Respiratory Protection Programs
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to develop and implement a written respiratory protection program for situations in which permissible exposure limits (PELs) of airborne contaminants are exceeded, or when the employer requires the use of respirators by employees in situations such as potential infectious disease exposure.
Companies that require masks are required to maintain a specific Respiratory Protection Program. These programs are required by law to both educate and protect the health of employees who work around dangerous airborne contaminants.
ERS will provide your company with the following federally mandated Respiratory Protection components:
- A written document outlining proper chemical handling procedures and personal protective equipment requirements.
- Physician Medical Evaluation Forms
- Respirator Fit Testing
- Employee Training
Request OSHA Respiratory Protection Training
Respirator Fit Tests in Montgomery County, PA
Workers in a variety of industries have the potential to be exposed to airborne contaminants during the course of their normal workdays; dentistry, automotive collision repair, small manufacturing, and stone or concrete fabrication are just a few examples. Without proper respiratory protection that fits correctly, these workers could potentially suffer injuries or diseases from breathing in materials like corrosive chemical fumes, paint fumes, and harmful particulate matter.
If you own or operate a business where employees could be exposed to hazardous airborne substances, you have a responsibility to conform to the standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding respiratory protection. You’ll also be required to conduct yearly fit testing and certification of all respirators used by your employees to ensure they fit correctly and provide the protection they’re designed to. Is your workplace in compliance with OSHA’s stringent respirator standards? If you’re not sure, respirator fit testing and respiratory protection training from Environmental Risk Services can help you educate yourself and your employees about the need for and proper use of respirators and get you into compliance with OSHA respiratory protection standards as required by law.
OSHA requires employers to develop and implement a written respiratory protection program for situations in which permissible exposure limits (PELs) of airborne contaminants are exceeded, or when the employer requires the use of respirators by employees. Chemical fumes and particulate matter like wood dust or stone dust can be present in many workplaces, and they all present a significant hazard to anyone who spends time in their presence without respiratory protection. Fortunately, OSHA outlines a number of steps you can take to mitigate the danger presented by these substances. In addition to requiring the use of respirators, it’s a good strategy to implement engineering measures to control the hazard at its source. This may include the installation and maintenance of hood systems or dust collection equipment at your Bucks County business location.
Certain types of businesses may also be required to conform to OSHA respiratory protection standards specific to their industry. Automotive collision repair is one example, as body shops must maintain a specific respiratory protection program to protect workers from paint fumes and exposure to harmful chemicals that they encounter during the course of their normal work. Because employees in this industry routinely handle some of the most hazardous chemicals that can be found in a dealership service area, specific respiratory protection programs are required by law, not only to protect their health, but to educate them about the dangers they face.
If you own or operate a business in Montgomery County, PA, Philadelphia, Bucks County, or anywhere nearby, get in touch with Environmental Risk Services today to find out more about OSHA respiratory protection training, respiratory fit testing services, and other OSHA and EPA compliance training. Call (800) 377-2707 or fill out the convenient online form at the bottom of this page to find out more about the services we offer including:
Additional Information:
All the respiratory protection training in the world won’t mean much if your respirators don’t fit properly or your employees aren’t using them correctly. Regular training and fit testing is the best way to ensure that all respiratory protection equipment is in working order and is being used properly by the people who need it. OSHA requires a respirator fit test to be performed on every worker at least once every year. First, they test the user’s ability to detect chemical odors while wearing their respirator, then they test the quality of the seal between the respirator and the user’s face. Once the respirator fit test is complete, the user is required to wear the same make, model, style, and size respirator while they work. Whether they use a half-mask or full-mask respirator, they are required to pass a respirator fit test every 12 months on the job. Environmental Risk Services can assist you with OSHA compliance by providing a program of respirator fit testing services and OSHA respiratory protection training every year.
ERS will provide your company with the following federally mandated respiratory protection components:
- A written document outlining proper chemical handling procedures and personal protective equipment requirements
- Physician medical evaluation forms
- Respirator fit testing
- Employee training
At Environmental Risk Services, we are committed to your safety and your goal of being 100% compliant with all federal and state regulations. In addition to providing respirator fit testing services and other regulatory compliance training, we can also assist our clients with phone and email support at no additional cost. We’re committed to assisting you with regulatory compliance, and that commitment goes beyond our training sessions. We are always happy to answer any safety questions you may have and keep everyone in your workplace up-to-date on compliance issues and any changes to OSHA regulations that could affect you in the future. If you’re not sure where to start, contact us today to request an OSHA or EPA compliance consultation at no cost to you. Our experienced training and compliance staff will evaluate your company’s needs and recommend any number of programs to help you stay on the right side of the law.
Of course, ERS does more than just provide respirator fit testing services to our clients in the Montgomery County, PA area; we can do so much more for you! For more than 15 years, we’ve been helping businesses in a wide variety of industries make their workplaces safer. Our primary clients include those in the small manufacturing, collision repair, machine shop, stone or concrete fabrication, bakery and foodservice, and automotive industries, but we’re happy to work with anyone who has a need for OSHA or EPA compliance training. Call us at (800) 377-2707 to ask about OSHA lockout tagout training in Philadelphia, Hazard communication training in Philadelphia, or any of the other services we offer, including:
- Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemical (GHS) Training
- Hearing Conservation Training
- Forklift Certification
- Fire Extinguisher Training
- Emergency Response Training
- Respiratory Protection Training and Respiratory Fit Test Services
- Hazard Communication Training
- Lockout Tagout Training
Our OSHA and EPA compliance programs are the perfect way to ensure your business in Philadelphia, Bucks County, or Montgomery County, PA is keeping up with all federal and state regulations. Remember that any violations could result in lost time, lost money, increased insurance costs, hefty fines, and even criminal charges for you, so it makes sense to invest in some comprehensive compliance training. Get in touch with Environmental Risk Services today to get started, completely free of charge.
