FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK Flagstaff, Arizona FSH 6709.11 - HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE HANDBOOK Coconino Supplement 6709.11-95-1 Effective June 30, 1995 POSTING NOTICE. Supplements to this handbook are numbered consecutively. Check the last transmittal received for this handbook to see that the above supplement number is in sequence. If not, order intervening supplements at once on form 1100-6. Do not post this supplement until the missing ones are received and posted. After posting, keep this transmittal until the next supplement is received. Place it at the front of the handbook. This is the first supplement to this handbook. Superseded/New Page Code (Number of Pages) 3-36--1 through --7 0 7 Digest: This supplement provides direction for respirator use. FRED TREVEY Forest Supervisor FSH 6709.11 HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE HANDBOOK 3-36 - Personal Protective Equipment A. Respirators This Respirator Program is required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in accordance with 29 CFR 1910. 134. The use of respirators for asbestos removal, disposal, or sampling must be in accordance with 29 CFR 1926.58. This program conforms with the Forest Service Administrative and Medical Guidelines for the use of Respirators and must be used by Coconino National Forest employees where control of occupational illness caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, vapors, sprays, or asbestos fibers is necessary. If engineering controls are not feasible, the employer must provide respirators and employees must wear them when it is necessary to protect the health of the employee. The use of respirators shall be considered only after all engineering controls have been thoroughly investigated. Every employee who works with or around contaminated air is required to comply with this respiratory program to reduce potential health effects from over-exposures. 1. Forest Coordinator A Forest Coordinator will be designated by the Forest Supervisor and will beresponsible for managing the program. This includes updating all employees onnew policy, information, products, and regulations; insuring that medical records are maintained; and evaluation of the program on an annual basis. 2. Operating Procedures The equipment issued to the employee must be properly selected, used and maintained for a particular work environment and contaminant. a. Each employee who works with or around contaminated air thatmeets or exceeds the published OSHA permissible exposure limits (PEL), or otherpublished exposure limits, shall be issued and assigned his/her own respirator marked with each name. Employees should not use respirators that are notassigned to them. It will be the responsibility of the employee to take careof his or her respirator in accordance with this document. b. Respirators are to be worn under the following conditions: (1) If it can be reasonably expected that the permissible exposure or excursion limit will be exceeded (2) When removing samples from suspect asbestos-containing materials (3) When entering an attic, air plenum, or crawl space that has not been inspected and considered asbestos-free (4) When near any friable asbestos material (5) When near a person who is removing samples or who is working with asbestos-containing materials (6) When working directly with any type of asbestos-containing material in accordance with 29 CFR 1926.1101. (7) When entering a regulated area where asbestos abatement or repair is taking place (8) When working around fiberglass since there now is a question about its safety as well (9) When working around any Hanta virus environment c. The following work activities will require the use of respirators if exposure limits are met or exceeded: (1) Painting (2) Using pesticides (3) Cleaning toilet vaults or composting toilets (4) Performing hazmat investigations and remediations (5) Cleaning water tanks with chemicals (6) Using solvents (7) Welding in closed areas (8) Any other situation where a chemical is present in the atmosphere (9) Lead base paint abatement 3. Approved Respirators The Coconino National Forest shall specify and provide the appropriate respirator for jobs where respirator protection is necessary. Employees may not substitute or supply their own respirators. Only air-purifying respirators are approved for employee use. Respirators shall be selected from those approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). For air-purifying respirators, the attached canisters will be NIOSH or MSHA approved for the contaminant in question.For asbestos workers the canister will also be labeled as a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. 4. Selection Selection of the respirator will depend upon the extent of the hazard.Coconino National Forest employees will not be exposed to extreme hazards where exposure limits are high. If such limits are high, anticipated to be high, or even completely unknown but suspicious, then professionals shall be hired to do the required work. Factors to consider in choosing a proper respirator include: known contaminant, known exposure levels, oxygen availability, needed protection factor, employee comfort, physical limitations, availability and cost. A. Asbestos Extreme hazards are usually created during the removal and abatementof friable asbestos. Forest Service employees will not be involved inthis type of work. Forest Service employees will be limited to theinspection and the maintenance of asbestos-containing materials. This type of work offers a low-exposure hazard where a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Half Mask respirator may be used. In cases where a respirator with a higher protection factor than 10 is needed, a professional shall be contracted to perform the work. The following types of respirators will be used in the designated exposure levels for asbestos: Respirator SelectionProtection Factor HEPA Half Mask 10 HEPA Full Face Mask 50 PAPR Helmet type 100 PAPR Tight Fitting Mask 100 SCBA 1000 During Asbestos Inspections of Forest Service Facilities, the minimumrequirement for a respirator will be the HEPA half mask respirator with a protection level of 10. Designated Forest Service AsbestosContract Supervisors will need to wear a HEPA full face maskrespirator where exposure levels are higher. B. Hazmat Selection of the proper air-purifying respirator will be determined products being used. The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards will also be reviewed to confirm respirator and canister selection. Both half-face and full-face respirators may be used. The following conditions must be met prior to donning an air purifying respirator: (1) Oxygen levels are above 19.5 percent (2) Contaminant is known (3) Concentration of contaminant is known (4) A purifying canister is available to treat the known contaminant and concentration 5. Training Each Coconino National Forest employee who is assigned a respirator must betrained in its use (see Section XIII). Training must be consistent with this respirator program and will cover the following material: