Respiratory Protection

For all employees required to use respiratory protection, an initial fit-testing and training is required and must be repeated at least annually, provided that the employee continues to require respiratory protection for their employment. Training on the department’s specific written Respiratory Protection Program must also be performed at least annually. Complete the following steps for initial and annual renewal.

1. The department must have a written Respiratory Protection Program.
2. Complete the online Respirator Use training program.
3. Fill out the UHS medical clearance form and Respiratory Hazard Assessment Form.
4. Email to employeehealth@uky.edu
5. EHS will contact you for fit testing once your medical questionnaire is approved.

If you are not sure  whether you or your staff need respiratory protection, complete the Respiratory Hazard Assessment Form.

For any employment or tasks that REQUIRE respiratory protection, either due to known/possible exposures, regulations, or internal policy, the department in which the affected employee works must have a written Respiratory Protection Program.

A template is available. The specific written program must reflect the conditions and realities of operations within the department that requires the respirator use. This program must be reviewed and (if necessary) updated on an annual basis. Employees must also be trained or instructed on the contents of the department-specific Respiratory Protection Program at least annually.

If a department does not require the use of respirators due to the absence of known or probable respiratory hazards, but an employee wishes to wear a disposable dust-mist-fume respirator such as an N95 filtering facepiece, this can be permitted at the discretion of the supervisor. The employee must read and sign the Appendix D form for N95 filtering facepieces.

Voluntary use of filtering facepiece respirators does not require completion of a written Respiratory Protection Program, medical evaluation, or fit testing. However, if the employee opts to voluntarily wear a tight-fitting half-face or full-face respirator, then the medical evaluation requirement applies and the Appendix D form for Elastomeric Facepieces must be used.

It is essential that respiratory protective equipment be properly fitted to the employee when it is issued. All the care that went into the design and manufacture of a respirator to maximize protection will not protect the wearer if there is an improper match between facepiece and wearer or if the wearer follows improper wearing practices.

There are two considerations with respect to proper fit:

1. Assuming that there are several brands of a particular type of facepiece available (you should provide several to choose from), which one fits best?
2. How does the user know when the respirator fits properly?

The answers to the above questions can be determined by the use of a fit test. Quantitative fit tests are conducted by UK Health & Safety after an employee’s initial program enrollment (see below) and annually thereafter.

Even N95 filtering facepiece respirators require annual fit testing, unless their usage is strictly voluntary. Loose-fitting hood-type Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPR) do not require fit testing, as they do not form a tight seal around the face/head/neck. PAPRs with tight-fitting elastomeric facepieces require annual fit testing.

Please contact Justine Dziubla, if you have any questions or need assistance.