Background: The employer has truck drivers that drive in and out of oil/gas refineries. Drivers are provided with a North 7900 series air-purifying disposable mouthpiece type respirator for use as an escape-only respirator. The owner’s manual to the North 7900 Series disposable mouthpiece type escape respirator warns employers to be aware of any physical limitations or illnesses that would preclude or limit a user from wearing this type of respirator. However, an OSHA letter of interpretation from March 8, 1999, implies that a medical evaluation is not required for escape-only respirators.
Question 1: Are medical evaluations required for users of escape-only respirators?