IMPORTANT:

• The requirements in this section are in addition to the requirements found in the following separate chapters:

– Respiratory hazards, chapter 296-841 WAC.

– Respirators, chapter 296-842 WAC.

• Medical evaluations meeting all requirements of Medical and emergency evaluations, WAC 296-856-30020, will fulfill the medical evaluations requirements found in Respirators, chapter 296-842 WAC, a separate chapter.

1. (1) You must develop, implement, and maintain a respirator program as required by chapter 296-842 WAC, Respirators, which covers each employee required by this chapter to use a respirator.

   1. (a) Employees are in an exposure control area.
   2. (b) Feasible exposure controls are being put in place.
   3. (c) Where you determine that exposure controls are not feasible.
   4. (d) Feasible exposure controls do not reduce exposures to, or below, the PEL.
   5. (e) Employees are performing tasks presumed to have exposures above the PEL.
   6. (f) Emergencies.

   Require that employees use respirators in any of the following circumstances:

2. (2) You must select, and provide to each employee who uses a respirator required by this chapter, an appropriate respirator as specified in this section and in WAC 296-842-13005 in the respirator rule.
3. (3) You must equip full-facepiece air-purifying respirators with cartridges or canisters approved for protection against formaldehyde.

4. (4) You must provide to employees, for escape, one of the following respirator options:

   1. (a) A self-contained breathing apparatus operated in demand or pressure-demand mode;

      OR

   2. (b) A full-facepiece air-purifying respirator equipped with a chin-style, or front- or back-mounted industrial size canister or cartridge.
5. (5) You must make sure all air-purifying respirator use is accompanied by eye protection either through the use of full-facepiece models or effective, gas-proof chemical goggles.

6. (6) You must provide employees with powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) when:

   1. (a) The employee has difficulty using a negative pressure respirator or a LHCP recommends this type of respirator;

      AND

   2. (b) The employee chooses to use this type of respirator.

7. (7) You must replace the chemical cartridges or canisters on air-purifying respirators;

   1. (a) When indicated by NIOSH-approved, end-of-service-life indicators if these are used;

      OR

   2. (b) When NIOSH-approved ESLIs aren't used:

      1. (i) At times specified by your cartridge change schedule;

         OR

      2. (ii) At the end of the work shift, when this occurs before the time indicated by your cartridge change schedule.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 18-22-116, § 296-856-40030, filed 11/6/18, effective 12/7/18; WSR 09-15-145, § 296-856-40030, filed 7/21/09, effective 9/1/09; WSR 07-05-072, § 296-856-40030, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07; WSR 06-08-087, § 296-856-40030, filed 4/4/06, effective 9/1/06.]