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OSHA Respiratory Protection Standards 29 CFR 1910.134
Interpretive Guidance

The following links provide web pages or downloads of current OSHA guidance memos regarding the respiratory protection standards.  All are available for free.

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OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA Standards Interpretation and Compliance Letters
Table of Contents for 29 CFR Standard "1910.134"

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bullet[10/13/1998] Respiratory Protection Standard: Interim Enforcement Policy.
bullet[02/11/1998] Use of dust respirators below permissible exposure limits.
bullet[10/22/1997] Conditions where OSHA might accept a product that is not approved by NIOSH.
bullet[10/03/1996] Inquiry on beards, respirator use, and fit testing of repirators.
bullet[09/11/1996] Voluntary safety and health audits under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
bullet[02/15/1996] Does OSHA require monthly inspections for escape respirators when the respirators are not within the hazardous locations?
bullet[01/17/1996] The use of respirators with beards.
bullet[12/04/1995] Clarification of the requirements of the Respiratory Protection Standard.
bullet[09/20/1995] Appropriateness of using Mag-1 Eyewear eyeglass holders with full face piece respirators and self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
bullet[09/07/1994] Clarification regarding OSHA regulations on respirator use.
bullet[07/11/1994] Respirator use of spray operations involving paints containing isocyanates.
bullet[03/09/1994] Regulations governing the amount of oxygen the air must contain if air-purifying respirators are used for worker protection.
bullet[02/23/1994] Storage of flammable and/or combustible liquids.
bullet[06/17/1993] Pulmonary function testing training requirements and spirometer transmission of disease.
bullet[03/04/1993] Respiratory protection using single-use dust masks.
bullet[03/04/1993] Respiratory protection for comfort use in environments not exceeding OSHA PEL or STEL standards.
bullet[10/28/1992] Requirements for breathing air for supplied-air respirators.
bullet[10/20/1992] Respirator fit-test requirements.
bullet[09/01/1992] South Carolina's regulatory procedures for single-use respirators.
bullet[03/05/1992] Disposable respirators.
bullet[09/06/1991] Pulmonary Function Tests for employees who must wear respirators.
bullet[02/15/1991] Respirator usage when spraying paints containing isocyanates.
bullet[12/07/1990] Quantitative fit testing of respirators with system which uses naturally occurring particulate
bullet[09/25/1990] Dust exposure for Postal employees
bullet[06/11/1990] Respirator rules as applied to open hatch gauging of sour crude oil storage tanks.
bullet[06/04/1990] NIOSH eliminates maximum use concentrations (MUC) labeling requirement for Chemical Cartridge Respirators
bullet[05/04/1990] The use of contact lenses within full-face respirators.
bullet[05/01/1990] Respirators required during initial hazardous waste site entry
bullet[04/20/1990] Respiratory protection requirements for airborne silica including respirator fit testing requirements.
bullet[04/11/1990] Standards applicable where respiratory protection is not required but employees wear respirators on their own accord.
bullet[02/15/1990] Clarification to the International Association of Firefighters concerning the use of SCBAs for protecting employees with beards.
bullet[01/10/1990] Use of Air-Purifying Respirators In Dangerous Concentrations of Gases Or Vapors
bullet[05/16/1988] Facial hair and respiratory protection.
bullet[02/08/1988] Answers to questions regarding respiratory protection under the asbestos, lead, and respiratory protection standards.
bullet[02/08/1988] Contact Lenses used with respirators
bullet[11/18/1987] Prohibition of beards for respirators.
bullet 
09/15/1987 - Respiratory protection compliance responsibility for contract workers and visitors.
 		 
10/16/1998 - Questions and answers reguarding the respiratory protection standard.
 		 
11/01/1995 - The interpretation of the OSHA standards 1910.134 and 1910.156 which address the requirements for workers who are actively conducting operations in atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life a
 		 
03/03/1986 - Alarm requirements for breathing air compressors; Respirators for paint materials containing TDI or MDI; Full facepiece respirators are required when eye irritation is experienced.
 		 
04/14/1993 - Respiratory protection as it relates to oil fields.
 		 
04/12/1996 - Confined spaces: use of rescue-type SCBAs; maintenance vs. construction
 		 
01/15/1999 - Comparing medical evaluation requirements in the HAZWOPER, Respiratory protection, and Fire brigades standards.
 		 
12/08/1998 - Enforcement policy for abrasive-blasting respiratory protection under the Lead in Construction Interim Final Rule.
 		 
