing, particularly
suits, and describe what materials) are
used in its construction. It should cite
specific limitations for the clothing and
what restrictions apply to its use.
Procedures and recommendations should
be supplied for at least the following:
1. Donning and doffing;
2. Inspection, maintenance, and storage;
3. Decontamination;
4. Use
NOTE: The manufacturer's instructions
should be thorough enough to allow the
end users to wear and use the clothing
without a large number of questions.
PAGE 18
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
E. Obtain and inspect sample clothing item
garments.
Examine the quality of clothing
construction and other features that will
impact its wearing. The questions listed
under "Protective Clothing Selection
Factors, Clothing Design" should be
considered. If possible, representative
clothing items should be obtained in
advance and inspected prior to purchase,
and discussed with someone who has
experience in their use. It is also helpful
to try out representative garments prior to
purchase by suiting personnel in the
garment and having them run through
exercises to simulate expected activities.
F. Field selection of chemical protective
clothing.
Even when end users have gone through
a very careful selection process, a number
of situations will arise when no
information is available to judge whether
their protective clothing will provide
adequate protection. These situations
include:
1. Chemicals that have not been tested
with the garment materials;
2. Mixtures of two or more different
chemicals;
3. Chemicals that cannot be readily
identified;
4. Extreme environmental conditions
(hot temperatures); and
5. Lack of data in all clothing
components (e.g. seams, visors).
Testing material specimens using newly
developed field test kits may offer one
means for making an on-site clothing
selection. A portable test kit has been
developed by the EPA using a simple
weight loss method that allows field
qualification of protective clothing
materials within one hour. Use of this kit
may overcome the absence of data and
provide additional criteria for clothing
selection.
Selection of chemical protective clothing
is a complex task and should be
performed by personnel with both
extensive training and experience.
Under all conditions, clothing should be
selected by evaluating its performance
characteristics against the requirements
and limitations imposed by the
application.
IV. MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
A. Written Management Program
A written Chemical Protective Clothing
Management Program should be
established by all end users who routinely
select and use protective clothing.
Reference should be made to 29 CFR
§1910.120 for those covered.
The written management program should
include policy statements, procedures,
and guidelines. Copies should be made
available to all personnel who may use
protective clothing in the course of their
duties or job. Technical data on clothing,
maintenance manuals, relevant
regulations, and other essential
information should also be made
available.
The two basic objectives of any
management program should be to
protect the wearer from safety and health
hazards, and to prevent injury to the
wearer from incorrect use and/or
malfunction of the chemical protective
clothing. To accomplish these goals, a
comprehensive management program
should include: hazard identification;
medical monitoring; environmental
surveillance; selection, use, maintenance,
and decontamination of chemical
protective clothing; and training.
B. Program Review and Evaluation. The
management program should be reviewed
at least annually. Elements which should
be considered in the review include:
1. The number of person-hours that
personnel wear various forms of
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
chemical protective clothing and other
equipment;
2. Accident and illness experience;
3. Levels of exposure;
4. Adequacy of equipment selection;
5. Adequacy of the operational
guidelines;
6. Adequacy of decontamination,
cleaning, inspection, maintenance,
and storage programs;
7. Adequacy and effectiveness of
training and fitting programs;
8. Coordination with overall safety and
health program;
9. The degree of fulfillment of program
objectives;
10. The adequacy of program records;
11. Recommendations for program
improvement and modification; and
12. Program costs.
The results of the program evaluation
should be made available to all end users
and presented to top management so that
program changes may be implemented.
C. Types of Standard Operating Procedures.
Personal protective clothing and
equipment can offer a high degree of
protection only if it is used properly.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's)
should be established for all workers
involved in handling hazardous
chemicals. Areas that should be
addressed include:
1. Selection of protective ensemble
components;
2. Protective clothing and equipment
donning, doffing, and use;
3. Decontamination procedures;
4. Inspection, storage, and maintenance
of protective clothing/equipment; and
5. Training.
D. Selection of Protective Clothing
Components.
Protective clothing and equipment SOP's
must take into consideration the factors
presented in the Clothing Ensemble and
Protective Clothing Applications
Paragraphs of this chapter. All clothing
and equipment selections should provide
a decision tree that relates chemical
hazards and information to levels of
protection and performance needed.
Responsibility in selecting appropriate
protective clothing should be vested in a
specific individual who is trained in both
chemical hazards and protective clothing
use such as a safety officer or industrial
hygienist. Only chemical protective suits
labeled as compliant with the appropriate
performance requirements should be
used. In cases where the chemical
hazards are known in advance or
encountered routinely, clothing selection
should be predetermined. That is, specific
clothing items should be identified in
specific chemical operations without the
opportunity for individual selection of
other clothing items.
E. Clothing Donning, Doffing, and Use.
The procedures below are given for vapor
protective or liquid-splash protective suit
ensembles and should be included in the
training program.
1. Donning the Ensemble.
A routine should be established and
practiced periodically for donning the
various ensemble configurations that
a facility or team may use. Assistance
should be provided for donning and
doffing since these operations are
difficult to perform alone, and solo
efforts may increase the possibility of
ensemble damage.
The following lists sample procedures
for donning a totally encapsulating
suit/SCBA ensemble. These
procedures should be modified
depending on the suit and accessory
equipment used. The procedures
PAGE 20
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
assume the wearer has previous
training in respirator use and
decontamination procedures.
Once the equipment has been donned,
its fit should be evaluated. If the
clothing is too small, it will restrict
movement, increase the likelihood of
tearing the suit material, and
accelerate wearer fatigue. If the
clothing is too large, the possibility of
snagging the material is increased,
and the dexterity and coordination of
the wearer may be compromised. In
either case, the wearer should be
recalled and better-fitting clothing
provided.
Sample Donning Procedures
1. Inspect clothing and respiratory
equipment before donning (see
Paragraph on Inspection).
2. Adjust hard hat or headpiece if
worn, to fit user's head.
3. Open back closure used to change
air tank (if suit has one) before
donning suit.
4. Standing or sitting, step into the
legs of the suit; ensure proper
placement of the feet within the
suit; then gather the suit around
the waist.
5. Put on chemical-resistant safety
boots over the feet of the suit.
Tape the leg cuff over the tops of
the boots. If additional chemical-
resistant safety boots are required,
put these on now. Some one-
piece suits have heavy-soled
protective feet. With these suits,
wear short, chemical resistant
safety boots inside the suit.
6. Put on air tank and harness
assembly of the SCBA. Don the
facepiece and adjust it to be
secure, but comfortable. Do not
connect the breathing hose. Open
valve on air tank.
7. Perform negative and positive
respirator facepiece seal test
procedures. To conduct a
negative-pressure test, close the
inlet part with the palm of the
hand or squeeze the breathing
tube so it does not pass air, and
gently inhale for about 10
seconds. Any inward rushing of
air indicates a poor fit. Note that a
leaking facepiece may be drawn
tightly to the face to form a good
seal, giving a false indication of
adequate fit. To conduct a
positive-pressure test, gently
exhale while covering the
exhalation valve to ensure that a
positive pressure can be built up.
Failure to build a positive
pressure indicates a poor fit.
Depending on type of suit:
8. Put on long-sleeved inner gloves
(similar to surgical gloves).
Secure gloves to sleeves, for suits
with detachable gloves (if not
done prior to entering the suit).
Additional overgloves, worn over
attached suit gloves, may be
donned later.
9. Put sleeves of suit over arms as
assistant pulls suit up and over the
SCBA. Have assistant adjust suit
around SCBA and shoulders to
ensure unrestricted motion.
10. Put on hard hat, if needed.
11. Raise hood over head carefully so
as not to disrupt face seal of
SCBA mask. Adjust hood to give
satisfactory comfort.
12. Begin to secure the suit by closing
all fasteners on opening until
there is only adequate room to
connect the breathing hose.
Secure all belts and/or adjustable
leg, head, and waistbands.
13. Connect the breathing hose while
opening the main valve.
14. Have assistant first ensure that
wearer is breathing properly and
then make final closure of the
suit.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE21
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06 Personal Protective Equipment
15. Have assistant check all closures.
16. Have assistant observe the wearer
for a period of time to ensure that
the wearer is comfortable,
psychologically stable, and that
the equipment is functioning
properly.
,, HEALTH ANDSAFETYilGHT-HOURJRAINING
-------
HAZARD RECOGNITION
EXERCISE
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Student Performance Obj
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-------
07 Hazard Recognition Exercise
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
HAZARD RECOGNITION EXERCISE
Your site entry team has just found nine steel drums labeled methyl chloroform solvent in the
storage shed located West of the control building. The building has one open door on the south
side of the building. The building has a rusty sheet metal roof. The floor is concrete. The floor is
six inches below ground level. There is a concrete ramp from the door to the floor of the
building. The ramp can be used to drum dolly out the solvent drums.
Your site entry team is in Level B Protection with 30 minute SCBA and Saranex coated chemical
suits. They have a CGI with oxygen meter, PID/with a 10.2 eV lamp, and pH paper. The
instrument readings are provided here:
Instrument Readings
Oxygen:
LEL:
PID:
pH Paper
20.8%
1%
0
Light Red
The site East of the control building has been investigated and sampled and is free of
contamination. The wind is from East to West at 6 mph. There are locked gates on the left and
right side of the road just North of the control building. You have the keys to these gates.
