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INTRODUCTION

In 2001, the Survey of Respirator Use and Practices gathered information on respirator use from 40,002 randomly selected U.S. establishments.1 The survey collected data on the types of respiratory protection used by workers at an establishment, assessment of medical fitness to wear respirators, types of respirator fit tests performed, and presence of substances that prompted the decision to use respiratory protection.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

In 2001, approximately 12.9% or an estimated 7,494 establishments in the Industrial Machinery and Equipment industry used respirators for required purposes as compared with 4.5% of establishments in All Private Industry. Workers in Industrial Machinery and Equipment used respirators in similar proportions as workers in All Private Industry (2.7% vs. 3.1%).1 Compared with All Private Industry, a smaller proportion of respirator-using establishments in Industrial Machinery and Equipment used disposable dust masks (59.3% vs. 71.3%), and a larger proportion used air-supplied respirators (3.7% vs. 0.7%).  
Respiratory Protection Program Quality Indicators – Survey Results
Each of the elements listed below (developed on the basis of OSHA requirements2 and NIOSH recommendations3) examines an important part of an effective respirator program. The percentages of respirator-using establishments in the Industrial Machinery and Equipment industry with indication of a potentially inadequate respiratory protection program are listed along with suggestions to improve respirator programs.

1. Does the program require use of the manufacturer user’s instructions or NIOSH certification labels to adjust the airflow for airline respirators?

Survey Results: Of establishments using airline respirators, 82% did not require such use of instructions or labels or didn’t know how airflow was adjusted.
Suggestions: Air flow must be properly adjusted for the airline respirator to ensure adequate flow to the user and prevent infiltration of dusts and chemicals. In addition, the length of air hoses is limited by NIOSH certification to assure sufficient air flow.

2. Is there a written change-out schedule for air-purifying gas/vapor filters?

Survey Results: Of respirator-using establishments using gas/vapor filters, 76% did not have a written change-out schedule. 
Suggestions: Many substances have poor warning properties (e.g., isocyanates in paint) so a change-out schedule to replace spent cartridges is needed. Filtering elements need to be changed often enough to prevent saturation with chemicals or clogging with dust. Cartridge change-out schedules are available from OSHA at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/respiratory/change_schedule.html and NIOSH at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/multivapor/multivapor.html

3. Do written procedures include regularly scheduled evaluations of the effectiveness of respirators used at the establishment?

Survey Results: Of respirator-using establishments, 59% did not include such an evaluation or were unaware if evaluations had been conducted.
Suggestions: The employer should conduct an evaluation to determine if the proper respirators are being used for changing conditions, and feedback from workers should be obtained to see if respirators are interfering with work performance.

4. Has management adopted a written respirator program that determines how respirators are used?

Survey Results: Of respirator-using establishments, 56% had not adopted a written program.
Suggestions: OSHA requires a written program with work-site specific procedures for: selecting respirators; using respirators; evaluating the respirator program; fit testing; maintaining and storing respirators; medically evaluating workers; training workers about respiratory hazards and respirator use and limitations, maintaining respirators; and ensuring adequate quality, quantity, and flow of air for air-supplying respirators.

5. Does the program provide training regarding the need, use, limitations, and capabilities of respirators?

Survey Results: Of respirator-using establishments, 51% did not provide such training.
Suggestions: Worker training is needed to ensure that workers wear respirators properly, use the right type of respirator for the job, know the limitations of the respirator, and understand the health effects of dusts and chemicals.