3/8/2021 UPDATE: Of course, someone finds an LOI that says otherwise to my position and totally blows me away – not because the LOI says a PFT is not required, but that in the LOI OSHA states that personnel who are trained to the Operations Level are not HAZMAT responders and therefore do not need…...
Firefighter #1, Firefighter #2, and Firefighter #3 were participating in a training drill. All three (3) Firefighters were assigned to the decontamination team, which is responsible for decontaminating hazardous materials response members. The team was suited in LEVEL B protective gear and was utilizing Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. The team was using a “buddy breather”…...
Last week I asked my FaceBook Group a “trick question” regarding the end-of-service-time indicator (EOSTI) on our Supplied Air Respirators that we use for emergency response. I was so pleased to get so many texts/calls/emails and even a few phone calls checking to see if I was feeling OK. I did not tell the group…...
A few weeks ago a client asked me to review a new N95 Filtering Face Piece (FFP) respirator they had received from a salesperson. This new N95 was very unique and it was touted to be NIOSH approved while being a “strapless” FFP. I was confused, how can a NIOSH N95 FFP be “strapless”. To…...
A petrochemical refinery was undergoing a turnaround. A contractor crew had been assigned the job of sandblasting the inside surfaces of a reactor vessel (permit-required confined space). Although UNWRITTEN COMPANY POLICY called for the use of air compressors for supplying respirator air, this crew, with the supervisor’s knowledge, had previously used plant air to supply…...
Most have seen a full-face Air Purifying Respirator (APR), but just so we are on the same page, I have shared an image of a FF-APR. The serious question I have is… Can this FF-APR be equipped with “escape only” cartridges and be declared an emergency escape respirator? I so NO, but I will be…...
Several of the EEBA manufacturers do not offer this advice upfront, but some manufacturers put this info in their owner’s manuals. I am no lawyer, so I have no idea why a manufacturer would NOT provide this information for an Emergency Escape Breathing Apparatus (EEBA). But having these devices in the workplace, if you use…...
What is the number 1 battle we deal with in our respirator programs? Facial hair! But luckily an Emergency Escape Breathing Apparatus (EEBA) is not hindered by facial hair; however, an EEBA could be hampered by…… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
Emergency Escape Breathing Apparatus (EEBA) are making come back – at least I am finding more and more facilities that never had them now implementing them for many reasons. Some companies now believe they are required because of PSM/RMP, some 3rd party PHA facilitators must be getting kick-backs as a lot are recommending them in…...
Here is a look at OSHA’s Respiratory Protection compliance activity in 2019 (October 2018 – September 2019). As you can see, OSHA did 1,298 inspections and issued 2,931 citations for a total of $3,808,871 in fines. Here is a quick breakdown of activity: NAICS Code: 33 / Manufacturing was #1 in # of citations with…...
This may cause anger in some, but it must be said in these crazy times… To claim any level of respiratory protection, the respirator MUST BE: NIOSH/MSHA approved, AND FIT-TESTED using an OSHA prescribed protocol, AND the user must be properly trained in its use and limitations. Thus a “face covering” that is NOT MANAGED…...
We finally have some “sort of” official definitions from OSHA of what a cloth face covering, surgical mask, and respirator are and how they differ. The new guidance outlines the differences between cloth face coverings, surgical masks, and respirators. It further reminds employers NOT TO USE SURGICAL MASKS OR CLOTH FACE COVERINGS WHEN RESPIRATORS ARE…...