There are pools of liquid about 1/4 inch deep on the floor of the storage building. Some drums
may have small leaks. The roof of the storage building does leak, and some liquid on the floor
may be rain water. All of the drums still have the manufactures seal on the bungs.
Here is the objective of this exercise: The solvent drums need to be removed off site. Assess
the hazards of the solvent drums and decide if the entry team can safety remove the drums
with a drum dotty.
The site entry team may have additional information. The instructor represents this team.
Key Safety Checks
Evaluate the instrument readings:
Oxygen
LEL
PID
PH
2. Evaluate the chemical hazards: Use the
attached NIOSH Pocket Guide
worksheet for the chemical hazard
evaluation.
3. Any other chemicals present?
4. Is the saranex coated chemical suit
compatible with Methyl Chloroform?
5. Is the saranex coated chemical suit
compatible with any other chemicals
present?
6. Select the appropriate level of protection for
the entry team to accomplish their task:
Level A
Level B
Level C
Level D
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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07 Hazard Recognition Exercise
Recommendations for Chemical Protective Clothing
A Companion to the
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
Table H
Chemical
Hydrazine
Hydrogenated
terphenyls
Hydrogen
iromide
Bydrogen
chloride
Hydrogen
cyanide
Hydrogen
fluoride (as F)
Hydrogen
>eroxide
Hydrogen
sulfidc
CAS No.
302-01-2
61788-32-7
10035-10-6
7647-01-0
74-90-8
7664-39-3
7722-84-1
Recommendation for
skin protection1'
Prevent skin contact
Prevent skin contact
Prevent skin contact
(solution)/ Frostbite
Prevent skin contact
(solution)/ Frostbite
Prevent skin contact
Prevent skin contact (liquid)
Prevent skin contact
Prevent skin contact/ Frostbite
Recommended
protective clothing
barriers*
8 hr: Butyl, Neoprene, Nitrile, PVC, Teflon, Saranex,
Barricade, Responder
4 hr: PE/EVAL
Contact the manufacturer for recommendations
4 hr: Teflon
Prevent possible skin freezing from direct liquid contact
8hr. Butyl, Teflon, Saranex, Barricade, Responder,
Trellchem, Tychem
4 hr: Neoprene, PVC
Prevent possible skin freezing from direct liquid contact
8 hr: Teflon
4 hr: PE/EVAL, Responder, Tychem
8 hr: Tychem
4 hr: Teflon
(solution 30%-70%)
8 hr: Butyl, Natural, Nitrile, PE, Viton, CPF3,
Responder, Tychem
4 hr: PVC, PE/EVAL
8 hr: Tychem
4 hr: Teflon
Prevent possible skin freezing from direct liquid contact
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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07 Hazard Recognition Exercise
Recommendations for Chemical Protective Clothing
A Companion to the
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
Table M
Chemical
CAS No.
Recommendation for
skin protection*
Recommended
protective clothing
barriers*
Mercury compounds
except (organo)
alkyls] (as Hg)
Mercury (organo) alkyl
compounds (as Hg)
tf ethyl bromide
Methyl Cellosolve®
Methyl Cellosolve®
acetate
Methyl chloride
Methyl
chloroform
Methylcyclohexane
?metaT)~76 P^ent skin contact
74-83-9
109-86-4
110-49-6
74-87-3
71-55-6
108-87-2
Prevent skin contact
Prevent skin contact (liquid)
Prevent skin contact
3revent skin contact
Prevent skin contact/
Frostbite
Jrevent skin contact
Prevent skin contact
Contact the manufacturer for recommendations for
the specific compound
Contact the manufacturer for recommendations for
the specific compound
8 hr: Responder, Tychem
4 hr: Butyl, Neoprene, Teflon
8 hr: Butyl, Tychem
4 hr: PE/EVAL
8 hr: Butyl, Tychem
4 hrSaranex, PE/EVAL
8 hr: Viton, Saranex, Barricade, Responder,
rrellchem, Tychem
4 hr: Teflon
Prevent possible skin freezing from direct liquid
contact
8 hr: PVA, Viton, PE/EVAL, Barricade, CPF3,
Responder, Tychem
4 hr: Teflon
Contact the manufacturer for recommendations
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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07 Hazard Recognition Exercise
Prevent skin
contact...
Recommendations for skin protection
Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent skin contact. Suggested barriers for use
should be confirmed with the vendor and for additional information and use limitations.
Frostbite Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent the skin from becoming frozen from
contact with the evaporating liquid or from contact with vessels containing the liquid.
N.R.
No specific recommendation can be made. Actual working conditions will determine the need
and type of personal protective equipment.
fBold type indicates a change from or an addition to what is published in the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical
Hazards, June 1997 Edition.
Recommended protective clothing barriers'
Butyl = Butyl Rubber (Gloves, Suits, Boots)
Natural = Natural Rubber (Gloves)
Neoprene = Neoprene Rubber (Gloves, Suits, Boots)
Nitrile = Nitrile Rubber (Gloves, Suits, Boots)
'£ = Polyethylene (Gloves, Suits, Boots)
VA = Polyvinyl Alcohol (Gloves)
VC = Polyvinyl Chloride (Gloves, Suits, Boots)
eflon = Teflon™ (Gloves, Suits, Boots)
Viton = Viton™ (Gloves, Suits)
Saranex = Saranex™ coated suits
PE/EVAL = 4H™ and Silver Shield™ brand gloves
Barricade = Barricade™ coated suits
CPF3 = CPF3™ suits
Responder = Responder™ suits
Trellchem = Trellchem HPS™ suits
Fychem = Tychem 10000™ suits
8 hr = More than 8 hours of resistance to breakthrough X). 1 g/cm2/min.
4 hr = At least 4 but less than 8 hours of resistance to breakthrough X). 1 g/cmVmin.
•Neoprene is a tradename and Teflon™, Barricade™ and Tychem 10000™ are trademarks of the DuPont
Company. Viton™ is a registered trademark of DuPont Dow Elastomers. Saranex is a tradename of the Dow
Chemical Company. 4H is a trademark of the Safety 4 Company. Silver Shield is a trademark of the Siebe North
Company. CPF3 and Responder are trademarks of the Kappter Company. Trellchem HPS is a trademark of the
Trdleborg Company. Recommendations are NOT valid for very thin Natural Rubber, Neoprene, Nitrile, and
PVC gloves (0.3 mm or less).
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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07 Hazard Recognition Exercise
Chemical Storage
Warehouse
Drums Loading
and
Control Building
Sewage Treatment
Facility and
Leach Field
Leaking Drums in
Storage Building
Emergency
Holding Basin T"
Drums in
Landfill
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE ,7
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HEAT AND COLD STRESS
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-------
08 Heat and Cold Stress
HEAT
AND
COLD
STRESS
HEAT STRESS AND COLD STRESS
AT HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES
• The cause of illness and injuries on
many sites
• Heat/cold stress factors should be
part of PPE selection process
• Included in medical monitoring for
site workers
A CONTROL PROGRAM FOR
HEAT/COLD STRESS
• Medical supervision
• Orientation and training
• Work/rest schedules and fluid
replacement
• Environmental monitoring
• Engineering and administrative
controls PPE
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE 3
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08 Heat and Cold Stress
HEAT STRESS CONSIDERATIONS
Can cause serious illness or injury
Interacting factors
- Environmental conditions
- PPE
- Workload
- Individual characteristics
HEAT STRESS
CONSIDERATIONS (cont.)
• Can occur within 15 minutes
• Early stages:
- Rashes
- Cramps
- Drowsiness
• Continued heat stress can lead to
heat stroke
HEAT STRESS AND PPE
• PPE may limit dissipation of
body heat
• Initiate heat stress monitoring
before entry
• Must monitor for heat stress
when temperature is above
70 degrees F
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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08 Heat and Cold Stress
MONITORING FOR HEAT STRESS
• Heart rate exceeds 110 beats per minute
- Shorten work cycle by 1/3
• Oral temperature exceeds 99.6 degrees F
- Short work cycle by 1/3
• Oral temperature exceeds 100.6 degrees F
- Workers should not wear PPE
PREVENTING HEAT STRESS
• Adjust work and rest cycles
• Provide shelter or shaded area
• Maintain body fluids
• Provide cooling devices
• Ensure proper training and
acclimation
COLD EXPOSURE HAZARDS
May result in frostbite or
hypothermia
May impair ability to work
Exposure to wind may
increase cold exposure
danger
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGES
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08 Heat and Cold Stress
HEAT AND COLD STRESS
1. Heat Stress
A. All workers, even those not wearing
protective equipment, should be
monitored, because the incidence of heat
stress depends on a variety of factors and
can affect any worker. Monitoring
should be initiated before initial entry and
should be continued during each break
cycle. Some general guidelines include:
B. For workers wearing permeable clothing,
monitor for signs of heat stress and
follow established work/rest schedules.
C. For workers wearing semipermeable or
impermeable encapsulating ensembles,
workers should also be monitored when
the temperature in the work area is above
70oF (21oC). Below 70oF, monitoring is
considered on a case-by-case basis.
