The Army IH Program:

• Provides subject matter expertise for the use of commercial and military respiratory protective equipment and respirator programs.

• Provides subject matter expertise for the use of commercial respirators in military specific applications as well as use of military respirators for chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals, and toxic industrial materials.

• Reviews and develops responses to federal notices of proposed rulemaking, standards, and policies related to respiratory protection and provides input to regulatory and consensus standards reviews on behalf of MEDCOM, OTSG, DA, and DoD.

• Participates as representatives on the InterAgency Board and consensus standards setting committees to remain current in the practices of respiratory protection and to represent the interests of the Army and DoD in various standards-setting activities.

For information on respirator use with chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals, and/or CBRN as it relates to respiratory protection, call 410-436-3118 or email armyihonline@amedd.army.mil

Relevant Documents

•  AR 11-34, The Army Respiratory Protection Program 
•  DA Pam 385-61, Toxic Chemical Agent Safety Standards 

Fact Sheets

•  OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard Changes Regarding the Use of Respirators Against Tuberculosis 
•  OSHA's Final Rule on Assigned Protection Factors for Respirators
•  Respirator Fit Testing: Qualifications and Training

Training Materials 

•  The Difference Between Respirators and Surgical Masks OSHA video
•  Respirator Safety. Donning (Putting on) and Doffing (Taking off) and User Seal Checks OSHA video
  These videos can be downloaded from the linked pages above by going to Additional Information/Training/Respirator Training Videos on the page
•  How to Properly Put on and Take off a Disposable Respirator. NIOSH Publication No. 2010-131

Respiratory Protection Links

Government

•  The NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
•  Responder Knowledge Base (RKB)
•  The InterAgency Board
•  OSHA Respiratory Protection eTool
•  OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Respiratory Protection
•  OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134
•  OSHA Respiratory Protection Training and Reference Materials
•  OSHA Assigned Protection Factors Final Rule
•  NIOSH Respirator Selection Logic 2004

Non-Government

•  AIHA Respiratory Protection Committee
•  AIHA/ANSI Z88 Accredited Standards Committee
• NAS Report, Reusability of Facemasks During an Influenza Pandemic: Facing the Flu  download free pdf