Proper respirator training protects employee safety
Employees exposed to potentially harmful airborne contaminants such as toxins, smoke or dust wear respirators as protection against serious medical complications. As with any personal protective equipment, Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations require employers to provide respirator training to all employees who use respirators. Failure to do so endangers employee health and safety and subjects the company to serious federal penalties.
Basic Requirements
Respirator training must be completed by an employee before using a respirator for the first time. This includes not only the training itself, but also a medical examination and fit testing of the equipment. Employers must develop a written training program which includes all OSHA specified information. Courses must be created with work site customized instructions for the specific equipment used. The course must include all procedures necessary for storing the protective equipment at that job site, including the location and any sign-in or sign-out protocols. These requirements must be taught in a manner which is both comprehensive and understandable.
Comprehensive
OSHA regulations require training that includes teaching employees about the limitations of the equipment, handle respirator malfunctions, inspection and cleaning procedures, and recognize medical symptoms indicating a respirator is not working. A company's respirator training course must cover all aspects of respirator use, not simply activities which are included in an employee's job description. Courses must include instructions on proper maintenance and cleaning even if a different employee will be providing these functions.
Demonstrate Understanding
It is not enough for workers to simply attend respirator training. They must demonstrate they have learned the material and understand all aspects of respirator use. Employers can use written examinations to measure how well employees have learned the information, but they must also conduct hands-on tests with the equipment to be used. If an employee is unable to demonstrate an understanding of the material or capability with the equipment, that employee must not be allowed to use a respirator until the course is repeated.
Retraining
Workers must repeat respirator training annually regardless of their situation. OSHA regulations include a number of examples which may require an employee to repeat the course more often. If workplace activities change so much that the old training is no longer relevant, all employees must be retrained with the new procedures. When changing to a significantly different respirator model, employees must be taught use the new equipment. An employee who demonstrates an inability to use the equipment must retake the training course before using a respirator again. If retraining is required, the worker must repeat the entire training course and not just the parts which may have changed.