2. Personnel monitoring for heat stress.
A. Heart Rate. Count the radial pulse during
a 30-second period as early as possible in
the rest period. If the heart rate exceeds
110 beats per minute at the beginning of
the rest period, shorten the next work
cycle by one-third and keep the rest
period the same. If the heart rate still
exceeds 110 beats per minute at the next
rest period, shorten the following work
cycle by one-third.
B. Oral Temperature. Use of clinical
thermometer (3 minutes under the
tongue) or similar device to measure the
oral temperature at the end of the work
period (before drinking). If oral
temperature exceeds 99.6°F (37.6°C),
shorten the next work cycle by one-third
without changing the rest period. If oral
temperature still exceeds 99.6°F (37.6°C)
at the beginning of the next rest period,
shorten the following work cycle by one-
third. Do not permit a worker to wear a
semipermeable or impermeable garment
when his/her oral temperature exceeds
100.6°F(38.1°C).
3. Preventing Heat Stress.
A. To protect against heat stress, it is
important to choose the appropriate level
of protection, to provide careful training
for workers and site personnel, and to
monitor frequently personnel who wear
protective clothing. It is also important
to ensure that work and rest periods are
scheduled regularly, and that workers
frequently replace lost fluids (it is not
uncommon for workers to lose as many
as 6 to 8 quarts of water in a hot shift).
B. Proper training and preventive measures
will help avert serious illness and loss of
work productivity caused by heat stress.
Preventing heat stress is particularly
important because on incident of heat
stress will increase the likelihood of
future incidences.
4. Cold Stress.
A. Recognizing the early signs and
symptoms of cold stress can help prevent
serious injury. Described below are the
most common types of cold injury and
their monitoring signals.
a. Hypothermia. The first symptoms of
hypothermia are uncontrollable
shivering and the sensation of cold;
the heartbeat slows and sometimes
becomes irregular, the pulse
weakens, and the blood pressure
changes. Severe shaking or rigid
muscles may be caused by bursts of
body energy and changes in the
body's chemistry. Uncontrollable
fits of shivering, vague or slow
slurred speech, memory lapses,
incoherence and drowsiness are
some of the symptoms that can
occur. Other symptoms that can be
seen before complete collapse are
cool skin, slow and irregular
breathing, low blood pressure,
apparent exhaustion, and fatigue
after rest.
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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08 Heat and Cold Stress
b. As the core body temperature drops,
the victim may become listless,
confused, and make little or no
attempt to keep warm. Pain in the
extremities can be the first warning
of dangerous exposure to cold.
Severe shivering must be taken as a
sign of danger. If the body core
temperature reaches about 85°F,
significant and dangerous drops of
blood pressure, pulse rate, and
respiration can occur. In some cases,
the victim may die.
c. Frostbite. Frostbite can occur
without hypothermia when the
extremities do not receive sufficient
heat from central body stores. This
can occur because of inadequate
circulation and/or insulation.
Frostbite occurs when there is
freezing of the fluids around the cells
of the body tissues due to extremely
low temperatures. Frostbite may
result in damage to and loss of
tissue, and usually affects the nose,
cheeks, ears, fingers, and toes.
Damage from frostbite can be
serious (e.g., scarring, tissue death
resulting in amputation, and
permanent loss of movement in the
affected parts).
A. The freezing point of the skin is about
30°F(-1°C). As wind velocity increases,
heat loss is greater and frostbite will
occur more rapidly. If skin comes into
contact with objects colder that freezing
(e.g., tools or machinery), frostbite may
develop at the point of contact, even in
warmer environments.
B. There are three degrees of frostbite: first
degree, which is freezing without
blistering or peeling; second degree,
which is freezing with blistering or
peeling; and third degree, which is
freezing with tissue death. It is important
to remember that the victim is often
unaware of the frostbite until someone
else observes the symptoms.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE?
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08 Heat and Cold Stress
OSHA Fact Sheets
01/01/1995 - Protecting Workers in Hot
Environments
Record Type: Fact Sheets
Subject: Protecting Workers in Hot
Environments
• Information Date: 01/01/1995
• Fact Sheet: 95-16
Fact Sheet No. OSHA 95-16
PROTECTING WORKERS IN HOT
ENVIRONMENTS
Many workers spend some part of their working
day in a hot environment. Workers in foundries,
laundries, construction projects, and bakeries —
to name a few industries — often face hot
conditions which pose special hazards to safety
and health.
HEAT STRESS CAUSES BODY REACTIONS
Four environmental factors affect the amount of
stress a worker faces in a hot work area:
temperature, humidity, radiant heat (such as from
the sun or a furnace) and air velocity. Perhaps
most important to the level of stress an
individual faces are personal characteristics such
as age, weight, fitness, medical condition and
acclimatization to the heat.
The body reacts to high external temperature by
circulating blood to the skin which increases skin
temperature and allows the body to give off its
excess heat through the skin. However, if the
muscles are being used for physical labor, less
blood is available to flow to the skin and release
the heat.
Sweating is another means the body uses to
maintain a stable internal body temperature in
the face of heat. However, sweating is effective
only if the. humidity level is low enough to
permit evaporation and if the fluids and salts lost
are adequately replaced.
Of course there are many steps a person might
choose to take to reduce the risk of heat stress,
such as moving to a cooler place, reducing the
work pace or load, or removing or loosening
some clothing.
When the body cannot dispose of excess heat, it
will store it. When this happens, the body's core
temperature rises and the heart rate increases. As
the body continues to store heat, the individual
begins to lose concentration and has difficulty
focusing on a task, may become irritable or sick
and often loses the desire to drink. The next
stage is most often fainting. Death is possible if
the person is not removed from the heat stress.
HEAT DISORDERS
Heat stroke, the most serious health problem for
workers in hot environments, is caused by the
failure of the body's internal mechanism to
regulate its core temperature. Sweating stops and
the body can no longer rid itself of excess heat.
Signs include (1) mental confusion, delirium,
loss of consciousness, convulsions or coma; (2) a
body temperature of 106°F or higher; and (3) hot
dry skin which may be red, mottled, or bluish.
Victims of heat stroke will die unless treated
promptly. While awaiting medical help, the
victim must be removed to a cool area and his or
her clothing soaked with cool water. He or she
should be fanned vigorously to increase cooling.
Prompt first aid can prevent permanent injury to
the brain and other vital organs.
Heat exhaustion results from loss of fluid
through sweating when a worker has failed to
drink enough fluids or take in enough salt or
both. The worker with heat exhaustion still
sweats but experiences extreme weakness or
fatigue, giddiness, nausea, or headache. The skin
is clammy and moist, the complexion pale or
flushed, and the body temperature normal or
slightly higher. Treatment is usually simple: the
victim should rest in a cool place and drink an
electrolyte solution (a beverage used by athletes
to quickly restore potassium, calcium, and
magnesium salts). Severe cases involving
victims who vomit or lose consciousness may
require longer treatment under medical
supervision.
Heat cramps, painful spasms of the muscles, are
caused when workers drink large quantities of
water but fail to replace their bodies' salt loss.
Tired muscles — those used for performing the
work — are usually the ones most susceptible to
cramps. Cramps may occur during or after
working hours and may be relieved by taking
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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08 Heat and Cold Stress
liquids by mouth or saline solutions
intravenously for quicker relief, if medically
determined to be required.
Fainting (heat syncope) may be a problem for the
worker unacclimatized to a hot environment who
simply stands still in the heat. Victims usually
recover quickly after a brief period of lying
down. Moving around, rather than standing still,
will usually reduce the possibility of fainting.
Heat rash, also known as prickly heat, may occur
in hot and humid environments where sweat is
not easily removed from the surface of the skin
by evaporation. When extensive or complicated
by infection, heat rash can be so uncomfortable
that it inhibits sleep and impedes a worker's
performance or even results in temporary total
disability. It can be prevented by resting in a cool
place and allowing the skin to dry.
PREVENTING HEAT STRESS
Most heat-related health problems can be
prevented or the risk of developing them
reduced. Following a few basic precautions
should lessen heat stress.
1. A variety of engineering controls including
general ventilation and spot cooling by local
exhaust ventilation at points of high heat
production may be helpful. Shielding is
required as protection from radiant heat
sources. Evaporative cooling and mechanical
refrigeration are other ways to reduce heat.
Cooling fans can also reduce heat in hot
conditions. Eliminating steam leaks will also
help. Equipment modifications, the use of
power tools to reduce manual labor and
personal cooling devices or protective
clothing are other ways to reduce the hazards
of heat exposure for workers.
2. Work practices such as providing plenty of
drinking water—as much as a quart per
worker per hour—at the workplace can help
reduce the risk of heat disorders. Training
first aid workers to recognize and treat heat
stress disorders and making the names of
trained staff known to all workers is
essential. Employers should also consider an
individual worker's physical condition when
determining his or her fitness for working in
hot environments. Older workers, obese
workers and personnel on some types of
medication are at greater risk.
3. Alternating work and rest periods with longer
rest periods in a cool area can help workers
avoid heat stress. If possible, heavy work
should be scheduled during the cooler parts
of the day and appropriate protective clothing
provided. Supervisors should be trained to
detect early signs of heat stress and should
permit workers to interrupt their work if they
are extremely uncomfortable.
