Respiratory Protection Services at National Jewish Health
National Jewish Health is one of the few organizations in the United States that offers a full-service respiratory protection program. All of our services are specifically designed to meet all requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Respiratory Protection Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134, and other federal, state, and local regulations and unique industry needs.
Medical Clearance Exams
These exams are performed in accordance with the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134 to determine whether the worker is physically capable of wearing a respirator. The exam includes the review of a 5-page questionnaire by our clinician. In addition, our clinician will take blood pressure and listen to the heart and lung sounds of each worker. Please note, if the clinician deems it necessary, some workers may be requested to undergo pulmonary function testing. In some cases basic medical clearance may be provided by mail or fax.
Pulmonary Function Testing
Spirometry is performed by our National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-certified pulmonary technicians and includes FEV1, FVC and FEV1:FVC ratio and comparison to normal predicted values corrected for age, height, and sex.
Audiometry
Audiometric testing can also be provided as part of a physical or testing can be done at your site.
Respirator Fit Testing
Qualitative Respirator Fit Testing
National Jewish Health specializes in high-volume qualitative respirator fit testing (QLFT). Our methodology allows one of our technicians to fit test up to 6 people at the same time. QLFT involves the administration and detection of a test substance such as (Bitrex™ or sachharin) in a hood apparatus.
QLFT is most appropriate for ½ face negative pressure air-purifying disposable and reusable respirators. The qualitative method may only be used to fit test negative pressure air-purifying used in atmospheres less than 10 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). For greater concentrations (>10 x PEL), quantitative respirator fit testing must be used.
Learn more leasing our Qualitative Fit Testing Device.
Quantitative Respirator Fit Testing
We use the TSI Portacount Plus™, an instrument that measures the concentration of particles outside of the respirator versus the particles inside. Quantitative respirator fit testing (QNFT) is most appropriate for ½ and full-face negative pressure air-purifying reusable respirators. With a full face mask and a quantitative fit the worker can be exposed to up to 50X PEL. We have an extensive respirator inventory of most brands, styles, and sizes of respirators are utilized to identify optimum respirator fit.
Training and Recordkeeping
All fit tests include the OSHA required annual respirator training, which covers the cleaning, storage, maintenance, and limitations of the respirator and filters. To assure adequate record keeping, your company will receive documentation for each employee’s medical clearance for respirator use and respirator fit test. In addition, each employee will be issued a respirator fit card that includes the following: employee name, date of test, type of respirator (manufacturer, model, and size), fit factor obtained, and the signature of the technician conducting the fit test.
Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) Training
This includes hands-on training in the use of a hood-type PAPR. These units are most appropriate for performing or assisting with aerosol-generating procedures on patients with known or suspected tuberculosis. This is also the only type of respirator that is effective for men with beards or for people who do not fit in standard masks. Each training session will include the OSHA required respirator training, which covers the cleaning, storage, maintenance, and limitations of the respirator and its filters.
Personal Respiratory Protection Program Consultation
For Industry:
Let us help you create the personal respiratory protection program required by OSHA. Our Industrial Hygienists can help assess the respiratory dangers in your work place and our respirator fit technicians can write your protection plan. Then our medical surveillance personnel can administer employee physicals and our fit testing personnel can perform your fit testing.
For Healthcare:
Unknown to many healthcare workers, the Tuberculosis standard was changed in December of 2003 to require annual fit testing of masks, the same standard as the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134 for general industry. Since 2004 the annual appropriations bill for the U.S. Department of Labor and its agencies has contained a rider named the Wicker Amendment that barred OSHA from enforcing the requirement in its regulations for annual respirator fit testing for occupational exposure to TB. In January of 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations committee rejected the amendment and enforcement of the fit testing requirement has resumed.
The Personal Respiratory Protection Program at National Jewish Health also has special interest and expertise in protecting employees potentially exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other infectious agents. Our program is specifically designed to meet OSHA, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO), and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines relevant to personal respiratory protection for exposures to M. tuberculosis.
Custom respirator protection training:
National Jewish Health has created programs addressing all aspects of personal respirator protection, including How to Perform a Fit Test, Bioterrorism Personal Protection Training, and general function of Respirators. We also offer web-based training on personal protective equipment (PPE).
Industrial Hygiene Services
We offer a complete menu of Industrial Hygiene services, including air sampling, exposure analysis, hazard communication, and ventilation evaluations. Ventilation evaluations may include tracer gas analysis, which can be used to assess the path of potential airborne contaminants.
Learn more about our Industrial Hygiene Services.
