1910.134(h)(4): Respirator Repairs
Employers must remove from service any respirator that fails inspection or is defective, and discard, repair or adjust it. Repairs must be done only by trained persons using the manufacturer's NIOSH-approved parts and following the manufacturer's recommendations, and valves, regulators and alarms may be adjusted or repaired only by the manufacturer or a manufacturer-trained technician.
Key takeaways
- 1910.134(h)(4) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart I).
- OSHA cited it 32 times in the last 3 years, in 31 inspections, with $66,811 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: NJ (7), NY (4), FL (3).
- Related part: 1910.134(h) Maintenance and care of respirators (804 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.134(h)(4) ("Repairs") is one requirement inside 1910.134 Respiratory protection, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart I). It includes 3 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(4) Repairs. The employer shall ensure that respirators that fail an inspection or are otherwise found to be defective are removed from service, and are discarded or repaired or adjusted in accordance with the following procedures: 32 citations
(i) Repairs or adjustments to respirators are to be made only by persons appropriately trained to perform such operations and shall use only the respirator manufacturer's NIOSH-approved parts designed for the respirator; 7 citations
(ii) Repairs shall be made according to the manufacturer's recommendations and specifications for the type and extent of repairs to be performed; and Open (h)(4)(ii) 5 citations
(iii) Reducing and admission valves, regulators, and alarms shall be adjusted or repaired only by the manufacturer or a technician trained by the manufacturer.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.134.
Injuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.134(h)(4).
At 8:00 a.m. on January 24, 2025, Employee #1 was working as an assembler for an industrial furnace and oven manufacturer was working inside a powder coating booth. The facility powder coats metal parts with a variety of products, that includes Sky White powder coating.…
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 | 7 |
Top states: NJ (7), NY (4), FL (3), OK (2), IL (2)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| LMI FINISHING, INC. | CATOOSA, OK | $11,524 |
| COMMODORE MAINTENANCE CORPORATION | BROOKLYN, NY | $8,067 |
| WOODBURY HEIGHTS FIRE DEPARTMENT | WOODBURY HEIGHTS, NJ | $7,000 |
| BOROUGH OF OLD TAPPAN | OLD TAPPAN, NJ | $7,000 |
| PROCESS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC. | TULSA, OK | $5,000 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.134(h)(4), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.134(h)(4).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.134(h) Maintenance and care of respirators 804 citations
- 1910.134(h)(2) Storage 493 citations
- 1910.134(h)(2)(i) 447 citations
- 1910.134(h)(1) Cleaning and disinfecting 148 citations
- 1910.134(h)(3) Inspection 131 citations
- 1910.134(h)(3)(i) 60 citations
- 1910.134(h)(1)(i) 56 citations
- 1910.134(h)(3)(iii) 37 citations
- 1910.134(h)(3)(ii) 27 citations
- 1910.134(h)(3)(ii)(A) 21 citations
- 1910.134(h)(1)(ii) 12 citations
- 1910.134(h)(3)(i)(A) 10 citations
Get your crew competent
Trainers on Black Belt Safety: Marc Harvey, Dana Reyes
Trainers and suppliers: feature your business on this rule for $25/month.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to a respirator that fails inspection?
It must be removed from service and discarded, or repaired or adjusted under the required procedures.
What parts can be used for repairs?
Only the respirator manufacturer's NIOSH-approved parts designed for that respirator.
Who can repair regulators and alarms?
Only the manufacturer or a technician trained by the manufacturer.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.134 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.