4. Acclimatization to the heat through short
exposures followed by longer periods of
work in the hot environment can reduce heat
stress. New employees and workers returning
from an absence of two weeks or more
should have 5-day period of acclimatization.
This period should begin with 50 percent of
the normal workload and time exposure the
first day and gradually building up to 100
percent on the fifth day.
5. Employee education is vital so that workers
are aware of the need to replace fluids and
salt lost through sweat and can recognize
dehydration, exhaustion, fainting, heat
cramps, salt deficiency, heat exhaustion, and
heat stroke as heat disorders. Workers should
also be informed of the importance of daily
weighing before and after work to avoid
dehydration.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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DRUM HANDLING
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09 Drum Handling
DRUM HANDLING
DRUM HANDLING:
REGULATORY GUIDANCE
• Regulatory guidance
- 29 CFR 1910.120 G)
• Remote opening procedures for
drums under pressure
• Provide adequate safety gear and
equipment
DRUM HANDLING
PROCEDURES
Check for
• Labels and markings
• Signs of deterioration
• Drums under pressure
• Closed or open top drums
• Type of drum material
- Plastic
- Metal
- Fiber
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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09 Drum Handling
DRUM HANDLING
PROCEDURES (cont.)
Review site background data
Unknown drums
Visual inspection hazards
Exposure hazards
Drum rupture hazards
Hazards of mixing
incompatible waste
DRUM HANDLING
PROCEDURES (cont.)
• Use appropriate equipment
• Explain drum hazards in safety
meetings
• Conduct training on how to handle
drums and containers
• Drums containing radioactive waste
• Shock sensitive drums
• Bulging drums
DRUM HANDLING:
VISUAL INSPECTION
Lab packs
Potential rupture drums
Leaking drums
Spill control
measures and
equipment
*'/
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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09 Drum Handling
DRUM HANDLING:
OPENING PROCEDURES
• Usually opened and sampled in place
• Drums may need to be moved to a
staging area
• Ensure site worker safety during
drum opening
• Use remote opening procedures for
bulging drums
DRUM HANDLING:
SAMPLING PROCEDURES
• Prepare sampling plan
• Identify drums to be sampled
• Select appropriate sampling
equipment
• Develop procedures for opening
drums and taking samples
DRUM HANDLING
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGES
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09 Drum Handling
DRUM HANDLING:
SAMPLING PROCEDURES (cont.)
• Characterize wastes to determine
safe handling SOPs for
- Packaging/bulking
- Transportation
- Treatment
• Compatibility testing process
• Use the HazCat Checklist
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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09 Drum Handling
DRUM HANDLING
1. Accidents may occur during handling of
drums and other hazardous waste containers.
Hazards include detonations, fires,
explosions, vapor generations, and physical
injury. The most significant ways to improve
the safety of drum handling activities at a site
are to keep the operation as remote from
workers as possible, to avoid sudden releases
of chemicals if the operation cannot be
remote, and to provide adequate safety gear
and equipment to the worker if spillage or
contact with the drums is unavoidable.
2. Regulations defining practices and
procedures for safe handling of drums and
other hazardous waste containers include:
A. OSHA regulations (29 CFR Part
§1910.1200) and Part 1926) - general
requirements and standards for storing,
containing, and handling chemicals and
containers, and for maintaining
equipment used for handling materials;
B. EPA regulations (40 CFR parts 264 and
265) - requirements for types of
hazardous waste containers, maintenance
of containers and containment structures,
and design and maintenance of storage
areas; and
C. DOT regulations (49 CFR parts 171
through 178) - requirements for
containers and procedures for shipment
of hazardous wastes.
2. Drum Handling
A. Drums containing radioactive waste
should not be handled until experts in
handling radioactive materials have been
consulted. If a drum is suspected to
contain explosive or shock-sensitive
waste, specialized assistance should be
sought before handling is initiated . If
handling is necessary, extreme caution
should be used and all non-essential
personnel should remain a safe distance
from the handling area. In addition,
continuous communication with the Site
Health and Safety Officer and/or the
command post should be maintained until
handling operations are complete.
B. Drums that may be under internal
pressure can be identified by bulging or
swelling. If a pressurized drum must be
moved, whenever possible, the drum
should be handled with a grabber unit
constructed for explosive containment.
Either move the bulged drum only as far
as necessary to allow seating on firm
ground, or carefully overpack the drum.
Exercise extreme caution when working
with or adjacent to potentially pressurized
drums.
C. Laboratory packs (lab packs) should be
considered to hold explosive or shock-
sensitive wastes until otherwise
characterized. Prior to handling or
transporting lab packs, all non-essential
personnel should move a safe distance
from the handling area. If handling is
required, continuous communication with
the Site Health and Safety Officer and/or
the command post should be maintained
until handling operations are complete.
Once a lab pack has been opened, it
should be inspected and classified
according to the hazards of the wastes to
ensure safe segregation of the lab packs'
contents.
D. If a drum containing a liquid cannot be
moved without rupture, its contents
should be immediately transferred to a
sound drum. Leaking drums that contain
sludges or semi-solids, open drums that
contain liquid or solid waste, and
deteriorated drums that can be moved
without rupture should be placed in
overpack containers.
E. Prior to initiating subsurface excavation,
ground-penetrating systems should be
used to confirm the location and depth of
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
PAGE?
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09 Drum Handling
drums. Soil should be removed with
caution to minimize the potential for
drum rupture. In addition, a dry chemical
fire extinguisher should be available to
control small fires.
3. Drum Opening
A. Drums are usually opened and sampled in
place during site investigations.
However, remedial and emergency
operations may require a separate drum
opening area.
B. Keep personnel at a safe distance from
the drums being opened; place explosion-
resistant plastic shields between
personnel and the drums for protection in
case of detonation; locate controls for
drum opening equipment, monitoring
equipment, and fire suppression
equipment behind the explosion-resistant
plastic shield;
C. Conduct air monitoring during drum-
opening activities;
D. Use non-sparking bronze-beryllium tools
when possible;
E. Use remote-controlled devices for
opening drums, when feasible;
F. If the drum shows signs of swelling or
bulging, perform all steps slowly and
relieve excess pressure prior to opening;
G. Open exotic metal drums and
polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride-lined
drums through the bung by removal or
drilling;
H. Do not open or sample individual
containers within laboratory packs;
I. Reseal open bungs and drill openings as
soon as possible; and
J. Decontaminate or replace equipment after
each use to avoid mixing incompatible
wastes.
4. DRUM SAMPLING
A. Drum sampling can be hazardous to
worker health and safety because it can
involve direct contact with unidentified
wastes. Prior to collecting samples, a
sampling plan should be developed,
including; (1) research about the waste;
(2) identification of drums to be sampled;
(3) selection of appropriate sampling
devices(s) and container(s); (4)
determination of the number, volume,
and locations of samples to be taken; and
(5) development of procedures for
opening drums, sampling, and sample
packaging and transportation. A trained
health and safety professional should
determine the appropriate personal
protection to be used during sampling,
decontamination, and packaging of the
sample.
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
,. « j/f. ^ v ^.« * >« «s™.v
Student Performance Objectives
«5,iS5^U555itKS!K-«s«USl^;^^
-------
10 Safety Considerations
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
• Emergency response
• Confined space entry
• Specific safety hazards
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS
• Elements of an emergency response plan
-29CFR1910.120(I)
- 29CFR1910.120(q)
• Training and practice
• Alarms and signals
• Emergency Action Plan 29 CFR 1910.38
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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10 Safety Considerations
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
PLANS (cont.)
• Stay alert to hazardous situations
• Establish effective communication
• Prepare a site map
- Essential for site operations and
emergency plans
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
FLAMMABLE HAZARDS
• Conduct monitoring for flammable vapors
• Keep ignition sources away from area
• Use nonsparking equipment
• Action levels:
->25%LEL ,r; ' :
->10%LEL
confined space
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
OXYGEN HAZARDS
• Gases/vapors may displace oxygen
• Monitor for oxygen levels
• Action levels:
- < 19.5% oxygen
- >25% oxygen
DANGER
TEST ATMOSPHERE
BEFORE ENTRY
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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10 Safety Considerations
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
RADIATION HAZARDS
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SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
RADIATION MONITORING
• Monitor for low and high levels of
radiation
• Monitor for Alpha, Beta and Gamma
• Personnel monitoring for radiation
contamination
• 29CFR1910.1096
- 1.25 REM per quarter
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
RADIATION MONITORING (cont.)
• Area survey
• Point surveys
• Downwind monitoring
• Container monitoring
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING,
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10 Safety Considerations
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
• Medical waste
• Animals
• Insects
• Plants
• Biological hazards present
physical and psychological hazards
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
COMMON SAFETY HAZARDS
• Slip, trip and fall hazards
• Puncture hazards
• Heavy equipment hazards
• Electrocution hazards
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
NOISE HAZARDS
• Conduct a noise survey
• OSHA PEL for noise is 90 dB
• Establish hearing conservation
program when noise levels
reach an 85 dB TWA
• Provide and use noise
protection equipment
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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10 Safety Considerations
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
PERMIT REQUIRED CONFINED SPACE
• 29 CFR 1910.146 permit required
for confined spaces
• Limited openings and exits
• Not intended for continuous
employee occupancy
• Employee can bodily enter the
confined space
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
PERMIT REQUIRED CONFINED
SPACE (cont.)
