WAC 296-305-04001   Respiratory equipment protection.  (1) Fire fighter's self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) shall:

     (a) Be pressure demand type (positive pressure);

     (b) Operate in the positive pressure mode only;

     (c) Have a minimum of thirty minutes service duration;

     (d) Be NIOSH certified; and

     (e) Meet the requirements of the 1992 or 1997 edition of NFPA, Standard on Open Circuit Self Contained Breathing Apparatus for Fire Fighters 1981.

     (2) Closed circuit SCBA shall:

     (a) Be positive pressure;

     (b) Be NIOSH certified; and

     (c) Have a minimum thirty-minute service duration.

     (3) Members using SCBA's shall operate in teams of two or more.

     (4) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, fire departments shall adopt, maintain and implement a written respiratory protection program that addresses the requirements of chapter 296-842 WAC, Respirators and Part I-1, Asbestos, Tremolite, Anthophyllite, and Actinolite. This includes program administration, medical limitations, equipment limitations, equipment selection, inspection, use, maintenance, training, fit testing procedures, air quality, and program evaluation.

Note:

Additional information on respirators and respirator usage can be found in ANSI Z88.2 - American National Standard for Respiratory Protection; ANSI Z88.5 - Practices for Respiratory Protection for Fire Service; various NFPA publications (1981, 1404, 1500, etc.), and the Washington State Fire Service Training Program for respiratory training and usage.

     (5) When fire departments purchase compressed breathing air from a vendor, the fire department shall require the vendor to provide certification and documentation of breathing air quality as specified in subsection (21) of this section and in chapter 296-842 WAC.

     (6) When the fire department makes its own breathing air or uses vendor purchased breathing air, the air quality from compressors, cascade systems cylinders, shall be tested at least quarterly as specified in subsection (21) of this section.

     (7) Fit testing shall be conducted in accordance with this section and chapter 296-842 WAC, Respirators.

     (a) Each new member shall be tested before being permitted to use SCBA's in a hazardous atmosphere.

     (b) Only fire fighters with a properly fitting facepiece shall be permitted by the fire department to function in a hazardous atmosphere with SCBA. (Reference WAC 296-842-18005.)

     (c) Fit testing shall be repeated:

     (i) At least once every twelve months.

     (ii) Whenever there are changes in the type of SCBA or facepiece used.

     (iii) Whenever there are significant physical changes in the user. Example: Weight change of ten percent or more, scarring of face seal area, dental changes, cosmetic surgery, or any other condition that may affect the fit of the facepiece seal.

     (d) The fit testing is done only in a negative-pressure mode. If the facepiece is modified for fit testing, the modification shall not affect the normal fit of the device. Such modified devices shall only be used for fit testing.

     (e) The fit test procedures and test exercises described in WAC 296-62-07162, Asbestos, Appendix C, shall be followed unless stated otherwise in this chapter.

     (f) Respirator fit test records shall include:

     (i) Written guidelines for the respirator fit testing program including pass/fail criteria;

     (ii) Type of respirator tested including manufacturer, model, and size;

     (iii) Type of fit test and instrumentation or equipment used;

     (iv) Name or identification of test operator;

     (v) Name of person tested;

     (vi) Date of test; and

     (vii) Results of test.

Note:

Fire fighters should be issued individual facepieces.

     (8) Facial hair, contact lenses, and eye and face protective devices.

     (a) A negative pressure respirator, any self-contained breathing apparatus, or any respirator which is used in an atmosphere immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) equipped with a facepiece shall not be worn if facial hair comes between the sealing periphery of the facepiece and the face or if facial hair interferes with the valve function.

     (b) The wearer of a respirator shall not be allowed to wear contact lenses if the risk of eye damage is increased by their use.

     (c) If a spectacle, goggle, or face shield must be worn with a facepiece, it shall be worn so as to not adversely affect the seal of the facepiece to the face. See WAC 296-62-07170(2).

     (d) Straps or temple bars shall not pass between the seal or surface of the respirator and the user's face.