a. When and where respirators must be used b. Health risks without the use of respirators c. Selection of respirators and filters under a variety of conditions d. Limitations of each type of respirator HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE HANDBOOK e. Fit-testing and checking and its importance f. Respirator maintenance and storage g. Emergency situations 6. Fit Testing Each employee who is assigned an air-purifying respirator must be fit-tested using negative and positive pressure tests and qualitative fit-testing. Qualitative fit-testing will be accomplished under the direction of the Forest Coordinator. Fit-tests must be done semi-annually or when a new respirator is assigned or when the facial features of the employee have significantly changed. Each employee will do a positive and negative pressure check every time a respirator is donned. Each employee who wears a respirator must be clean-shaven. A mustache is acceptable, but must not extend beyond the end of the mouth. Glasses must not be worn while wearing a full-face respirator. If a full-face piece respirator is required, employees who wear glasses must be fitted with a full-face mask with integral glasses. 7. Inspection, Cleaning, Maintenance, and Storage All respirators must be inspected for wear and deterioration of their components before and after each use. Special attention should be given to rubber and plastic parts which can deteriorate. The face piece, face seal surface, headband, valves, fittings and filter canisters must be in good condition. Filter canisters need to be replaced when breathing becomes difficult or breakthrough of the contaminant can be detected. Records must be kept of inspection dates and findings. Repairs must be made only by experienced people using parts specifically designed for the respirator. The manufacturer's instructions should be consulted for any repair. No repairs or part replacement should be done beyond the manufacturer'sspecifications. A respirator that has been used by someone else must be cleaned anddisinfected before it is reissued. Respirators may be washed in a detergent solution and then sanitized by immersion in a bactericidal agent.Use only approved cleaning agents to prevent damage from chemicals. HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE HANDBOOK Reusable respirators will be inspected to ensure proper function. Disposable respirators will be disposed of with other contaminated material. Each respirator must be stored in a box in a plastic bag to protect it fromdust, sunlight, heat, extreme cold, excessive moisture, or damaging chemicals. The box should be strong enough to prevent any mechanical damage that may occur. Respirators should be stored so that the face pieces and exhalation valves rest in a normal position to prevent the rubber or plastic from deforming into an abnormal shape. Each work area will have a cabinet or locker designated for respirator storage only. 8. Medical Examinations A medical examination is required annually for everyone who is assigned and wears a respirator. The annual medical exam is required in accordance with29 CFR 1926.58 (m) for asbestos, 1910.120 (f) for hazardous atmospheres, and is outlined in those sections. A copy of the medical examination will be given to the employee and another copy maintained in the employees medical records. All costs for the medical examination will be paid for by the Forest Service. 9. Work Area Surveillance Testing of air quality will be required where large amounts of asbestos orother contaminants have been identified. Air quality testing shall also be required when asbestos abatement is taking place. The only Forest Service employee allowed in an abatement area will be the Forest Asbestos Contract Supervisor or HAZMAT Specialist when using proper equipment. Workers must be notified when air contaminants approach or exceed the capability of the respirator. When air monitoring is not available and it is suspected or presumed thatair contaminant concentrations are approaching PEL's, or if the employee experiences symptoms listed on the Material Safety Data Sheets, arespirator shall be used. 10. Air Quality Standards for Self Contained Breathing Apparatus When air quality reaches a point where an air-purifying respirator is nolonger safe, a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) or Supply Air Respirator (SAR) will be mandatory. However, due to special requirements on SCBA's and SAR's, no Forest Service Employee shall be permitted in this environment. When an SCBA or SAR is needed, an outside professional experienced with this equipment shall be contacted. FSH 6709.11 - HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE HANDBOOK 11. Program Evaluation The Coconino National Forest Respirator Program shall be evaluated at the end of each Fiscal Year. During this time, the Forest Coordinator will contact each employee who is assigned a respirator. The purpose of this communication will be to inform the employee of any changes and also to allow the employee to voice any concerns or suggestions about the program. A list of employees who are assigned respirators should be updated periodically and records of training and medical certifications must be kept. It will be the responsibility of the Forest Coordinator to check OSHA regulations at this time to verify any changes in the regulations thatmay have occurred over the past year. At any time during the year, employees with questions or concerns regarding the program are encouraged to contact their supervisors immediately. All concerns will be fully addressed prior to further exposure. 12. Estimated Cost Per Person Assigned A Respirator Respirator with filters (half mask) (Initial and Replacement) $25.00 Training (2 hours) (Initial) $50.00 Medical Exam (Annual) $125.00 Total cost for one person to be assigned a respirator $200.00 13. Vendor List Medical Exams: a. Western Occupational Health Center (Medical Exam) 2800 E. Ajo Way Kino Hospital, 5th Floor Contact: Tammy Mackey Tucson, AZ Phone: 573-2864 Haz Mat Exam: $ 120 Respirator Exam: $ 80 FSH 6709.11 - HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE HANDBOOK b. East Flagstaff Family Medicine, Ltd. 1515 E. Cedar Ave. Flagstaff, AZ 86004 Phone: 520 774-2788 c. Northern Arizona Cardiopulmonary Laboratory 900 N. San Francisco St. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 Phone: 520 774-8146 Pulmonary Function Test d. Occupational Medical Centers, West 3602 W. Thomas Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85019 Phone: 602 272-7662 Respirator Training and Fit Testing: a. Zenitech Corp. 1931 W. Grant Rd. Ste. 350 Tucson, AZ Phone: 798-1466 Contact: Mr. Pat Lacey Training & Qualitative Fit Testing: $60 for any size group b. EnviroMd Inc. 4400 E. Broadway Blvd. Tucson, Az. Phone: 881-1000 Contact: Sandy Nolan Training: $40/person Quantitative Testing: $35/person Qualitative Testing: $15/person Prices will decrease for group testing and training. c. The Asbestos Institute 8102 North 23rd Avenue, Suite A Phoenix, AZ 85021 Phone: 864-6564 437-2947 FAX 864-6670 Training, Qualitative and Quantitative Testing: $50.00/person.