SECTION 380:50-15-2. Respirator requirements

(a)   The contractor shall provide workers with respirators in accordance with the approved respirator program, a copy of which shall be available to workers at the job site.

(b)   Workers shall wear suitable respiratory protection when working within arm's reach of friable asbestos during construction of the containment, or after a fiber release episode, or if there is visible asbestos debris in the area.

(c)   Workers shall wear, at a minimum, a fullface air-purifying respirator (APR) when removing asbestos, except when the provisions of Section 380:50-15-5 apply.

(d)   The contractor shall provide a sufficient quantity of filters approved for asbestos so workers can change filters during the workday.

(1)   Filters shall not be used any longer than one (1) workday, nor after the respirator has entered the decontamination shower, nor after a worker has requested a new cartridge(s) when required, except: respirator cartridges with NIOSH approved, factory supplied, waterproof seals which may be taken through the decontamination shower without wetting the cartridge may be reused, provided:

(A)   There is an on-site respirator cartridge flow measurement device which can determine the need for changing the filters, and

(B)   Workers shall obtain new cartridges when required.

(2)   The respirator filters shall be stored at the job site in the clean room and shall be totally protected from exposure to asbestos prior to their use.

(3)   Single use, disposable respirators will not be approved.

(4)   Protection factors of up to 50 for the full face-piece respirators may be used provided these protection factors have been verified by a quantitative fit test for each worker.

(e)   Contractors shall instruct and train workers in proper respirator use and maintenance, and shall abide by their own respirator programs.

[Source: Amended at 9 Ok Reg 3309, eff 7-27-92; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 3247, eff 7-13-98; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 1887, eff 7-1-10]