• Requires a permit
• Each team has responsibilities and
training requirements under this standard
- Entry team
- Attendants and supervisors
- Rescue team
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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10 Safety Considerations
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
1. Emergency Response.
A. One of the most important components of the
HASP is the written site-specific emergency
response plan. The emergency response plan
should be designed as a separate section of
the HASP, and must be compatible and
integrated with the disaster, fire, and/or
emergency response plans of local, state, and
federal agencies. The plan must include a
description of how anticipated emergencies
would be handled at the site and how the
risks associated with a response would be
minimized. The emergency response plan
must be developed and implemented prior to
commencing operations at a site.
B. In lieu of preparing an emergency response
plan, site managers may prepare an
emergency action plan in accordance with 29
CFR §1910.38(a). This plan may only be
developed in lieu of the emergency response
plan if employees are evacuated from the site
when an emergency occurs, and are not
permitted to assist in responding to the
emergency. An emergency action plan
includes an evacuation plan in which persons
responsible for an orderly exit are identified.
These designated individuals would direct
employees to leave the site and maintain a
safe distance, and would also call the
appropriate emergency response
organization.
2. Explosion and Fire Hazards.
A. Explosions and fires may arise
spontaneously, although they more
commonly result from site activities. In
addition to the normal dangers of intense
heat, open flame, smoke inhalation, and
flying objects, an explosion or fire at a
hazardous waste site poses the additional
threat of potentially releasing hazardous
substances into the atmosphere.
3. Oxygen Deficiency Hazards.
A. Oxygen deficiency may result from the
displacement of oxygen by another gas,
or the consumption of oxygen by a
chemical reaction. Confined spaces or
low-lying areas are particularly
vulnerable to oxygen deficiency and
should always monitor oxygen levels and
should use atmosphere-supplying
respiratory equipment when oxygen
concentration drop below 19.5 percent.
4. Ionizing Radiation Hazards.
A. Alpha radiation has limited penetration
ability and is usually stopped by clothing
and the outer layers of the skin. Alpha
radiation is a positively charged particle
and poses little threat outside the body.
B. Beta radiation can cause harmful "beta
burns" to the skin and damage the
subsurface blood system. Both alpha and
beta radiation can be hazardous if
radioactive materials emitting alpha or
beta radiation are introduced into the
body.
C. Gamma radiation passes easily through
clothing and human tissue and can also
cause serious permanent damage to the
body. Chemical-protective clothing
affords no protection against gamma
radiation itself; however, use of
respiratory and other protective
equipment can help keep radioactive
materials from entering the body.
D. If levels of radiation above natural
background levels are discovered, a
health physicist should be consulted. At
levels greater than 1 millirem per hour,
all site activities should cease until the
site has been assessed by health
physicists.
5. Biological Hazards.
A. Wastes from hospitals and research
facilities may contain disease-causing
organisms that could infect site
personnel. Like chemical hazards,
pathogens may be dispersed in the
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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10 Safety Considerations
environment via water and wind. Other
biologic hazards that may be present
include poisonous plants, insects,
animals, and indigenous pathogens.
6. Safety Hazards.
A. Hazardous waste sites may contain a
variety of safety hazards, including holes,
ditches, precariously positioned or sharp
objects, slippery surfaces, steep grades,
uneven terrain, and unstable surfaces. In
addition to those safety hazards that are a
function of the site, many safety hazards
that are a function of the work itself.
Heavy equipment creates an additional
hazard for workers in the vicinity of the
operating equipment. PPE can impair
workers' vision, hearing, or agility.
Removal of wastes can create physical
hazards at the site that were not present
prior to the beginning of operations.
B. One potential hazard that results from a
variety of sources is electrocution.
Overhead power lines, downed electrical
wires, and buried cables all pose a danger
of shock or electrocution if workers come
into contact with or sever them during
site operations. The OSHA standards at
29 CFR §1910.136 describe proper
clothing and equipment for protection
against electrical hazards.
7. Noise Hazards.
A. The OSHA-Permissible Exposure Limit
(PEL) for an 8-hour work day, 40-hour
work week is 90 decibels, as recorded on
a sound level meter on the A weighted
scale (dBA). If the 8-hour time weighted
average noise exposures equal or exceed
85 dBA, the site manager must
implement a hearing conservation
program. If feasible administrative and
engineering controls do not reduce sound
levels to within acceptable limits,
employees should use appropriate PPE to
reduce personal exposure.
B. Impulsive or Impact Noise. No
exposures in excess of 140 dB peak
sound pressure level are permitted.
Impulsive or impact noise is considered
to be a variation in noise levels that
involves maxima at intervals of greater
than one second. Where the intervals are
less than one second, exposure should be
considered continuous and should be
integrated into the time weighted average.
8. Work Hazards.
A. The nature of the work done at a
hazardous waste site can contribute to the
health and safety risks at the site. Trench
excavation can increase the instability of
the site and increase the risk of a "cave
in" or collapse. Moving chemical drums
may injure a worker if the drum ruptures,
spilling chemicals in higher quantity than
the protective clothing was designed to
accommodate. Drums also pose the
threat of back injury or a hernia if those
workers moving them do not take proper
precautions.
9. Confined Space Entry Hazards.
A. The Confined Space Standards at 29 CFR
§1910.146 may provide the basis upon
which to develop a program for entry into
confined spaces that pose potential health
and safety risks. A confined space is
defined as any location that an employee
can bodily enter, has limited openings for
entry and egress, and is not intended for
continuous employee occupancy.
B. The following elements of confined site
entry should be addressed at each site:
a. Hazards information and control;
b. Employee training and information;
c. Prevention of unauthorized entry;
d. Equipment;
e. Emergency rescue;
f. Protection from external hazards;
g. Training and duties of authorized
entrants, attendants, rescue team, and
individuals authorizing or in charge of
entry.
C. Before entry could be made into a
confined space, a confined space
checklist should be completed and signed.
D. A hazard evaluation should be conducted
before any work in a confined space is
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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10 Safety Considerations
started, to identify existing or potential
work area hazards that have the potential
to cause injuries, illness, or property
damage. Examples of work are hazard
control items include unguarded
openings, high or low temperatures, poor
illumination, sharp edges, steam,
compressed gases and liquids, flammable
or combustible materials, and mechanical
or electrical exposures. When dealing
with hazards that cannot be eliminated or
controlled, adequate PPE should be used.
E. Prior to entry into a confined space,
consideration should be given to how life
support systems would function in the
event of a power failure. For example, in
the event of electrical failure, air supply
pumps, lights, warning systems, and
other electrically powered devices would
be inoperative. Site personnel should
have an emergency plan of action that
provides alternate hie support systems
and a means of escape from the confined
space. The Site Health and Safety
Officer should have communicated this
plan to all employees engaged in work in
confined space.
F. Each employee entering a confined space
should wear a safety belt equipped with a
life-line for evacuation purposes in case
of an emergency. If the entry is through a
top opening, the safety belt should be of
the harness type that will suspend a
person in an upright position.
PAGE 10
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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DECONTAMINATION
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11 Decontamination
DECONTAMINATION
DECONTAMINATION LOCATION
• Located in the Contamination Reduction Zone
(CRZ)
• 15 x 75 foot minimum size
• Decontaminate heavily-contaminated PPE first
• Establish clearly-marked entry and exit points
• Establish decontamination procedures for
Levels A - C
PHYSICAL REMOVAL OF
CONTAMINANTS
• Wipe/brush/scrape
• Soap and water
• Freeze/solidify/melt
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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11 Decontamination
CHEMICAL REMOVAL
OF CONTAMINANTS
• Solvents for equipment
decontamination
• Neutralization
• Industrial hygienist oversight
• Combination of physical and
chemical decontamination
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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11 Decontamination
DECONTAMINATION
1. All personnel, clothing, equipment, and
samples leaving the contaminated area of a
site (the Exclusion Zone) must be
decontaminated to remove any harmful
chemicals or infectious organisms that may
have adhered to them. Step-by-step
procedures for decontamination of personnel
wearing PPE Levels A through C are
described in pages 7 through 9.
2. Three general types of decontamination
methods are commonly used: (1) physical
removal of contaminants; (2) inactivation of
contaminants by chemical detoxification of
disinfection/sterilization; or (3) a
combination of both physical and chemical
means.
A. Physical Removal of Contaminants
a. In many cases, contaminants may be
removed by physical means;
however, high pressure and/or heat
should be used only as necessary and
with caution because they can spread
contamination and cause burns.
b. Loose Contaminants. Soils or dusts
that cling to equipment and
personnel or that become lodged in
PPE materials can be removed with
water or a liquid rinse.
Commercially available anti-static
solutions may help to remove
electrostatically attached particles.
c. Adhering Contaminants. Some
contaminants adhere by forces other
than electrostatic attraction.
