Because respirator use may give the employee a false sense of security and presumed protection, an improper respirator program can actually present a high degree of hazard for the employee. #OSHA BREATHING ZONE DEFINITION SKIN#Respirators that are not clean can cause dermatitis or skin irritation. Respirators that are not maintained and inspected can be less effective at reducing exposure to the harmful contaminants, and can place a greater burden on the respiratory system. This error may result in a broad range of health effects caused by the harmful contaminants, including silicosis, asbestosis, permanent lung damage, and cancer. Selection of the wrong equipment, one of the most frequent errors made in respiratory protection, can result in the employee being exposed to increased concentrations of the harmful contaminant. There are many variables that affect the degree of protection afforded by respiratory protective devices, and the misuse of respirators can be hazardous to employee safety and health. In other cases, where work practices and engineering controls alone cannot reduce exposure levels to below the occupational exposure level, the use of respirators would be essential for supplemental protection. In those circumstances where engineering and work practice controls cannot be used to reduce airborne contaminants below their occupational exposure levels (e.g., certain maintenance and repair operations, emergencies, or during periods when engineering controls are being installed), the use of respirators could be justified to reduce worker exposure. Accordingly, their use as a primary control is restricted to certain circumstances. Since respirators are not as consistently reliable as engineering and work practice controls, and may create additional problems, they are not the preferred method of reducing exposures below the occupational exposure levels. Although it is preferred industrial hygiene practice to use engineering controls to reduce contaminant emissions at their source, there are operations where this type of control is not technologically or economically feasible or is otherwise inappropriate. An estimated 5.0 million workers wear respirators, either occasionally or routinely. Wearing respiratory protective devices to reduce exposure to airborne contaminants is widespread in industry. The mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by OSHA or the U.S. Industrial Robots and Robot System SafetyĮxcavations: Hazard Recognition in Trenching and ShoringĬontrolling Lead Exposures in the Construction Industry: Engineering and Work Practice Controls Oil Well Derrick Stability: Guywire Anchor Systems Legionnaire's Disease, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Page for updated information.Ĭontrolling Exposure to Hazardous Drugs, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Page for updated information. Polymer Matrix Materials: Advanced Composites Technical Equipment: On-site Measurements
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |