U.S. Department of Labor | ||||||
Occupational Safety & Health Administration |
Standard Interpretations
03/09/1995 - Employees in a cotton yarn manufacturing plant who voluntarily wear cloth over their mouths and noses to prevent lint from sticking to their skin. |
Standard Interpretations - Table of Contents |
Standard Number: | 1910.134; 1910.1043 |
March 9, 1995
Mr. William K. Principe Dear Mr. Principe: This is in response to your letter of December 21, 1994, concerning employees in a cotton yarn manufacturing plant who voluntarily wear cloth over their mouths and noses to prevent lint from sticking to their skin. The employees' exposures to cotton dust are less than half the permissible exposure limit (PEL) and the employees are not involved in nor exposed to blow down or blow off of equipment. You inquired whether the wearing of this cloth by these employees constitutes the wearing of a "respirator" within the meaning of either 29 CFR 1910.1043(f) or .134.
In OSHA's view the wearing of the cloth would not constitute the wearing of
a "respirator" within the meaning of either 29 CFR 1910.1043(f) or .134.
However, please note that 29 CFR 1910.1043(f)(1)(v) requires employers to
provide a respirator to employees who request one. Should any of the
employees wearing cloth over their mouths and noses request a respirator,
then according to [29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)], We appreciate the opportunity to clarify this matter. Should you require additional information, please contact the Office of Health Compliance Assistance at (202) 219-8036. Sincerely,
Ruth McCully, Director December 21, 1994
John B. Miles, Jr. Dear Mr. Miles: I would like to request a formal Opinion Letter addressing the following situation. Our firm represents a yarn plant that is covered by the requirements of the Cotton Dust Standard, 29 C.F.R. 1910.1043. In work areas where employee exposure to cotton dust is less than half the permissible exposure limit and where employees are not involved in or exposed to blow down or blow off of equipment, certain employees have voluntarily decided to wear cloth over their mouths and noses to prevent lint from sticking to their skin. The cloth is typically the thickness and texture of t-shirt material. Would the wearing of this cloth over the lower half of these employees' faces constitute the wearing of a "respirator" within the meaning of either 29 C.F.R. 1910.1043(f) or 1910.134? If so, is compliance with 1910.1043(f) and 1910.134 required under the circumstances described above? If compliance is required, with which provisions of these standards would our client be required to comply? Sincerely, William K. Principe |
Standard Interpretations - Table of Contents |
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