Choosing the Correct Respiratory Protection for Workers

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that an estimated 5 million workers are required to wear respirators in 1.3 million workplaces throughout the United States. Respirators protect workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors and sprays. These hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, diseases or death.

Unfortunately, year after year, respiratory protection makes its way to OSHA’s Top 10 List of the most frequently cited safety and health violations. The list is compiled from thousands of workplace inspections conducted by the agency’s staff.

Compliance with the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard could avert many deaths, countless illnesses and numerous costly citations. The standard applies to all occupational airborne exposures to contaminated air where the employee is:

• Exposed to a hazardous level of an airborne contaminant; or
• Required by the employer to wear respirators; or
• Permitted to wear respirators.

Four major duties are imposed by each of these, including:

• Using engineering controls where feasible to control the hazard.
• Providing an appropriate respirator.
• Ensuring the use of an appropriate respirator.
• Instituting a respiratory protection program that complies with the rest of the standard.

“Respirators can protect workers in two basic ways,” said Jody Thomason, Vice President of Products/Corporate Purchasing for EMSL Analytical, Inc. “The first is by the removal of contaminants from the air. This category of respirators includes particulate respirators which filter out airborne particles and air-purifying respirators with cartridges or canisters that filter out chemicals and gases. The other category of respirators supplies clean respirable air from another source. These include airline respirators which use compressed air from a remote source and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). It’s critical to use the appropriate type of respirator for the environment and potential hazards that a worker may encounter.”

EMSL has recently sponsored an educational video about respiratory protection for workers that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/0vk4z4UuFqc.

For access to a complete line of respirators, filters, accessories and fit testing supplies from EMSL’s Products Division, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email  info@EMSL.com .

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical, Inc. is one of the leading testing laboratories with over 40 locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP 797, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC’s, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations.  In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail