Program Summary

Applies to:

All employees exposed to airborne contaminants at or above legal limits must be provided, and use, appropriate respiratory protection.

Requirements:

Employees who are exposed to hazardous air contaminants (e.g., certain gases, fumes, mists, vapors or dusts), where exposures are not adequately controlled by either engineering or administrative controls, must be provided, and use, appropriate respiratory protection.

If you suspect that there are exposures of concern in your work area, or that are associated with tasks you or your employees perform, please contact EHSS for an evaluation. EHSS will review the potential for exposure and perform monitoring as needed or required. If exposures are above legal limits, EHSS will assist the department with evaluating and implementing either engineering and/or administrative controls. If these controls are not effective, respiratory protection must be used.

Employees who are assigned a respirator must participate in the university's Occupational Health Assurance Program and must comply with the requirements outlined in the Respiratory Protection Program.

An employee who is not exposed above legal limits, but who chooses to wear a respirator for his or her own comfort, must still comply with certain requirements outlined in this program. These voluntary users of respirators must also be provided information as outlined by OSHA. If you are a voluntary user of a respirator, or if you have employees in your workgroup that use respirators on a voluntary basis, please contact EHSS for assistance at 231-2509 or spvaler@vt.edu.