Section 325.51162. Respirators; selection; respiratory protection program.

Rule 12 (1) For employees who use respirators required by these rules, the employer shall select and provide each employee an appropriate respirator that complies with the requirements of these rules.  Respirators must be used during all of the following:

(a)   Periods necessary to install or implement feasible engineering and work practice controls.

(b)   Work operations, such as maintenance and repair activities and vessel cleaning for which engineering and work practice controls are not feasible.

(c)    Work operations for which feasible engineering and work practice controls are not yet sufficient to reduce an employee's exposure to or below the TWA.

(d)  Emergencies.

(2)   For respirator selection, an employer must do all of the following:

(a)   Select, and provide to employees, the appropriate respirators in accordance with Occupational Health Standard  Part   451  “Respiratory   Protection,”  as  referenced  in R 325.51151a, however, an employer must not select or use half masks of any type because EtO may cause eye irritation or injury.

(b)   Equip each air-purifying, full facepiece respirator with a front-or back-mounted canister approved for protection against ethylene oxide.

(c)     For escape, provide employees with any respirator permitted for use under subdivisions (a) and (b) of this subrule.

(3)    The employer must implement a respiratory protection program in accordance with Occupational Health Standard Part 451 “Respiratory Protection,” as referenced in R 325.51151a, which covers each employee required by this rule to use a respirator.

History: 1988 AACS; 1993 AACS; 2000 AACS; 2015 AACS.