Ariz. Admin. Code § 9-7-425

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R9-7-425 - Use of Individual Respiratory Protection Equipment

A. If a licensee assigns or permits the use of respiratory protection equipment to limit the intake of radioactive material,

1. Except as provided in subsection (A)(2), the licensee shall use only respiratory protection equipment that is tested and certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

2. If the licensee wishes to use equipment that has not been tested or certified by NIOSH, or for which there is no schedule for testing or certification, the licensee shall submit an application to the Department and request authorization for use of this equipment, except as otherwise provided in this Section. The licensee shall provide evidence with the application that the material and performance characteristics of the equipment provide the asserted degree of protection under anticipated conditions of use. The licensee shall demonstrate the degree of protection by providing reliable test information.

3. The licensee shall implement and maintain a respiratory protection program that includes:

a. Air sampling sufficient to identify the potential hazard, permit proper equipment selection, and estimate doses;

b. Surveys and bioassays, as necessary, to evaluate actual intakes;

c. Testing of respirators for operability (user seal check for face sealing devices and functional check for other devices) immediately before each use;

d. Written procedures regarding:

i. Monitoring, including air sampling and bioassays;

ii. Supervision and training of respirator users;

iii. Fit testing;

iv. Respirator selection;

v. Breathing air quality;

vi. Inventory and control;

vii. Storage, issuance, maintenance, repair, testing, and quality assurance of respiratory protection equipment;

viii. Recordkeeping; and

ix. Limitations on periods of respirator use and relief from respirator use;

e. Determination by a physician that each individual user is able to use respiratory protection equipment:

i. Before the initial fitting of a face-sealing respirator;

ii. Before the first field use of a non-face-sealing respirator, and

iii. Every 12 months after initial fitting or first use, or periodically at a frequency determined by a physician; and

f. Fit testing, with a fit factor => 10 times the APF for a negative pressure device and a fit factor =>x 500 for any positive pressure, continuous flow, and pressure-demand device, before the first field use of tight-fitting, face-sealing respirators and periodically after first use at least yearly. The licensee shall perform fit testing with the face piece operating in the negative pressure mode.

4. The licensee shall advise each respirator user that the user may leave the area at any time for relief from respirator use, in the event of equipment malfunction, physical or psychological distress, procedural or communication failure, significant deterioration of operating conditions, or any other condition that might require relief.

5. The licensee shall consider manufacturer limitations regarding respirator type and mode of use. When selecting a respiratory device, the licensee shall provide for vision correction, adequate communication, low temperature work environments, and the concurrent use of other safety or radiological protection equipment. The licensee shall use equipment in a manner that does not interfere with the proper operation of the respirator.

6. The licensee shall provide standby rescue persons whenever one-piece atmosphere-supplying suits, or any combination of supplied air respiratory protection device and personnel protective equipment are used from which an unaided individual would have difficulty extricating himself or herself. The licensee shall equip standby rescue persons with respiratory protection devices or other apparatus designed for potential hazards and anticipated conditions of use. The standby rescue persons shall observe or otherwise maintain continuous communication with the workers (visual, voice, signal line, telephone, radio, or other suitable means), and be immediately available to assist them in case of a failure of the air supply or for any other reason that requires relief from distress. The licensee shall provide at least one standby rescue person for every five workers, who is immediately available to assist any worker using this type of equipment and provide effective emergency rescue if needed.

7. The licensee shall supply atmosphere-supplying respirators with respirable air of grade D quality or better as defined by the Compressed Gas Association in publication G-7.1, "Commodity Specification for Air," 1997 and included in the regulations of OSHA ( 29 CFR 1910.134(i)(1)(ii)(A) through (E), July 1, 2003, incorporated by reference and on file with the Department, containing no future editions or amendments). Grade D quality air criteria include:

a. Oxygen content (v/v) of 19.5-23.5%;

b. Hydrocarbon (condensed) content of 5 milligrams per cubic meter of air or less;

c. Carbon monoxide (CO) content of 10 ppm or less;

d. Carbon dioxide content of 1,000 ppm or less; and

e. Lack of noticeable odor.

8. The licensee shall ensure that no objects, materials, or substances, such as facial hair, or any conditions that interfere with the face-to-face piece seal or valve function, and that are under the control of the respirator wearer, are present between the skin of the wearer's face and the sealing surface of a tight-fitting respirator face piece.

9. In estimating the dose to individuals from intake of airborne radioactive materials, the licensee shall use the concentration of radioactive material in the air that is inhaled when respirators are worn, which is determined by dividing the ambient concentration in air without respiratory protection by the assigned protection factor. If the dose is later found to be greater than the estimated dose, the licensee shall modify the calculation using the corrected value. If the dose is later found to be less than the estimated dose, the licensee may modify the calculation using the corrected value.

B. The licensee shall use Appendix A to select equipment and associated assigned protection factors.

C. A licensee shall apply to the Department for authorization to use assigned protection factors in excess of those specified in Appendix A. To apply for authorization the licensee shall:

1. State the reason for the higher protection factors; and

2. Demonstrate that the requested respiratory protective equipment provides the higher protection factors under the proposed conditions of use.

D. The licensee shall notify the Department in writing at least 30 days before the date that respiratory protective equipment is first used according to subsection (A) or (C).

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-7-425

New Section R9-7-425 recodified from R12-1-425, at 24 A.A.R. 813, effective March 22, 2018 (Supp. 18-1).