1910.134(g)(1): Keeping a Good Respirator Seal
Employers must not let workers wear tight-fitting respirators if facial hair or any other condition gets in the way of the face seal or the valves. Glasses, goggles and other gear must be worn so they do not break the seal, and workers must do a user seal check every time they put on a tight-fitting respirator.
Key takeaways
- 1910.134(g)(1) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart I).
- OSHA cited it 639 times in the last 3 years, in 612 inspections, with $818,034 in current penalties.
- 3 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: TN (64), MI (41), IL (40).
- Related part: 1910.134(g) Use of respirators (678 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1) ("Facepiece seal protection") is one requirement inside 1910.134 Respiratory protection, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart I). It includes 5 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
(1) Facepiece seal protection. 639 citations
(i) The employer shall not permit respirators with tight-fitting facepieces to be worn by employees who have: Open (g)(1)(i) 605 citations
(A) Facial hair that comes between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interferes with valve function; or Open (g)(1)(i)(a) 523 citations
(B) Any condition that interferes with the face-to-facepiece seal or valve function. Open (g)(1)(i)(b) 23 citations
(ii) If an employee wears corrective glasses or goggles or other personal protective equipment, the employer shall ensure that such equipment is worn in a manner that does not interfere with the seal of the facepiece to the face of the user. Open (g)(1)(ii) 6 citations
(iii) For all tight-fitting respirators, the employer shall ensure that employees perform a user seal check each time they put on the respirator using the procedures in appendix B-1 or procedures recommended by the respirator manufacturer that the employer demonstrates are as effective as those in appendix B-1 of this section. Open (g)(1)(iii) 28 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.134.
Injuries linked to this rule
3 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.134(g)(1).
At 12:00 a.m. on August 29, 2024, Employee #1, a material handler at a steel fabrication facility, was taking his morning break in the breakroom. Upon returning to work after the break, he began complaining of trouble breathing andchest pain. He called 911, and a…
Full case list with employer, penalty, filters and download is part of OSHA Data (Purple Belt).
Unlock with Purple BeltWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 35 |
| 2024 | 263 |
| 2025 | 202 |
| 2026 | 139 |
Top states: TN (64), MI (41), IL (40), NC (40), TX (32)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| CRASH CHAMPIONS COLLISION REPAIR | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $53,500 |
| STRATEGIC MATERIALS, INC | MIDLOTHIAN, TX | $42,000 |
| CRASH CHAMPIONS, LLC | ALLENTOWN, PA | $35,466 |
| CALIBER HOLDINGS LLC | LAS VEGAS, NV | $35,465 |
| CRASH CHAMPIONS COLLISION REPAIR INGRAM | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $23,045 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.134(g)(1), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Facial hair and respirator fit (2016-05-09)
- Clarification on firefighters with facial hair who enter IDLH atmospheres and use a self-contained breathing apparatus. (2011-04-01)
- Beards may not interfere with face seal;alternative respirators for bearded employees. (2003-03-07)
- Fit testing and medical monitoring requirements for wearers of filtering facepiece respirators. (2002-06-12)
- Clarification of respirator costs, annual training, and "effective" seal checks. (1998-12-23)
- Appropriateness of using Mag-1 Eyewear eyeglass holders with full facepiece respirators and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). (1995-09-20)
- Use of the Racal "Breath-Easy 6" powered air purifying respirator with beards. (1993-07-27)
- Protection provided by powered air-purifying respirators. (1987-03-20)
- Hair where the mask edges meet the skin is not permitted for wearers of 30 minute positive pressure SCBA respirators. (1986-08-18)
- Facial hair in the face sealing area is unacceptable. (1985-11-26)
- Facial hair in the face sealing area is unacceptable. (1984-10-11)
- Workers cannot sign a release so they can wear a respirator with a beard. (1984-01-18)
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.134(g) Use of respirators 678 citations
- 1910.134(g)(1)(i) 605 citations
- 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A) 523 citations
- 1910.134(g)(1)(iii) 28 citations
- 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(B) 23 citations
- 1910.134(g)(4) Procedures for interior structural firefighting 19 citations
- 1910.134(g)(3) Procedures for IDLH atmospheres 14 citations
- 1910.134(g)(1)(ii) 6 citations
Get your crew competent
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Frequently asked questions
Can a worker with a beard wear a tight-fitting respirator?
Not if the facial hair comes between the facepiece sealing surface and the face or interferes with valve function. The employer must not permit it.
Can I wear glasses with a respirator?
Yes, but the employer must make sure glasses, goggles or other gear are worn so they do not interfere with the facepiece seal.
How often is a user seal check required?
Each time the worker puts on a tight-fitting respirator, using the Appendix B-1 procedures or equally effective manufacturer procedures.
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.