Adhesive qualities vary greatly with
the specific contaminants and the
temperature. For example,
contaminants such as glues, cements,
resins, and muds have great adhesive
properties and, consequently, are
difficult to remove by physical
means. Adhesive contaminants can
be removed using methods such as
solidification, freezing (e.g., using
dry ice or ice water), adsorption or
absorption (e.g., with powdered lime
or kitty litter), or melting.
d. Volatile Liquids. Volatile liquid
contaminants can be removed from
protective clothing or equipment by
evaporation (using steam jets)
followed by a water rinse. This
method should be used with caution
because of the potential for
employees to inhale the vaporized
hazardous chemicals.
B. Chemical Removal of Contaminants
a. Physical removal of gross
contamination should be followed by
washing and rinsing with cleaning
solutions. These solutions normally
use one or more of the following
methods:
b. Dissolving Contaminants. Chemical
removal of surface contaminants can
be accomplished by dissolving them
in a solvent that must be chemically
compatible with the equipment being
cleaned. This is particularly
important when decontaminating
personal protective clothing
constructed of organic materials that
could be damaged or dissolved by
organic solvents. In addition, any
flammable or toxic organic solvents
must be used and disposed of
cautiously. Organic solvents include
alcohols, ethers, ketones, aromatics,
straight-chain alkanes, and common
petroleum products.
c. Halogenated solvents are toxic and
generally are incompatible with most
types of PPE. They should be used
only for decontamination in extreme
cases where other cleaning agents
will not remove the contaminant.
Because of the potential hazards,
decontamination using chemicals
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING,,...
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should be done only if recommended
by an industrial hygienist or other
qualified health professional.
C. Combination of physical and chemical
removal.
a. Surfactants. Surfactants supplement
physical cleaning methods by
minimizing adhesion between
contaminants and the surface being
cleaned and, therefore, prevent
recontamination. Among the
detergents, some of which can be
sued with organic solvents to
improve the dissolving and dispersal
of contaminants into the solvent.
b. Solidification. Solidifying liquid or
gel contaminants can enhance their
physical removal. Contaminants
may be solidified by: (1) using
absorbents such as grounded clay or
powder lime to remove moisture; (2)
chemical reactions using
polymerization catalysts and
chemical reagents; and (3) freezing
with ice water.
c. Rinsing. Rinsing removes
contaminants through dilution,
physical attraction, and
solubilization. Multiple rinses with
clean solutions remove more
contaminants that a single rinse with
the same volume of solution.
Continuous rinsing with large
volumes is the most effective way to
remove contaminants.
d. Disinfection/Sterilization. Chemical
disinfectants are a practical means of
inactivating infectious agents.
Unfortunately, standard sterilization
techniques are generally impractical
for large equipment and PPE. For
this reason, disposable PPE is
recommended for use with infectious
agents.
3. Decontamination Equipment
A. Decontamination equipment, materials,
and supplies are generally selected based
on availability. It is also necessary to
consider whether the equipment itself can
be decontaminated for reuse or can be
easily disposed of. Most equipment and
supplied needed for decontamination are
easily procured (e.g., soft bristle and long
handled brushes for scrubbing; buckets or
garden sprayers for rinsing; large
galvanized wash tubs or stock tanks for
solutions; and large plastic garbage cans
or other similar lined containers for
storing contaminated clothing and
equipment). Other decontamination gear
includes paper or cloth towels for drying
protective clothing and equipment.
4. Determining the effectiveness of
decontamination.
A. Currently, there ar no available methods
for immediately determining the
effectiveness of decontamination
procedures. Discolorations, stains,
corrosive effects, and substances
adhering to objects may indicate
contaminants have not been removed.
However, observable effects only
indicate surface contamination and not
permeation (absorption) into clothing,
tools, or equipment. Also, many
contaminants are not easily observed.
B. One method for determining
effectiveness of surface decontamination
is swipe testing. Cloth or paper patches
are wiped over predetermined surfaces of
the suspect object and analyzed in a
laboratory. Both the inner and outer
surfaces of protective clothing should be
swipe tested. Positive indications of
both sets of swipes would indicate
surface contamination has not been
removed and substances have penetrated
or permeated through the garment.
C. Determining permeation of contaminants
into protective garments requires
laboratory analysis of a piece of the
material. Both swipe and permeation
testing provide after-the-fact information.
Along with visual observations, results of
these tests can help evaluate the
effectiveness of decontamination.
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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11 Decontamination
Exerpt from:
OSHA Technical Manual
SECTION VIII: CHAPTER 1
I. DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURES.
A. DEFINITION AND TYPES.
1. Decontamination is the process of
removing or neutralizing
contaminants that have accumulated
on personnel and equipment. This
process is critical to health and
safety at hazardous material response
sites. Decontamination protects end
users from hazardous substances that
may contaminate and eventually
permeate the protective clothing,
respiratory equipment, tools,
vehicles, and other equipment used
in the vicinity of the chemical
hazard; it protects all plant or site
personnel by minimizing the transfer
of harmful materials into clean areas;
it helps prevent mixing of
incompatible chemicals; and it
protects the community by
preventing uncontrolled
transportation of contaminants from
the site.
2. There are two types of
decontamination:
a. Gross decontamination: To allow
end user to safely exit or doff the
chemical protective clothing.
b. Decontamination for reuse of
chemical protective clothing.
B. PREVENTION OF CONTAMINATION.
The first step in decontamination is to
establish Standard Operating Procedures
that minimize contact with chemicals and
thus the potential for contamination. For
example:
1. Stress work practices that minimize
contact with hazardous substances
(e.g. do not walk through areas of
obvious contamination, do not
directly touch potentially hazardous
substances).
2. Use remote sampling, handling, and
container-opening techniques (e.g.
drum grapples, pneumatic impact
wrenches).
3. Protect monitoring and sampling
instruments by bagging. Make
openings in the bags for sample
ports and sensors that must contact
site materials.
4. Wear disposable outer garments and
use disposable equipment where
appropriate.
5. Cover equipment and tools with a
strippable coating that can be
removed during decontamination.
6. Encase the source of contaminants,
e.g. with plastic sheeting or
overpacks.
7. Ensure all closures and ensemble
component interfaces are completely
secured; and that no open pockets
that could serve to collect
contaminant are present.
C. TYPES OF CONTAMINATION.
1. Surface Contaminants. Surface
contaminants may be easy to detect and
remove.
2. Permeated Contaminants. Contaminants
that have permeated a material are
difficult or impossible to detect and
remove. If contaminants that have
permeated a material are not removed by
decontamination, they may continue to
permeate the material where they can
cause an unexpected exposure.
3. Four major factors affect the extent of
permeation:
a. Contact time. The longer a
contaminant is in contact with an
object, the greater the probability
and extent of permeation. For this
reason, minimizing contact time is
one of the most important objectives
of a decontamination program.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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11 Decontamination
b. Concentration. Molecules flow from
areas of high concentration to areas
of low concentration. As
concentrations of chemicals increase,
the potential for permeation of
personal protective clothing
increases.
c. Temperature. An increase in
temperature generally increases the
permeation rate of contaminants.
d. Physical state of chemicals. As a
rule, gases, vapors, and low-
viscosity liquids tend to permeate
more readily than high-viscosity
liquids or solids.
D. DECONTAMINATION METHODS.
1. Decontamination methods either (1)
physically remove contaminants; (2)
inactivate contaminants by chemical
detoxification or disinfection/
sterilization; or (3) remove contaminants
by a combination of both physical and
chemical means.
2. In general, gross decontamination is
accomplished using detergents
(surfactants) in water combined with a
physical scrubbing action. This process
will remove most forms of surface
contamination including dusts, many
inorganic chemicals, and some organic
chemicals. Soapy water scrubbing of
protective suits may not be effective in
removing oily or tacky organic
substances (e.g. PCB's in transformer
oil). Furthermore, this form of
decontamination is unlikely to remove
any contamination that has permeated or
penetrated the suit materials. Using
organic solvents such as petroleum
distillates may allow easier removal of
heavy organic contamination but may
result in other problems, including:
a. Permeation into clothing
components, pulling the contaminant
with it;
E.
b. Spreading localized contaminant into
other areas of the clothing; and
c. Generating large volumes of
contaminated solvents that require
disposal.
3. One promising method for removing
internal or matrix contamination is the
forced circulation of heated air over
clothing items for extended periods of
time. This allows many organic
chemicals to migrate out of the materials
and evaporate into the heated air. The
process does require, however, that the
contaminating chemicals be volatile.
Additionally, low level heat may
accelerate the removal of plasticizer from
garment materials and affect the
adhesives involved in garment seams.
4. Unfortunately, both manufacturers and
protective clothing authorities provide
few specific recommendations for
decontamination. There is no definitive
list with specific methods recommended
for specific chemicals and materials.
Much depends on the individual
chemical-material combination involved.
TESTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
DECONTAMINATION.
1. Protective clothing or equipment reuse
depends on demonstrating that adequate
decontamination has taken place.
Decontamination methods vary in their
effectiveness and unfortunately there are
no completely accurate methods for
nondestructively evaluating clothing or
equipment contamination levels.
2. Methods which may assist in a
determination include:
a. Visual examination of protective
clothing for signs of discoloration,
corrosive effects, or any degradation
of external materials. However,
many contaminants do not leave any
visible evidence.
b. Wipe sampling of external surfaces
for subsequent analysis; this may or
may not be effective for determining
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HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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11 Decontamination
levels of surface contamination and
depends heavily on the material-
chemical combination. These
methods will not detect permeated
contamination.
c. Evaluation of the cleaning solution.
