Ensure that Members of the Workforce complete the required training identified in ESH100.2.IH.3 prior to performing the indicated work activity or fulfilling the indicated role.

Note: See Sandia corporate procedure HR100.2.1, Identify and Complete Sandia Required Training for All Members of the Workforce.

Ensure that:

• Potential hazardous atmospheres are identified, analyzed, and controlled prior to the start of any new or modified activities in order to minimize the likelihood of adverse consequences.
• The appropriate member of the division ES&H team is contacted to perform an exposure assessment for potential hazardous atmospheres.
  • To evaluate chemical and biological hazards, contact the division ES&H team industrial hygienist.
  • To evaluate radiological hazards, contact the division ES&H team radiation protection representative.
• All control measures specified as a result of the exposure assessment are implemented and maintained.
• The division ES&H team industrial hygienist and radiation protection representative are contacted to re-evaluate potential hazardous atmospheres when a change in workplace conditions indicates a new or increased hazard exists.
• Members of the Workforce are provided with respiratory protection for any activity requiring respiratory protection to control exposure when effective engineering controls are not feasible, or while the controls are being instituted.

Ensure that:

• Technical work documents (TWDs) are developed for all activities requiring respiratory protection as a control measure.
•  The TWDs include, as applicable:
  • The identified hazards and control measures as determined by the exposure assessment.
  • The type of respiratory protection used.
  • When applicable, the type of cartridge used to protect against the hazardous atmosphere, end-of-service life indicator (when available), and cartridge change-out schedule.
  • Mechanisms for ensuring that adequate quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air are provided to users when atmosphere-supplying respiratory protection is required.
  • Emergency procedures when entry into atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) is required.
  • Inspection, maintenance, and cleaning schedules for the respiratory protection used.
  • Specific respiratory protection cleaning and disinfecting protocols, including frequency and designated locations for cleaning, disinfecting, and storage.
  • Site-specific equipment use (e.g., mobile breathing air carts).
• The TWD is reviewed and revised when changes to the scope, hazards, controls, or equipment are planned.
• The TWD meets the requirements of ESH100.2.GEN.3, Develop and Use Technical Work Documents.
• For respirators used for radiological protection, see the requirements in MN471016, Radiological Protection Procedures Manual, Chapter 1, "Radiological Work Planning and Controls."

Ensure that:

• A respirator use evaluation is initiated for each individual assigned to an activity requiring respiratory protection as a control measure by providing the names to the division ES&H team industrial hygienist. Individuals requiring respiratory protection solely for ProForce, HAZMAT, the Radiological Assistance Program, the Accident Response Group, the Nuclear Emergency Search Team and the Joint Technical Operations Team programs do not require individual respirator evaluations to be initiated. A respirator evaluation for these programs is on file with Health Services.
• A respirator use evaluation is performed before a Member of the Workforce schedules an appointment for medical evaluation.

Following the process identified in HR100.4.7, Participate in Medical Monitoring/Surveillance, obtain medical qualification-based fitness for duty evaluation and approval for respiratory protection use, as follows:

• Prior to the need to wear respiratory protection for new requesters.
• Prior to the expiration of medical approval for current users of respiratory protection.
• At an interval determined by Health Services personnel based on your age and medical status.
• Prior to any change in the type of respiratory protection being used (e.g., full-face air-purifying respirator to self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
• On an annual basis when SCBA is required.

Note: At SNL/NM, a minimum of 45 days advance notice is requested for medical evaluation appointment scheduling in order to allow for planning of potential off-site evaluation procedures.

Ensure that Members of the Workforce requiring respiratory protection:

• At SNL/NM, schedule fit testing for any respiratory protection with a tight-fitting facepiece using the RSP215 or RSP217 fit test scheduler.
• At SNL/CA, contact training and fit testing personnel for respiratory protection to schedule a hands-on session and fit test.

Schedule additional fit tests as follows:

• Whenever changes occur in your physical condition (such as weight loss) that could affect the fit of the respiratory protection.
• Whenever you determine that the fit of the respiratory protection is unacceptable (e.g., it fails the user seal check).

Ensure that:

• Respiratory protection is procured only by Just-in-Time (JIT) and limited to the following:
  • The type of respiratory protection or respiratory protection accessory is currently authorized for use through the exposure assessment, medical evaluation, training, and fit testing, as documented on the respirator authorization card.
  • The type of respiratory protection or accessory is certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) or approved by the U.S. Department of Energy.
  • Styles or manufacturers of respiratory protection equipment approved by the Respiratory Protection Program Administrator or designee.
• At SNL/CA, contact the Health and Safety Department for respiratory protection issuance.
• SF 2042-PSG (2-2010) Prescription Safety Glasses Approval Form (MS Word/PDF) is used to obtain prescription lenses for respiratory protection when required.
• Respirators used for radiological protection are procured according to Corporate Quality Significant (Q-Sig) purchasing requirements.