     (9) At the end of suppression activities (to include fire overhaul) and before returning to quarters:

     (a) Fire fighters shall be decontaminated prior to removal of respirators whenever fire fighting activities resulted in exposure to a hazardous substance.

     (b) When exchanging air supply bottles during suppression or overhaul activities, reasonable precautions shall be taken to maintain uncontaminated atmosphere to the breathing zone and facepiece supply hose.

     (10) Self-contained respiratory equipment shall be available and used by all fire fighters who enter into hazardous atmospheres during structural fire fighting activities.

     (11) Positive pressure air line respirators may be used only for atmospheres other than IDLH and must be equipped with a five minute minimum capacity positive pressure escape bottle.

     (a) If the service life of the auxiliary air supply is fifteen minutes or less it shall not be used for entry into an IDLH atmosphere but it may be used for escape purposes. The auxiliary air supply may be used for entry into an IDLH atmosphere only when the service life of the unit exceeds fifteen minutes and when not more than twenty percent of the noted air supply will be used during entry.

     (b) The maximum length of hose for supplied air respirators is 300 feet (91 meters). Such hose shall be heavy duty nonkinking and NIOSH approved.

     (12) Respirators shall be provided for, and shall be used by, all personnel working in areas where:

     (a) The atmosphere is hazardous;

     (b) The atmosphere is suspected of being hazardous; or

     (c) The atmosphere may rapidly become hazardous;

     (13) Anytime fire fighters are working inside a confined space, such persons shall be provided with SCBA or air line respirator with escape bottle, and shall use the equipment unless the safety of the atmosphere can be established by testing and continuous monitoring.

     (14) Fire fighters using a properly functioning SCBA shall not compromise the protective integrity of the SCBA by removing the facepiece for any reason in hazardous atmospheres or in atmospheres where the quality of air is unknown.

     (15) Fire fighters shall receive training for each type and manufacturer of respiratory equipment available for their use, the step-by-step procedure for donning the respirator and checking it for proper function. Required training shall include:

     (a) Recognizing hazards that may be encountered;

     (b) Understanding the components of the respirator;

     (c) Understanding the safety features and limitations of the respirator; and

     (d) Donning and doffing the respirator.

     (16) After completing such training, each fire fighter shall practice at least quarterly, for each type and manufacture of respirator available for use, the step-by-step procedure for donning the respirator and checking it for proper function.

     (17) Members shall be tested at least annually on the knowledge of respiratory protection equipment operation, safety, organizational policies and procedures, and facepiece seals, to the fire department's standard. Such records shall remain part of the member training file.

     (18) Members shall be allowed to use only the make, model, and size respirator for which they have passed a fit test within the last twelve months.

     (19) In cases where there is a reported failure of a respirator, it shall be removed from service, tagged and recorded as such, and tested before being returned to service.

     (20) Fire fighters shall be thoroughly trained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions on emergency procedures such as use of regulator bypass valve, corrective action for facepiece and breathing tube damage, and breathing directly from the regulator (where applicable).

     (21) Compressed gaseous breathing air in the SCBA cylinder shall meet the requirements of ANSI/CGA G7.1 - Commodity Specification for Air, with a minimum air quality of grade D, as well as meeting a water vapor level of 24 ppm or less.

     (22) SCBA cylinders shall be hydrostatically tested within the periods specified by the manufacturer and the applicable governmental agencies.

     Additional reference: Chapter 296-842 WAC.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 05-20-055, § 296-305-04001, filed 10/3/05, effective 12/1/05; 05-03-093, § 296-305-04001, filed 1/18/05, effective 3/1/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010,[49.17].040 , [49.17].050. 02-12-098, § 296-305-04001, filed 6/5/02, effective 8/1/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040. 99-05-080, § 296-305-04001, filed 2/17/99, effective 6/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010,[49.17].050 and [49.17].060. 96-11-067, § 296-305-04001, filed 5/10/96, effective 1/1/97.]