OSHA advanced a deregulatory proposal to amend 29 CFR 1910.134 that would alter pre-use medical clearance protocols. The amendment would REMOVE the requirement for mandatory medical evaluations for employees using filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs, such as N95s) and loose-fitting PAPRs.
The agency cited substantial administrative costs to employers and noted that physicians rarely disqualify workers from donning FFRs or loose-fitting PAPRs, which impose a minimal negative-pressure physiological burden compared to tight-fitting elastomeric facepieces. All other foundational elements of 29 CFR 1910.134—including written respiratory protection programs, workplace hazard assessments, annual fit testing (for tight-fitting masks), user training, and maintenance schedules—will remain mandatory.