An Effective Respiratory Protection Program

(13 min.) An Effective Respiratory Protection Program. The most effective method of protecting workers is to reduce the hazard by using ventilation, non-toxic chemicals, and other engineering methods. Quite often, these hazards may not be controlled through engineering methods, so personal protection may then be required. An effective respiratory protection program should:

-include a written standard operating procedure
-respirators shall be selected on the basis of hazards to which the worker is exposed
-user shall be instructed and trained
-respirators must be regularly cleaned and disinfected
-respirators must be stored in convenient, clean, and sanitary locations
-respirators must be routinely inspected during cleaning
-monitor the work area conditions and the degree of worker exposure or stress
-regular inspection and evaluation be completed to determine the continued effectiveness of the respirator protection program
-persons must be physically able to perform the work and use the equipment
-all respirators must be approved for the particular hazard and it must provide the necessary protection for that hazard
Topics covered in this safety video also include: using the correct respirator for the specified job hazard, frequently inspect the respirators and the respiratory protection program, training, employer's responsibilities, inspect the respirators before and after each use, storing your respirators, care of respirators that have rubber parts, basic principles about different types of respiratory equipment including canister gas masks, SCBA respirators, common misuse of respiratory protection, make sure your mask fits properly, make sure you understand the capabilities and limitation of your equipment, and maintaining your equipment, keeping it clean, sanitary, and in serviceable condition.

Program comes with a CD-ROM of written materials, including test questions and answers. English title also includes PowerPoint presentation.