Respirator Policy Summary

1. Procedures for Assigning Respirators to Employees

When employees are potentially exposed to airborne hazards that cannot be eliminated or reduced to safe levels by ventilation or other means, respirators will be required. However, before assigning a respirator to an employee, supervisor must ensure that the employee has been medically evaluated, trained and fit-tested to the respirator he/she is assigned.

Procedures

Step 1  Arrange for a Medical Evaluation with Student Health Services (SHS) Contact Jan Copeland at 486-0748.
(Note: a Medical Evaluation is not necessarily a physical examination. Typically, it will consist of having an employee complete a detailed questionnaire obtained from SHS. A SHS physician will then review the questionnaire and make a determination bases on the answered received).

Step 2  Obtain a Written Approval for the employee to wear a respirator from the physician.

Step 3  Once approval has been given, contact Environmental Health and Safety to arrange for Training and Fit-Testing–Contact Valerie Brangan at 486-2982.

 

2. Training and Fit-Testing Requirements

Supervisors must ensure that employees receive training and fit-testing as follows:

1. Initially–prior to using a respirator.
2. Annually.
3. Whenever retraining or fit-testing is necessary (due to changes in workplace, physical changes in the employee, or other reasons) to ensure safe respirator use.

 

(Note: Fit-testing is not required for helmets, hoods, or "for escape-only" respirators)

 

3. Respirator Maintenance and Care

   Respirators must be cleaned, disinfected and inspected regularly and stored properly by the users. Supervisors must periodically inspect respirators to ensure that they are kept clean, stored properly, and in good working condition.

    

4. Voluntary Use of Respirators

   Employees who voluntarily choose to wear a respirator when a respirator is not required may do so. The training and fit-testing requirements will not apply in this case. However, supervisors must ensure that:
   
   

   1. Employees are given a copy of Appendix A of this policy;
   2. The respirator maintenance and care provisions of this policy are followed; and
   3. Employees who wear a respirator other than a dust mask, are medically evaluated.

For further information, refer to the University's complete Respirator Policy, available online at www.ehs.uconn.edu/Occupational/occurespirator.html, or contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at 486-3613.

 

 

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