WAC 296-155-17613   Respiratory protection.  (1) General. For employees who use respirators required by WAC 296-155-176, the employer must provide each employee with an appropriate respirator that complies with the requirements of this section. Respirators must be used during:

     (a) Periods when an employee's exposure to lead exceeds the PEL.

     (b) Work operations for which engineering controls and work-practices are not sufficient to reduce employee exposures to or below the PEL.

     (c) Periods when an employee requests a respirator.

     (d) Periods when respirators are required to provide interim protection of employees while they perform the operations as specified in WAC 296-155-17609(2).

     (2) Respirator program.

     (a) The employer must develop, implement, and maintain a respiratory protection program as required by chapter 296-842 WAC, Respirators, which covers each employee required by this chapter to use a respirator.

     (b) If an employee has breathing difficulty during fit testing or respirator use, the employer must provide the employee with a medical examination as required by WAC 296-155-17621 (3)(a)(ii) to determine whether or not the employee can use a respirator while performing the required duty.

     (3) Respirator selection. The employer must:

     (a) Select and provide for employees appropriate respirators according to this section and WAC 296-842-13005 in the respirator rule.

     (b) Provide employees with a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) when an employee chooses to use a PAPR and it provides adequate protection to the employee.

     (c) Provide employees with full facepiece respirators instead of half facepiece respirators for protection against lead aerosols that may cause eye or skin irritation at the use concentration.

     (d) Provide HEPA filters or N-, R-, or P-100 filters for powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) and negative-pressure air-purifying respirators.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 09-15-145, § 296-155-17613, filed 7/21/09, effective 9/1/09; 07-05-072, § 296-155-17613, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07; 05-03-093, § 296-155-17613, filed 1/18/05, effective 3/1/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010,[49.17].040 and [49.17].050. 99-10-071, § 296-155-17613, filed 5/4/99, effective 9/1/99. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 93-22-054 (Order 93-07), § 296-155-17613, filed 10/29/93, effective 12/10/93.]