1926.1101(h): Respiratory Protection for Asbestos Work

(h) Respiratory protection — 204 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: Open (h)(1) 76 citations

(i) Class I asbestos work. 8 citations

(ii) Class II asbestos work when ACM is not removed in a substantially intact state. 7 citations

(iii) Class II and III asbestos work that is not performed using wet methods, except for removal of ACM from sloped roofs when a negative-exposure assessment has been conducted and ACM is removed in an intact state. 1 citations

(iv) Class II and III asbestos work for which a negative-exposure assessment has not been conducted. 8 citations

(v) Class III asbestos work when TSI or surfacing ACM or PACM is being disturbed.

(vi) Class IV asbestos work performed within regulated areas where employees who are performing other work are required to use respirators.

(vii) Work operations covered by this section for which employees are exposed above the TWA or excursion limit.

(viii) Emergencies.

(2) Respirator program. Open (h)(2) 80 citations

(i) The employer must implement a respiratory protection program in accordance with § 1910.134 (b) through (d) (except (d)(1)(iii)), and (f) through (m), which covers each employee required by this section to use a respirator. Open (h)(2)(i) 80 citations

(ii) No employee shall be assigned to asbestos work that requires respirator use if, based on their most recent medical examination, the examining physician determines that the employee will be unable to function normally while using a respirator, or that the safety or health of the employee or other employees will be impaired by the employee's respirator use. Such employees must be assigned to another job or given the opportunity to transfer to a different position that they can perform. If such a transfer position is available, it must be with the same employer, in the same geographical area, and with the same seniority, status, rate of pay, and other job benefits the employee had just prior to such transfer. Open (h)(2)(ii)

(3) Respirator selection. Open (h)(3) 48 citations

(i) Employers must: Open (h)(3)(i) 8 citations

(A) Select, and provide to employees, the appropriate respirators specified in paragraph (d)(3)(i)(A) of 29 CFR 1910.134; however, employers must not select or use filtering facepiece respirators for use against asbestos fibers. Open (h)(3)(i)(a) 8 citations

(B) Provide HEPA filters for powered and non-powered air-purifying respirators. Open (h)(3)(i)(b)

(ii) Employers must provide an employee with tight-fitting, powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) instead of a negative pressure respirator selected according to paragraph (h)(3)(i)(A) of this standard when the employee chooses to use a PAPR and it provides adequate protection to the employee.

(iii) Employers must provide employees with an air-purifying half mask respirator, other than a filtering facepiece respirator, whenever the employees perform: Open (h)(3)(iii) 13 citations

(A) Class II or Class III asbestos work for which no negative exposure assessment is available. Open (h)(3)(iii)(a) 12 citations

(B) Class III asbestos work involving disturbance of TSI or surfacing ACM or PACM.

(iv) Employers must provide employees with: Open (h)(3)(iv) 27 citations

(A) A tight-fitting powered air-purifying respirator or a full facepiece, supplied-air respirator operated in the pressure-demand mode and equipped with either HEPA egress cartridges or an auxiliary positive-pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) whenever the employees are in a regulated area performing Class I asbestos work for which a negative exposure assessment is not available and the exposure assessment indicates that the exposure level will be at or below 1 f/cc as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). Open (h)(3)(iv)(a) 16 citations

(B) A full facepiece supplied-air respirator operated in the pressure-demand mode and equipped with an auxiliary positive-pressure SCBA whenever the employees are in a regulated area performing Class I asbestos work for which a negative exposure assessment is not available and the exposure assessment indicates that the exposure level will be above 1 f/cc as an 8-hour TWA. Open (h)(3)(iv)(b)