Section 325.51407. Respiratory protection.

Rule 7. (1) For employees who use respirators required by these rules, an employer shall provide each employee an appropriate respirator that complies with the requirements of these rules.

(2) An employer shall implement a respiratory protection program in accordance with Occupational   Health  Standard  Part  451,  “Respiratory   Protection,”  29  C.F.R.  Rules

§1910.134   (c) to   (d) and   (f) to   (m), except for    (d)  (1)  (iii) and    (d)  (3)  (iii)  (B)

(1)   and  (2), as referenced in R 325.51401a.

(3) An employer shall do all of the following:

(a)   Select, and provide to employees, the appropriate respirators specified in paragraph

(d)      (3) (i) (A) of Occupational Health Standard Part 451 ‘Respiratory Protection,’ as referenced in R 325.51401a.

(b)   Provide an organic vapor cartridge that has a service life of at least 1 hour when using a chemical cartridge respirator at vinyl chloride concentrations up to 10 ppm.

(c)   Select a canister that has a service life of at least 4 hours when using a powered air- purifying respirator having a hood, helmet, or full or half facepiece, or a gas mask with a front-or back-mounted canister, at vinyl chloride concentrations up to 25 ppm.

(4)  Both of the following apply when air-purifying respirators are used:

(a)   An employer shall replace air-purifying canisters or cartridges before the expiration of their service life or the end of the shift in which they are first used, whichever occurs first.

(b)     An employer shall provide a continuous monitoring and alarm system where concentrations of vinyl chloride could reasonably exceed the allowable concentrations for the devices in use. An employer shall use the system to alert employees when vinyl chloride concentrations exceed the allowable concentrations for the devices in use.

(5)   An employer may use apparatus prescribed for higher concentrations for any lower concentration.

History: 2000 AACS; 2013 AACS.