White Paper: Establishing An Effective Respirator Program

Respirator Program Requirement
Selecting the appropriate respirator is only one of the requirements to establish an effective respiratory protection program. Before you consider which respirators would be applicable for your needs, you must consider all the factors which impact on proper respirator selection and use.

Employer Responsibilities
When health hazards requiring respiratory protection are present in the work environment, the employer has the responsibility of developing an effective respirator program. The employer must provide respirators that protect their employees' lives and health, and make sure the employees use the equipment properly. OSHA has set forth four requirements for a respiratory protection program.

1. The employer shall establish a written program with worksite specific procedures that are updated as necessary.
2. Certain procedures must be followed for voluntary use of respirators in non-hazardous atmospheres.
3. The program must be administrated by a trained program administrator.
4. Respirator training, and medical evaluations must be provided at no cost to the employee.