This method cannot quantify clean
method effectiveness since the
original contamination levels are
unknown. The method can only
show if chemical has been removed
by the cleaning solution. If a
number of garments have been
contaminated, it may be advisable to
sacrifice one garment for destructive
testing by a qualified laboratory with
analysis of contamination levels on
and inside the garment.
F. DECONTAMINATION PLAN.
1. Decontamination plan should be
developed and set up before any
personnel or equipment are allowed to
enter areas where the potential for
exposure to hazardous substances exists.
The decontamination plan should:
a. Determine the number and layout of
decontamination stations;
b. Determine the decontamination
equipment needed;
c. Determine appropriate
decontamination methods;
d. Establish procedures to prevent
contamination of clean areas;
e. Establish methods and procedures to
minimize wearer contact with
contaminants during removal of
personal protective clothing; and
f. Establish methods for disposing of
clothing and equipment that are not
completely decontaminated.
2. The plan should be revised whenever the
type of personal protective clothing or
equipment changes, the use conditions
change, or the chemical hazards are
reassessed based on new information.
3. The decontamination process should
consist of a series of procedures
performed in a specific sequence. For
chemical protective ensembles, outer,
more heavily contaminated items (e.g.
outer boots and gloves) should be
decontaminated and removed first,
followed by decontamination and
removal of inner, less contaminated items
(e.g. jackets and pants). Each procedure
should be performed at a separate station
in order to prevent cross contamination.
The sequence of stations is called the
decontamination line.
4. Stations should be separated physically to
prevent cross contamination and should
be arranged in order of decreasing
contamination, preferably in a straight
line. Separate flow patterns and stations
should be provided to isolate workers
from different contamination zones
containing incompatible wastes. Entry
and exit points to exposed areas should
be conspicuously marked. Dressing
stations for entry to the decontamination
area should be separate from redressing
areas for exit from the decontamination
area. Personnel who wish to enter clean
areas of the decontamination facility,
such as locker rooms, should be
completely decontaminated.
5. All equipment used for decontamination
must be decontaminated and/or disposed
of properly. Buckets, brushes, clothing,
tools, and other contaminated equipment
should be collected, placed in containers,
and labeled. Also, all spent solutions and
wash water should be collected and
disposed of properly. Clothing that is not
completely decontaminated should be
placed in plastic bags, pending further
decontamination and/or disposal.
6. Decontamination of workers who initially
come in contact with personnel and
equipment leaving exposure or
contamination areas will require more
protection from contaminants than
decontamination workers who are
assigned to the last station in the
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING*-
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11 Decontamination
decontamination line. In some cases,
decontamination personnel should wear
the same levels of protective clothing as
workers in the exposure or contaminated
areas. In other cases, decontamination
personnel may be sufficiently protected
by wearing one level lower protection
(e.g. wearing Level B protection while
decontaminating workers who are
wearing Level A).
G. DECONTAMINATION FOR
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING REUSE.
Due to the difficulty in assessing
contamination levels in chemical protective
clothing before and after exposure, the
responsible supervisor or safety professional
must determine if the respective clothing can
be reused. This decision involves
considerable risk in determining clothing to
be contaminant-free. Reuse can be
considered if, in the estimate of the
supervisor:
1. No "significant" exposures have
occurred.
2. Decontamination methods have been
successful in reducing contamination
levels to safe or acceptable
concentrations.
Contamination by known or suspected
carcinogens should warrant automatic
disposal. Use of disposable suits is highly
recommended when extensive contamination
is expected.
H. EMERGENCY DECONTAMINATION.
1. In addition to routine decontamination
procedures, emergency decontamination
procedures must be established. In an
emergency, the primary concern is to
prevent the loss of life or severe injury to
personnel. If immediate medical
treatment is required to save a life,
decontamination should be delayed until
the victim is stabilized. If
decontamination can be performed
without interfering with essential life-
saving techniques or first aid, or if a
worker has been contaminated with an
extremely toxic or corrosive material that
could cause severe injury or loss of life,
decontamination should be continued.
2. If an emergency due to a heat-related
illness develops, protective clothing
should be removed from the victim as
soon as possible to reduce the heat stress.
During an emergency, provisions must
also be made for protecting medical
personnel and disposing of contaminated
clothing and equipment.
PAGE 10
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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HEALTH AND SAFETY PLANS
(HASP)
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12 Health and Safety Plans
HEALTH AND SAFETY PLANS
OBJECTIVES
• Site specific
• Each phase of site operations
• Procedures to protect
employees
ELEMENTS
• Introduction
• Key personnel
• Health and safety risk analysis
• Training
• PPE
• Medical surveillance
• Air monitoring
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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12 Health and Safety Plans
ELEMENTS (cont.)
• Site control
• Decontamination plan
• Emergency response plan
• Confined space procedures
• Spill containment program
• Hazard communication
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
PROCESS
• Initial draft of HASP
• Initial site entry
• Revision of HASP
• On-going monitoring
ACTION LEVELS
MONITORING EQUIPMENT
CGI
-CONFINED SPACE
OXYGEN
RADIATION
TOXIC HAZARDS
ACTION LEVEL
>25% LEL
>10% LEL
<19.5%AND>23.5%
>1mR/hr
PEUTLVANDIDLH
PAGE 4
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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12 Health and Safety Plans
Health and Safety Plans (HASP)
1. A site-specific HASP.
A. HAZWOPER regulations at 29 CFR
§1910.120(b)(4) require that a site-
specific HASP be developed for each site
where workers are engaged in hazardous
waste operations. The purpose of the
site-specific HASP is to address the
health and safety hazards that may exist
at each phase of site operations and to
identify procedures for protecting
employees.
2. HASP development.
A. A new HASP should not be developed if
new tasks or hazards are identified at a
site; rather, the original HASP should be
updated. If a subcontractor is working at
a site, the subcontractor should carefully
evaluate and identify all tasks associated
with the subcontracted activities, and
prepare a health and safety plan
addressing any identified hazards. This
plan should be submitted to the site
manager, who will incorporate it into the
general site HASP after it has been
reviewed for concurrence with the site
workplan.
3. Preliminary Evaluation.
A. The first step in developing a HASP is to
perform a preliminary evaluation (PE) of
the site's characteristics. The PE must be
accomplished off-site, so as not to
endanger the health and safety of site
workers. The purpose of the PE is to
obtain preliminary information to help
identify the specific hazards at the site
and determine the appropriate health and
safety control procedures (e.g.,
engineering controls, personal protective
equipment (PPE), and any additional
medical surveillance needs) that are
necessary to ensure the protection of
employees who perform tasks on-site.
4. Initial draft of the HASP.
A. Once the PE is completed and the
appropriate information has been
obtained, the information is used to
develop the initial draft of the site-
specific HASP. Specifically, it must
identify each work operation or activity,
and describe how those hazards will be
eliminated or controlled.
B. It must also indicate that employees have
received training and are enrolled in a
medical surveillance program. In
addition, the HASP should identify
appropriate monitoring procedures and
PPE for the initial site entry. The HASP
must remain on-site at all items and only
one HASP should be developed for each
site.
5. Initial site entry.
A. Once the HASP has been developed and
implemented, the second stage of the site
characterization and analysis (i.e., initial
site entry) may begin. The purpose of the
initial site entry is to gather additional
information and further evaluate the site-
specific risks and hazards for use in
selecting and developing appropriate
engineering controls, site controls,
medical monitoring plans, and PPE.
6. The sample HASP Table of Contents are
listed in Table 1.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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12 Health and Safety Plans
TABLE 1
Sample HASP Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Scope of Applicability of the Site Health and Safety Plan
1.2 Visitors
2.0 KEY PERSONNEL/IDENTIFICATION OF HEALTH AND SAFETY PERSONNEL
2.1 Key Personnel
2.2 Site-Specific Health and Safety Personnel
2.3 Organizational Responsibility
3.0 TASK/OPERATION SAFETY AND HEALTH RISK ANALYSIS
3.1 Historical Overview of Site
3.2 Task-by-Task Risk Analysis
4.0 PERSONNEL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
4.1 Pre-assignment and Annual Refresher Training
4.2 Site Supervisors Training
4.3 Training and Briefing Topics
5.0 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO BE USED
5.1 Levels of Protection
5.2 Level A Personal Protective Equipment
5.3 Level B Personal Protective Equipment
5.4 Level C Personal Protective Equipment
5.5 Level D Personal Protective Equipment
5.6 Reassessment of Protection Program
5.7 Work Mission Duration
5.8 Chemical Resistance and Integrity of Protective Material
5.9.5 SCBA Inspection and Checkout
5.10.1 Inspection
6.0 MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS
6.1 Baseline or Pre-assignment Monitoring
6.2 Periodic Monitoring
6.3 Site-Specific Medical Monitoring
6.4 Exposure/Injury/Medical Support
6.5 Exit Physical
PAGE 6
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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12 Health and Safety Plans
TABLE 1 (cont.)
