OSHA Issues Guidance on Respiratory Protection

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued interim enforcement guidance to all employers to help combat supply shortages of disposable N95 filtering face piece respirators. The guidance goes into effect immediately and will remain in effect until further notice.

In the guidance, OSHA tells employers they should “reassess their engineering controls, work practices, and administrative controls to identify any changes they can make to decrease the need for N95 respirators.” 

If respiratory protection must be used, OSHA says employers should consider the use of alternative classes of respirators that provide equal or greater protection. When these alternatives are not available, or where their use creates additional safety or health hazards, OSHA establishes guidelines employers should follow regarding the extended use or reuse of N95s along with the use of expired N95s.

Find the guidance memo here.