Standards

This section highlights OSHA standards, preambles to final rules (background to final rules), and Federal Registers (rules, proposed rules, and notices). Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

OSHA's revised Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134 and 29 CFR 1926.103) went into effect April 8, 1998. The final standard replaces the respiratory protection standards adopted by OSHA in 1971. The 29 CFR 1910.139 respirator standard that applied only to respiratory protection against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis was withdrawn December 31, 2003. Establishments whose respiratory protection programs for tuberculosis formerly covered under 29 CFR 1910.139 were required to adapt their programs to comply with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.134 effective July 2, 2004.

Respiratory protection is addressed in standards specifically for the general, shipyard employment, marine terminals, longshoring, and construction industries. The respiratory protection standards for the shipyard employment (29 CFR 1915.154), marine terminals (29 CFR 1917.92), longshoring (29 CFR 1918.102), and construction industries (29 CFR 1926.103) reference the respiratory protection standard for general industry (29 CFR 1910.134).

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

• 1910.134, Respiratory protection
  • Appendix A, Fit testing procedures (Mandatory)
  • Appendix B-1, User seal check procedures (Mandatory)
  • Appendix B-2, Respiratory cleaning procedures (Mandatory)
  • Appendix C, OSHA respirator medical evaluation questionnaire (Mandatory)
    
    • En Español
  • Appendix D, Information for employees using respirators when not required under standard (Mandatory)
    • En Español

Shipyard Employment (29 CFR 1915)

• 1915.154, Respiratory protection
  

Marine Terminals (29 CFR 1917)

• 1917.92, Respiratory protection

Longshoring (29 CFR 1918)

• 1918.102, Respiratory protection

Construction (29 CFR 1926)

• 1926.103, Respiratory protection

Preambles to Final Rules (Preambles to final rules explain the provisions of the final standard, describe changes that were made, discuss the Agency’s response to comments received from stakeholders, and present the rationale cited for making the changes found in the final standard, along with the cost/benefit and economic analysis supporting the final standard.)

• Respiratory Protection (1998). Explains the provisions of the final respiratory protection standard and includes the cost/benefit and economic analysis supporting the final standard. Also describes changes made to the respirator standard, discusses comments received by the Agency, and presents OSHA’s rationale for making the changes found in the final standard, along with the record evidence supporting each of the requirements of the final rule.
  
  
• Assigned Protection Factors; Final Rule. Final Rules 71:50121-50192, (2006, August 24). Revises the existing Respiratory Protection Standard to add definitions and requirements for Assigned Protection Factors (APFs) and Maximum Use Concentrations (MUCs). The revisions also supersede the respirator selection provisions of existing substance-specific standards with these new APFs (except for the respirator selection provisions of the 1,3-Butadiene Standard).
  
  
• Controlled Negative Pressure REDON Fit Testing Protocol. Final Rules 69:46986-46994 (2004, August 4). Approves an additional quantitative fit testing protocol, the controlled negative pressure (CNP) REDON fit testing protocol, for inclusion in Appendix A of the Respiratory Protection Standard. Also makes several editorial and non-substantive technical revisions to the Respiratory Protection Standard associated with the CNP REDON protocol and the previously approved CNP protocol.
  
  
• 42 CFR Part 84 Approval of Respiratory Protective Devices. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Updates NIOSH certification requirements for respiratory protective devices. Replaces and upgrades testing requirements for particulate filters.
  
  
• Search all available preambles to final rules.

Other Federal Register Notices

• Controlled Negative Pressure REDON Fit Testing Protocol. Proposed Rules 68:33887-33894, (2003, June 6). Proposes to approve an additional controlled negative pressure (CNP) fit testing protocol for its Respiratory Protection Standard.
  
  
• Occupational Exposure to Tuberculosis; Proposed Rule; Termination of Rulemaking Respiratory Protection for M. Tuberculosis; Final Rule; Revocation. Proposed Rules 68:75767-75775, (2003, December 31). OSHA withdrew its 1997 proposed standard on Occupational Exposure to Tuberculosis (TB) because it was unlikely to result in a meaningful reduction of disease transmission caused by contact with the most significant remaining source of occupational risk exposure to individuals with undiagnosed and unsuspected TB.

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