Section 408.17320. Respiratory protection devices.

(1) An employer shall ensure that respirators are provided to, and used by, each fire brigade member, and that the respirators meet the requirements of Occupational Health Standard  Part   451  “Respiratory   Protection,”  as  referenced  in R 408.17302, for each employee required to use a respirator.

(2)     Self-contained breathing apparatus shall be provided with an indicator that automatically sounds an audible alarm when the remaining service life of the apparatus is reduced to within a range of 20% to 25% of its rated service time.

(3)   An employer shall ensure that self-contained breathing apparatus ordered or purchased after July 1, 1981, for use by fire brigade members performing interior structural fire fighting operations, are of the pressure-demand or other positive-pressure type. Effective July 1, 1983, only pressure-demand or other positive-pressure self- contained breathing apparatus shall be worn by fire brigade members performing interior structural fire fighting.

(4)    Subrule (3) of this rule does not prohibit the use of a self-contained breathing apparatus if the apparatus can be switched from a demand mode to a positive-pressure mode. However, such apparatus shall be in the positive-pressure mode when fire brigade members are performing interior structural fire fighting operations.

History: 1984 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS; 2013 AACS; 2015 AACS.