New respirator standard goes into effect in April
Current technology becomes the rule
The new respirator standard becomes effective in American workplaces in April 1998, promising to save more lives and eliminate a few headaches for occupational health providers.
The strengthened respirator standard is expected to prevent an additional 4,000 injuries and illnesses annually, according to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Washington, DC. About 5 million American workers in 1.3 million establishments are covered by the new OSHA rule.
The new standard brings the 25-year-old rule up to date with current respirator technology, ensuring a better fit and better protection. The revised standard also clarifies responsibility for administering a respirator program and its provisions, adds definitions, and provides specific guidance on respirator selection, hazard evaluation, medical evaluations, fit-testing, and training. Many of the ambiguities and contradictions that caused frustration with the old rule are gone. In particular, the changes simplify respirator requirements by deleting duplicated provisions and revising other respirator-related provisions in OSHA standards to make them consistent.
OSHA also addresses the use of respirators in atmospheres Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH), the most prominent of which is firefighting. The revised rules outline new requirements applying to industrial fire brigades and municipal firefighters in some jurisdictions, requiring a more strict buddy system than before.
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