7.0
7.1
7.3.1
8.0
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
9.0
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
10.0
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.7
10.8
10.9
10.10
10.11
FREQUENCY AND TYPES OF AIR MONITORING/SAMPLING
Direct-Reading Monitoring Instruments
Site Air Monitoring and Sampling Procedures
SITE CONTROL MEASURES
Buddy System
Site Communications Plan
Work Zone Definition
Nearest Medical Assistance
Safe Work Practices
Emergency Alarm Procedures
DECONTAMINATION PLAN
Standard Operating Procedures
Levels of Decontamination Protection Required for Personnel
Equipment Decontamination
Disposition of Decontamination Wastes
EMERGENCY RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS
Pre-Emergency Planning
Personnel Roles and Lines of Authority
Emergency Recognition/Prevention
Evacuation Routes/Procedures
Emergency Contact/Notification System
Emergency Medical Treatment Procedures
Fire or Explosion
Spill or Leaks
Emergency Equipment/Facilities
11.0 CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PROCEDURES (29 CFR §1910.146)
11.1 Definitions
11.2 General Provisions
11.3 Procedures for Confined Space Entry
11.4 Confined Space Observer (Stand-by Person)
12.0 SPILL CONTAINMENT PROGRAM
13.0 HAZARD COMMUNICATION
This sample HASP Table of Contents reflects health and safety considerations for a sample hazardous
waste site. The site-specific HASP must address site-specific hazards and activities.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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12 Health and Safety Plans
Student Exercise
1. The preliminary evaluation is performed:
a. Off-site
b. On-site
2. The oxygen level is 15% and the Combustible Gas Indicator shows 0% LEL. Can a combustible
hazard be ruled out?
a. Yes
b. No
3. The health risk of a toxic chemical would be evaluated in this element of the HASP:
a. PPE
b. Health and safety risk analysis
c. Air monitoring
4. The CGI action level for routine site work on a Superfund site is 25% LEL.
a. True
b. False
PAGE 8
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
•V.0* ^""^c^m^^^
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13 Medical Surveillance
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
Objectives of medical surveillance:
• Monitoring site worker health
• Determine medical condition
• Minimize site worker exposure
• Helps to establish duties and PPE
limitations
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE (cont.)
• Base line examination
• Annual examination
- More frequent
- Every two years
• Physician must use
HAZWOPER standard
• Reassignment
• Termination examination
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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13 Medical Surveillance
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE (cont.)
Based on results of exam and tests
Recommendations for duties
Recommendations for PPE and use
of respirators
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13 Medical Surveillance
Medical Surveillance
1. Medical Surveillance Requirements.
A. All employees who are required by
HAZWOPER to participate in a medical
surveillance program must undergo a
baseline medical examination prior to a
field assignment. After this initial
examination, employees must have a
follow-up medical exam at least once per
year, unless an attending physician
believes a longer interval is appropriate.
This longer interval, however, cannot
exceed 2 years.
B. Once an exam has been completed, the
physician must submit a written opinion
to the employer who then has the
responsibility to provide that opinion to
the employee. The opinion must contain:
(1). The results of the medical
examination and tests;
(2). Any recommended work limitations;
and
(3). The physician's opinion concerning
the medical condition of the
employee, including any conditions
that need further examination and
treatment, or that would place the
employee at an increased risk of
injury from respirator use or work in
a hazardous substance environment.
2. Baseline Screening.
A. Pre-placement or baseline screening has
two major functions: (1) to determine an
individual's fitness for duty, including
the ability to work while wearing
protective equipment; and (2) to provide
baseline data for comparison with future
medical data. To ensure that prospective
employees are able to meet work
requirements, the pre-placement
screening should focus on the following
areas:
3. Termination Examination.
A. At the end of employment as a hazardous
waste site worker, all personnel should
have a termination medical examination.
A full examination is necessary at the
termination of employment if any of the
following criteria are not met:
(1). The last full medical examination
was within the last 6 months;
(2). No exposure occurred since the last
examination; and
(3). No symptoms associated with
exposure occurred since the last
examination.
4. Retention of Medical Records.
A. Medical records for employees must be
maintained for at least 30 years after
employment is terminated. These records
must include the name and social security
number of the employee, the physician's
written opinions including recommended
occupational limitations and results of
examinations and tests, any employee
medical complaints related to
occupational hazardous substance
exposure, and a copy of the material that
the attending physician was provided
before the examination.
HEALTH AND SAFETY EIGHT-HOUR TRAINING
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13 Medical Surveillance
Excerpt from: 29 CFR §1910.134 (e)
Medical Evaluation 1910.134(e)
(e) Medical evaluation. Using a respirator may
place a physiological burden on employees
that varies with the type of respirator worn,
the job and workplace conditions in which
the respirator is used, and the medical status
of the employee. Accordingly, this paragraph
specifies the minimum requirements for
medical evaluation that employers must
implement to determine the employee's
ability to use a respirator.
(e)(l) General. The employer shall provide a
medical evaluation to determine the
employee's ability to use a respirator,
before the employee is fit tested or
required to use the respirator in the
workplace. The employer may
discontinue an employee's medical
evaluations when the employee is no
longer required to use a respirator.
(e)(2) Medical evaluation procedures.
(e)(2)(i) The employer shall identify a
physician or other licensed health
care professional (PLHCP) to perform
medical evaluations using a medical
questionnaire or an initial medical
examination that obtains the same
information as the medical
questionnaire.
(e)(2)(ii) The medical evaluation shall obtain
the information requested by the
questionnaire in Sections 1 and 2,
Part A of Appendix C of this section.
(e)(3) Follow-up medical examination.
(e)(3)(i) The employer shall ensure that a
follow-up medical examination is
provided for an employee who gives
a positive response to any question
among questions 1 through 8 in
Section 2, Part A of Appendix C or
whose initial medical examination
demonstrates the need for a follow-up
medical examination.
(e)(3)(ii) The follow-up medical examination
shall include any medical tests,
consultations, or diagnostic
procedures that the PLHCP deems
necessary to make a final
determination.
(e)(4) Administration of the medical
questionnaire and examinations.
(e)(4)(i) The medical questionnaire and
examinations shall be administered
confidentially during the employee's
normal working hours or at a time
and place convenient to the
employee. The medical questionnaire
shall be administered in a manner that
ensures that the employee
understands its content.
(e)(4)(ii) The employer shall provide the
employee with an opportunity to
discuss the questionnaire and
examination results with the PLHCP.
(e)(5) Supplemental information for the
PLHCP.
(e)(5)(i) The following information must be
provided to the PLHCP before the
PLHCP makes a recommendation
concerning an employee's ability to
use a respirator:
(e)(5XO( A) The type and weight of the
respirator to be used by the
employee;
(e)(5)(i)(B) The duration and frequency of
respirator use (including use for
rescue and escape);
(eX5)(iXQ The expected physical work effort;
(eX5)(i)(D) Additional protective clothing and
equipment to be worn; and
(e)(5XO(E) Temperature and humidity
extremes that may be encountered.
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13 Medical Surveillance
(e)(5)(ii) Any supplemental information
provided previously to the PLHCP
regarding an employee need not be
provided for a subsequent medical
evaluation if the information and the
PLHCP remain the same.
(e)(5)(iii) The employer shall provide the
PLHCP with a copy of the written
respiratory protection program and a
copy of this section. Note to
Paragraph (e)(5)(iii): When the
employer replaces a PLHCP, the
employer must ensure that the new
PLHCP obtains this information,
either by providing the documents
directly to the PLHCP or having the
documents transferred from the
former PLHCP to the new PLHCP.
However, OSHA does not expect
employers to have employees
medically reevaluated solely because
a new PLHCP has been selected.
(e)(6) Medical determination. In determining
the employee's ability to use a respirator,
the employer shall:
(e)(6)(i) Obtain a written recommendation
regarding the employee's ability to
use the respirator from the PLHCP.
The recommendation shall provide
only the following information:
(e)(6)(i)(A) Any limitations on respirator use
related to the medical condition of
the employee, or relating to the
workplace conditions in which the
respirator will be used, including
whether or not the employee is
medically able to use the
respirator;
(e)(6)(iXB) The need, if any, for follow-up
medical evaluations; and
(e)(6)(i)(C) A statement that the PLHCP has
provided the employee with a copy
of the PLHCP's written
recommendation.
(e)(6)(ii) If the respirator is a negative pressure
respirator and the PLHCP finds a
medical condition that may place the
employee's health at increased risk if
the respirator is used, the employer
shall provide a PAPR if the PLHCP's
medical evaluation finds that the
employee can use such a respirator; if
a subsequent medical evaluation finds
that the employee is medically able to
use a negative pressure respirator,
then the employer is no longer
required to provide a PAPR.
(e)(7) Additional medical evaluations. At a
minimum, the employer shall provide
additional medical evaluations that
comply with the requirements of this
section if:
(e)(7)(i) An employee reports medical signs or
symptoms that are related to ability to
use a respirator;
(e)(7)(ii) A PLHCP, supervisor, or the
respirator program administrator
informs the employer that an
employee needs to be reevaluated;
(e)(7)(iii) Information from the respiratory
protection program, including
observations made during fit testing
and program evaluation, indicates a
need for employee reevaluation; or
(e)(7)(iv) A change occurs in workplace
conditions (e.g., physical work effort,
protective clothing, temperature) that
may result in a substantial increase in
the physiological burden placed on an
employee.
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