The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires the following elements in training of employees in respiratory protection:
- Why the respirator is necessary (including when it must be worn),
- Why proper fit, usage, and maintenance is crucial to its effectiveness,
- What the limitations and capabilities of the respirator are,
- Hands-on demonstration of how to inspect, put on, remove, use, and check the seal of the respirator,
- What the procedures are for storage and maintenance,
- How to recognize medical signs or symptoms that limit or prevent the safe, effective use of respirators,
- The general requirements of the OSHA Respiratory Protection standard,
- How to identify and react to respirator malfunctions, and
- How to use the respirator in emergencies (e.g., chemical release) if appropriate.
SOURCE
- OSHA/NIOSH, The Hospital Respiratory Protection Program Toolkit, May 2015: www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3767.pdf.
