Respirator Protection Manual

12 Respiratory Protection Program D. Respirator Approval, Selection and Purchase Approval All respirators used at Iowa State University must be approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and carry the NIOSH approval label. All respirators sold by Iowa State University (ISU) Central Stores are NIOSH approved. Selection Proper respirator selection depends on the type of contaminant, expected airborne concentration, and other factors such as oxygen percentage. Potential inhalation hazards must be assessed before the correct respirator can be selected. Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) will assist departments in the evaluation of job hazards and select the type of respirator needed. Departmental supervisors shall ensure that required respirators and cartridges are used, based on EH&S’s job hazard assessment. Purchase A written prescription from EH&S is required for respirator purchases at Central Stores. Prescriptions will be provided by EH&S after completion of training and fit testing or if respirator requirements change. This will ensure that the proper respirator is selected for the job and that the appropriate hazard assessment and training have been completed. Respirators purchased through other sources must be approved in writing by EH&S before use. Voluntary Dust Mask Use OSHA considers disposable, filtering face pieces (N95, dust masks) to be respirators and their use is regulated. Employees whose job description requires them to wear respiratory protection must participate in the ISU Respiratory Protection Program. Employees who voluntarily use these devices for purposes that are not part of job requirements do not need to participate when the following conditions are true: • Exposure to airborne contaminants is below OSHA permissible exposure limits (PEL) • Exposure is only to non-toxic nuisance materials • Use is not required by a procedure or research protocol • Respirators are not worn to reduce exposure to gases or vapors Voluntary users must follow the use, storage, and disposal guidelines on the Information for Disposable Respirator Users web page.