1910.1052(g): Methylene Chloride Respiratory Protection
Employers must provide appropriate respirators when methylene chloride exposure exceeds the PEL or STEL, while installing controls, where controls are infeasible or not enough, and in emergencies. They must run a respirator program, use atmosphere-supplying respirators but no half masks, and replace emergency escape gas mask canisters after any emergency use.
Key takeaways
- 1910.1052(g) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910).
- OSHA cited it 10 times in the last 3 years, in 8 inspections, with $10,677 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: MD (2), WI (2), NY (2).
- Related part: 1910.1052(g)(3)(i) (3 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.1052(g) ("Respiratory protection") is one requirement inside 1910.1052 Methylene chloride, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910). It includes 15 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
(g) Respiratory protection — 10 citations
(1) General. For employees who use respirators required by this section, the employer must provide each employee an appropriate respirator that complies with the requirements of this paragraph. Respirators must be used during: 4 citations
(i) Periods when an employee's exposure to MC exceeds the 8-hour TWA PEL, or STEL (for example, when an employee is using MC in a regulated area). 3 citations
(ii) Periods necessary to install or implement feasible engineering and work-practice controls.
(iii) A few work operations, such as some maintenance operations and repair activities, for which the employer demonstrates that engineering and work-practice controls are infeasible.
(iv) Work operations for which feasible engineering and work-practice controls are not sufficient to reduce employee exposures to or below the PELs. 1 citations
(v) Emergencies.
(2) Respirator program. Open (g)(2) 3 citations
(i) The employer must implement a respiratory protection program in accordance with § 1910.13(b) through (m) (except (d)(1)(iii)), which covers each employee required by this section to use a respirator. Open (g)(2)(i) 3 citations
(ii) Employers who provide employees with gas masks with organic-vapor canisters for the purpose of emergency escape must replace the canisters after any emergency use and before the gas masks are returned to service.
(3) Respirator selection. Employers must: Open (g)(3) 3 citations
(i) Select, and provide to employees, the appropriate atmosphere-supplying respirator specified in paragraph (d)(3)(i)(A) of 29 CFR 1910.134; however, employers must not select or use half masks of any type because MC may cause eye irritation or damage. Open (g)(3)(i) 3 citations
(ii) For emergency escape, provide employees with one of the following respirator options: A self-contained breathing apparatus operated in the continuous-flow or pressure-demand mode; or a gas mask with an organic vapor canister.
(4) Medical evaluation. Before having an employee use a supplied-air respirator in the negative-pressure mode, or a gas mask with an organic-vapor canister for emergency escape, the employer must:
(i) Have a physician or other licensed health-care professional (PLHCP) evaluate the employee's ability to use such respiratory protection.
(ii) Ensure that the PLHCP provides their findings in a written opinion to the employee and the employer.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.1052.
Export the list: 8 inspections cited 1910.1052(g) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moInjuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.1052(g).
At 7:10 p.m. on October 29, 2024, an employee was scraping paint from a bathtub using a paint stripper containing 70-90% methylene chloride (Hoodstrip-888 Semi Paste Remover). The employee became unconscious due to inhaling methylene chloride vapors above the short-term exposure limit (STEL) and subsequently…
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Top states: MD (2), WI (2), NY (2), PA (1), NJ (1)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| CTH VENTURES, LLC | YEAGERTOWN, PA | $3,349 |
| KAMESI CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $3,227 |
| NAILISM CORP. | MOONACHIE, NJ | $3,226 |
| 110326 - SEATING CONSULTANTS INC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $875 |
| EVERGLAZE, LLC | NOTTINGHAM, MD | $0 |
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.1052(g), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.1052(g).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.1052(g)(3)(i) 3 citations
- 1910.1052(g)(3) Respirator selection 3 citations
- 1910.1052(g)(2)(i) 3 citations
- 1910.1052(g)(2) Respirator program 3 citations
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Frequently asked questions
When are respirators required?
Above the 8-hour TWA PEL or STEL, while installing controls, where controls are infeasible or insufficient, and in emergencies.
Can half masks be used for MC?
No. Employers must not select or use half masks of any type, because MC may cause eye irritation or damage.
What about escape gas masks?
Organic-vapor canisters must be replaced after any emergency use and before the masks are returned to service.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.1052 (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 2026-11-06
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.