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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8151
Firefighters battling indoor blazes are among the more than
900 workers annually whose lives can be saved by revision of a 25-year-old
standard on respirator protection, Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman
announced today.
The strengthened respirator protection also is estimated to
prevent more than 4,000 injuries and illnesses annually. The new Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements will cover about five
million American workers in 1.3 million establishments (mostly manufacturing)
in all industry sectors covered by OSHA except agriculture.
"One of my top priorities is to guarantee a safe and
healthful workplace for all of America's workers," said Herman. "This is a
major step forward in improving employee protection against toxic substances.
In addition to saving lives and preventing injuries and illnesses, employers
will realize up to $94 million a year in savings on injury and illness-related
costs."
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and
Health Charles N. Jeffress said, "OSHA's ultimate goal is to reduce injuries
and illnesses. Improving and updating existing standards, as we did with this
one, is one way to reach that goal."
The new standard reflects current respirator technology and
better ways to ensure they fit. The revised standard also clarifies
responsibility for administering a respirator program and its provisions, adds
definitions, and provides specific guidance on respirator selection, use,
hazard evaluation, medical evaluations, fit testing, and training.
The changes also will simplify respirator requirements by
deleting duplicated provisions and revising other respirator-related provisions
in OSHA standards to make all of them consistent.
It also addresses use of respirators in Immediately
Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) atmospheres, including firefighting. During
interior structural firefighting (an IDLH atmosphere), self-contained breathing
apparatus is required and at least two firefighters must enter and remain in
visual and voice contact with each other at all times. In addition, two
firefighters must be on standby if two firefighters are engaged in interior
structural firefighting in the burning building ("two-in / two-out") to provide
safety. This requirement will be applicable to state and local government
firefighters in the 25 states that operate OSHA-approved state plans through
the adoption of an identical or "at least as effective" standard. Federal OSHA
has no jurisdiction over such workers but it does have jurisdiction over
federal employees who fight fires and private-sector employees who fight fires
(e.g., those in industrial fire brigades).
Other major requirements of a respirator program as
outlined in the standard are:
- Written plan with worksite-specific procedures to tailor
program to each worksite.
- Hazard evaluation required to characterize respiratory
hazards and conditions of work to assist employers in selecting appropriate
respirators.
- Medical evaluation required to determine ability of workers
to wear the respirator selected.
- Fit testing of tight-fitting respirators required to reduce
faceseal leakage and ensure that the respirators provide adequate
protection.
- Training required to ensure that employees use respirators
safely.
- Periodic program evaluation required to ensure that
respirator use continues to be effective.
States and territories with their own occupational safety
and health plans must adopt comparable standards and extend their applicability
to state and local government employees within six months. These states and
territories include Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa,
Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina,
Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin
Islands, Washington and Wyoming. Connecticut and New York, whose plans cover
public employees only, also must adopt a comparable standard.
The revised standard will be published in the Thursday,
Jan. 8, 1998, Federal Register. The effective date is April 8, 1998.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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