• Read and understand the requirements of the appropriate technical work document required by this procedure with respect to respiratory protection use.
• Review the proper use, care, limitations, cleaning, capabilities, proper fit, storage, inspection, and disposal of respiratory protection equipment.
• Ensure that the proper cartridges, as determined by the exposure assessment, are installed on air-purifying respiratory protection equipment before use.
• Ensure cartridge labels are not removed, defaced, or otherwise obscured.
• Inspect the facepiece and cartridge or canister for the proper labeling before use.
• Ensure that respiratory protection equipment is inspected and in proper working order before and after each use.
• Perform a user seal check each time the respiratory protection is donned.
• Do not wear any form of respiratory protection, including filtering facepieces (dust masks), if you are aware of any medical conditions that might be aggravated by its use.

• Be familiar with the nature and extent of respiratory protection hazards to which persons under your supervision may be exposed.
• Periodically assess respiratory protection wearers for proper use of respiratory protection equipment.
• Ensure that respiratory protection is properly inspected, used, cleaned and disinfected, stored, repaired, and controlled.
• Ensure that Members of the Workforce using respiratory protection are properly authorized to use it (that is, they have a current respirator use evaluation and have undergone a medical evaluation, training, and fit-testing).
• Report malfunctions and suspected problems with respiratory protection to the appropriate division ES&H team industrial hygienist.

• Wear the respiratory protection equipment in the manner specified in training, fit testing, and in the applicable technical work document.
• Do not wear respiratory protection if:
  • Facial hair comes between the sealing surface of the face piece or interferes with valve function.
  • Any condition (e.g., corrective glasses or other personal protective equipment) interferes with the facepiece-to-face seal or the valve function.
  • Any head covering interferes with the facepiece-to-face seal.
• Leave the work area and remove respiratory protection equipment if irritation, discomfort, or any other problem arises associated with the proper working condition of the respiratory protection equipment.
• Report malfunctions and suspected problems with respiratory protection to your manager.
• Consult the appropriate division ES&H team industrial hygienist for chemical or biological hazards or the radiation protection representative for radiological hazards if changes occur in operational conditions that may impact the potential exposure or respiratory protection selection. Changes in conditions include:
  • Operational activities or processes (e.g., frequency, duration, location).
  • Worksite or personal conditions (e.g., physical effort, protective clothing, or temperature).
  • Equipment to control potentially hazardous exposures (e.g., engineering controls).
  • Material used in an activity (e.g., formulation, amount).
  • Health concerns.

• Contact the division ES&H team industrial hygienist to perform an exposure assessment for voluntary use of respiratory protection (e.g., filtering facepieces, air-purifying respirator, powered air-purifying respirator).
• Ensure that Members of the Workforce are provided with the information from 29 CFR 1910.134, Appendix D prior to the voluntary use of any respiratory protection.

• Use respiratory protection voluntarily only when the exposure assessment has determined that respiratory protection is not required and will not in itself create a hazard.
• Follow all applicable requirements in this procedure (e.g., medical evaluation, fit testing, inspection, maintenance) when voluntarily using a tight-fitting facepiece or a powered air-purifying respirator.

Ensure Members of the Workforce do the following when respiratory protection is used for entry into atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH):

• Prior to entry, contact the following:
  • At SNL/NM: the SNL Emergency Operations Center to confirm availability of rescue services.
  • At SNL/CA: the Central Alarm Station and request notification of the Alameda County Fire Department Dispatcher (located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories) to confirm the availability of rescue services.
• Suspend entry if advised that rescue services are unavailable.
• Use only full facepiece pressure-demand self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for a minimum service life of 30 minutes, or a combination full facepiece, pressure-demand supplied-air respirator (SAR) with an auxiliary self-contained air supply.
• Implement and maintain all control measures specified as a result of the exposure assessment and as required by the applicable technical work document.
• When IDLH atmospheres are located in confined spaces, follow the requirements of ESH100.2.IH.9, Enter Confined Spaces Safely.

