Choosing the Right Respirator: Understanding OSHA Guidelines

Choosing the right respirator for your workplace is key to ensuring two non-negotiable things:

• Your team’s health
• Compliance with OSHA regulations 

In this guide, we will explain the relationship between OSHA's permissible exposure limits (PELs), maximum use concentrations (MUCs), and assigned protection factors (APFs). These figures indicate the hazard levels individual chemicals pose and the protection levels specific respirators provide. We will also provide valuable guidelines for effective respiratory protection in the workplace.

Understanding OSHA's Respirator Requirements

OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (1910.1200, Appendix D) requires all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) to specify the chemical(s) that have an OSHA-defined Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), Threshold Limit Value as defined by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or other applicable Occupational Exposure Limit. Including this information ensures that readers have a full understanding of the material detailed on each sheet, which enables them to adequately protect themselves, implementing the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) if needed.

To understand OSHA’s respirator requirements and choose the right respirators for your workplace, you need to understand  the following definitions: 

Permissible Exposure Limits 

PELs, are the maximum amount of a specific chemical a worker may legally be exposed to in the workplace. A chemical’s PEL can be found in OSHA’s Z-Tables - the three limit tables for air contaminants: Table Z-1 (air contaminants), Table Z-2 (chemicals with ceiling values) and Table Z-3 (mineral dusts).

Historically, many PELs in the Z-Tables of 29 CFR 1910.1000 were derived from federal standards for general industry. These standards, in turn, were based on the 1968 threshold limit values (TLVs) established by ACGIH. This means that many OSHA PELs are generally considered an outdated, bare minimum requirement. As you read a chemical’s SDS, consider multiple published exposure limits to ensure adequate protection for your team. 

Assigned Protection Factors

A respirator’s APF is the level of protection it provides to workers. These can be found in 1910.134(d)(3)(i)(A) Assigned Protection Factors (APFs).

The minimum APF needed for adequate protection for a specific chemical is calculated by dividing a measured concentration of its relevant inhalation hazard by its PEL. If the resulting APF is equal to or less than the APF listed on a respirator, that respirator provides the necessary protection level for that chemical. 

Here is a quick example of how APFs work: If a respirator has an APF of 10, it reduces its wearer’s exposure to chemicals by a factor of at least 10. This means the wearer is only exposed to, at most, one tenth of the inhalation hazard they would face without the respirator. 

Maximum Use Concentrations

A chemical’s MUC represents the highest concentration of that chemical in the atmosphere from which an employee can protect themselves through wearing a respirator. In other words, it’s the highest amount of the chemical a respirator can prevent from reaching the worker. 

To determine a chemical’s MUC, first find your respirator’s assigned protection factor (APF). Then multiply this number by the chemical’s permissible exposure limit. The resulting number is the MUC. The higher a chemical’s MUC, the higher-APF respirator is needed to ensure worker safety. 

Employers must not apply MUCs to conditions that are immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH). In such situations, employers must use respirators listed specifically for IDLH conditions, per OSHA regulations.

NIOSH Recommendations for Respirator Use

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH, publishes a valuable pocket guide that lists its recommended exposure levels alongside OSHA PELs. This guide can be a valuable resource for employers and safety professionals. You can access it online or print a copy here. 

Choosing a Respirator for your Workplace

Some respirator manufacturers publish buyer selection guides that include key figures about each model, such as: 

• OSHA PELs 
• ACGIH TLVs
• NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limits (RELs) 

as well as additional valuable information. As you compare available respirators, refer to these guides to ensure you choose a respirator that will provide adequate protection and is compliant with OSHA requirements. 

Once you’ve chosen a respirator with an appropriate APF, you or your respiratory program manager is responsible for providing effective training and fit testing to all employees who will use the respirator. This is required by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134. This responsibility extends to annual training and fit testing as well as updates as your workplace environment and/or needs change. 

To ensure you’re OSHA-compliant and providing a sufficient level of worker training and protection, utilize the resources and other support found on OSHA, NIOSH, and respirator manufacturers’ websites. This information can be invaluable to a successful respirator protection program. 

Multi-Use Respirator Considerations

In today's dynamic work environments, a single respirator facepiece may serve multiple purposes. For example, a respirator may be necessary to protect workers from toxic industrial materials as well as respond to IDLH situations. Respirators may be necessary to protect workers from exposure to harmful chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive materials. 

To determine which respirator model(s) are necessary for your workplace, conduct a full audit of its environment and procedures. This will determine exactly which hazards are present and their level. Beyond providing key guidelines for choosing the appropriate respirators, this information will help you develop respirator use policies and if applicable, other safety procedures. 

Respirator Compliance is Key to Worker Safety

To choose the right respirator to protect your team and remain OSHA-compliant, you need to understand the relationship between PELs, MUCs, and APFs. Discuss these, their relationship, and how to calculate relevant figures with your management team to avoid any confusion or misunderstandings.

Essential safety guidelines, like proper storage of respirators, should also be part of these discussions, as should the acknowledgement that everything discussed in these safety meetings is only applicable within the context of a fully compliant respiratory protection program, as outlined by OSHA. When in doubt, refer to OSHA’s published guidelines. The better your team is educated about safe respirator use, the safer your workplace is for all.

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