OSHA Respiratory Protection 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An air-purifying respirator (APR) is NOT suitable for which of the following conditions?
- Environments with nuisance dust
- Atmospheres where the oxygen level is below 19.5% (Correct answer)
- Areas with low concentrations of organic vapors
- Workplaces with mold or biological contaminants
Correct answer: Atmospheres where the oxygen level is below 19.5%
Air-purifying respirators filter ambient air and cannot compensate for oxygen-deficient atmospheres; a supplied-air respirator or SCBA must be used instead.
Question 2: What information must be included in a written Respiratory Protection Program required by OSHA?
- Only the types of respirators available for purchase
- Procedures for selecting, using, fitting, inspecting, cleaning, and storing respirators (Correct answer)
- Only employee training schedules
- A list of approved respirator vendors
Correct answer: Procedures for selecting, using, fitting, inspecting, cleaning, and storing respirators
OSHA's standard requires a comprehensive written program covering respirator selection, use, medical evaluation, fit testing, maintenance, and training.
Question 3: Who is responsible for administering a respirator program under OSHA's standard?
- Any available employee on the work site
- A program administrator who is suitably trained and knowledgeable in respiratory protection (Correct answer)
- The local OSHA area director
- The respirator manufacturer's representative
Correct answer: A program administrator who is suitably trained and knowledgeable in respiratory protection
OSHA requires a qualified program administrator with the training and knowledge to properly manage all elements of the respiratory protection program.
Question 4: What does the color-coding system on respirator cartridges indicate?
- The size of the facepiece
- The type of contaminant the cartridge is designed to protect against (Correct answer)
- The service life remaining in the cartridge
- The NIOSH approval level of the cartridge
Correct answer: The type of contaminant the cartridge is designed to protect against
NIOSH uses a standardized color-coding system on cartridge labels to identify the type of chemical hazard each cartridge is rated to protect against.
Question 5: When must employees using filtering facepiece (disposable) respirators perform a user seal check?
- Once a week before the shift
- Each time the respirator is put on (Correct answer)
- Only during the annual fit test
- At the start of each new box of respirators
Correct answer: Each time the respirator is put on
A user seal check must be performed every time a respirator is donned to confirm an adequate seal is achieved before entering the hazardous area.
Question 6: Under OSHA's Respiratory Protection standard, employees have the right to do which of the following?
- Modify the respirator for greater comfort
- Leave the respirator in a common storage area without individual cleaning
- Obtain a copy of the written respiratory protection program (Correct answer)
- Skip the medical evaluation if they feel healthy
Correct answer: Obtain a copy of the written respiratory protection program
OSHA requires that employees have access to the written respiratory protection program, supporting their right to understand the safety measures protecting them.
Question 7: Which respirator type uses a blower to force air through filters before delivering it to the user's breathing zone?
- Pressure-demand SCBA
- Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) (Correct answer)
- Half-face filtering facepiece
- Chemical cartridge respirator
Correct answer: Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)
A PAPR uses a motorized blower to pull ambient air through filters and deliver it to the facepiece, providing higher protection and reducing breathing resistance.
OSHA Respiratory Protection 2
An air-purifying respirator (APR) is NOT suitable for which of the following conditions?