Ensure that Members of the Workforce using respiratory protection do the following:

• Clean and disinfect respiratory protection equipment following the procedures in 29 CFR 1910.134, Appendix B-2, Respirator Cleaning Procedures (Mandatory) (or the equivalent effective manufacturer’s procedures) at the following intervals:
  • Clean and disinfect respiratory protection equipment issued for the exclusive use of an individual as often as necessary to be maintained in a sanitary condition.
  • Clean and disinfect respiratory protection equipment issued to more than one individual before being worn by a different individual.
  • Clean and disinfect respiratory protection equipment maintained for emergency use after each use.
  • Wash their face and the respiratory protection facepieces as necessary to prevent eye or skin irritation associated with respiratory protection use.

Clean and disinfect the respiratory protection equipment according to the appropriate technical work document.

Note: At SNL/NM, respiratory protection equipment may also be cleaned and disinfected by the safety and health instrumentation contact. At SNL/CA, respiratory protection equipment may also be returned to Respirator Services at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for cleaning and disinfecting.

Ensure that Members of the Workforce using respiratory protection:

• Do not store respiratory protection equipment in such places as lockers and toolboxes, unless they are protected from contamination, distortion, and damage.
• Store respiratory protection equipment in a manner that will protect it against physical and chemical agents such as vibration, shocks, sunlight, contamination, dust, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, damaging chemicals, and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Position respiratory protection equipment in storage containers to prevent distortion or deformation of the facepiece, exhalation valve, and other elastomeric parts.
• Keep emergency-use respiratory protection equipment accessible to the work area, stored in compartments or covers clearly marked as containing emergency respiratory protection equipment.

• Ensure that Members of the Workforce using respiratory protection inspect all respiratory protection equipment before each use and during cleaning by checking the following:
  • Check respiratory protection function, tightness of connections, and the condition of the various parts, including, but not limited to, the facepiece, head straps, valves, connecting tube, and cartridges, canisters, or filters.
  • Check elastomeric parts for pliability and signs of deterioration.
• Ensure that respiratory protection equipment required for emergency use (e.g., HAZMAT, Accident Response Group, Nuclear Emergency Search Team) is:
  • Inspected at least monthly in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and the inspection information is:
    • Documented on a tag or label that is attached to the storage compartment for the respiratory protection equipment, kept with the respiratory protection equipment or is included in inspection reports in paper or electronic files.
    • Maintained until replaced following a subsequent inspection.
  • Inspected before and after each use for function, tightness of connections, condition (including pliability and signs of deterioration of the facepiece, head straps, valves, connecting tube, cartridges, canisters or filters, regulator and warning devices).
  • Maintained in a fully charged state (cylinders) and recharged when the pressure falls to 90% of the cylinder manufacturer's recommended pressure level.
• Ensure that escape-only respiratory protection equipment is inspected before it is taken into the workplace for use.

Ensure that Members of the Workforce using respiratory protection:

• Do not attempt to repair or replace parts other than cartridges.
• Return clean, uncontaminated respiratory protection equipment requiring maintenance or repair to the safety and health instrumentation contact.

Ensure that Members of the Workforce using respiratory protection:

• Dispose of all respiratory protection equipment and filter cartridges (including unused cartridges), according to the following procedures:
  • ESH100.2.ENV.22, Manage Hazardous Waste at SNL.
  • ESH100.2.ENV.23, Manage Radioactive Waste at SNL.
  • ESH100.2.ENV.24, Manage Mixed Waste at SNL.
• Do not send respiratory protection equipment or cartridges to property reapplication or dispose of it as solid waste.
• At SNL/CA, return all elastomeric facepieces to the Health and Safety Department within a sealed bag and include information regarding any potential surface contamination.

• Ensure compressed breathing air meets the requirements for Grade D breathing air.
• Contact the Respiratory Protection Program Administrator to schedule sampling and analysis of breathing air.
• Ensure self-contained breathing apparatus cylinders are filled with breathing air by the safety and health instrumentation contact.
• Ensure cylinders of breathing air used with supplied-air respirators are procured only through the JIT supplier.
• Ensure breathing air couplings (for supplied-air or self-contained breathing apparatus) are incompatible with outlets for non-respirable air, gas, hydraulic, steam, vacuum, and pneumatic systems.
• Ensure compressors used to supply breathing air for respiratory protection are constructed and situated so as to:
  • Prevent entry of contaminated air into the air-supply system.
  • Have in-line air-purifying sorbent beds and filters to further ensure breathing air quality.
• Maintain sorbent beds and filters and replace or refurbish them following the manufacturer's instructions.
• Maintain a tag at the compressor containing the most recent change date and the signature of the person authorized to perform the change.