08/05/1993 - Post-emergency response and medical surveillance requirements of HAZWOPER.
 		 
06/13/1996 - Respirator Concerns.
 		 
06/11/1990 - Respirator rules as applied to open hatch gauging of sour crude oil storage tanks.
 		 
02/23/1994 - Storage of flammable and/or combustible liquids.
 		 
04/18/1996 - The Use of the Bullard "Free Air" Pump.
 		 
10/03/1996 - Inquiry on beards, respirator use, and fit testing of repirators.
 		 
10/13/1998 - Respiratory Protection Standard: Interim Enforcement Policy.
 		 
03/31/1997 - Additional Enforcement Policy Change for Respiratory Protection Required for Abrasive Blasting.
 		 
11/13/1984 - Acceptable respirators for exposure to ethylene oxide; Acceptable respirators for exposure to ethylene oxide.
 		 
04/25/1989 - Respiratory protection requirements for sour crude oil tank operations.
 		 
04/08/1999 - Preemption of respiratory protection standard by DOT's Office of Pipeline Safety regulations.
 		 
09/04/1996 - Entry into a confined space when the lower flammable limit is greater than ten percent.
 		 
10/22/1997 - Conditions where OSHA might accept a product that is not approved by NIOSH.
 		 
08/27/1999 - Appendix A requirements and techniques for fit testing respirators.
 		 
11/16/1998 - When to use qualitative or quantitative fit testing; storing SCBAs on fire trucks.
 		 
06/17/1993 - Pulmonary function testing training requirements and spirometer transmission of disease.
 
01/29/1991 - The intervals between physical examinations for employees performing interior structural firefighting. 
01/26/1993 - Hierarchy of air contaminant controls; respirators for emergencies.
 		 
09/07/1994 - Clarification regarding OSHA regulations on respirator use.
 		 
09/20/1995 - Appropriateness of using Mag-1 Eyewear eyeglass holders with full face piece respirators and self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
 		 
12/02/1998 - Employee declination of medical evaluation; religious exemptions for respirator use.
 		 
01/17/1986 - Standard for exposure to tetrahydrofuran; Respirators may be worn only if engineering and administrative controls are not feasible.
 		 
04/08/1986 - Use of the Bureau of Mines approved respirator canister for protection against phosphine.
 		 
04/15/1986 - The use of disposable respirators where cotton dust concentration is no greater than five times the PEL.
 		 
03/09/1995 - Employees in a cotton yarn manufacturing plant who voluntarily wear cloth over their mouths and noses to prevent lint from sticking to their skin.
 		 
05/15/1996 - Variance exposure level for silver metal.
 		 
01/15/1999 - When to use quantitative and qualitative fit testing.
 		 
07/18/1996 - Incipient stage fire brigades.
 		 
09/11/1996 - Voluntary safety and health audits under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
 		 
10/05/1998 - Medical evaluation requirements under the respiratory protection standard.
 		 
08/13/1999 - 1910.134(i) does not apply to portable breathing air compressors.
 		 
11/02/1998 - Fit testing positive pressure supplied air respirators.
 		 
07/11/1994 - Respirator use of spray operations involving paints containing isocyanates.
 		 
05/06/1982 - Negative pressure respirators unacceptable for isocyanate paints.
 		 
01/18/1984 - Workers cannot sign a release so they can wear a respirator with a beard.
 		 
02/21/1985 - Facial hair and the wearing of respirators.
 		 
04/07/1987 - Use of eyeglass inserts or spectacle kits inside respirator full facepieces.
 		 
04/21/1986 - The M-17 gas mask may not be used by workers other than enlisted military personnel.
 		 
08/20/1991 - Training requirements of Hazwoper for various functions.
 		 
09/01/1992 - South Carolina's regulatory procedures for single-use respirators.
 		 
12/30/1991 - OSHA's jurisdiction over volunteer fire fighters.
 
12/27/1994 - Review of Manual for training personnel engaged in oil spill emergency response.
  
03/05/1999 - Medical evaluations must be performed prior to fit testing.
 		 
12/23/1998 - Clarification of respirator costs, annual training, and "effective" seal checks.
 		 
07/03/1995 - Interpretation of the Personal Protective Equipment standard.
 		 
10/15/1981 - Del-Monox air purifiers are unacceptable for testing carbon monoxide concentration for compressor breathing air.
 		 
03/29/1985 - Facial hair and respirator wearing.
 		 
02/11/1987 - Information on Hydro Carbide Tungsten, otherwise known as cemented tungsten carbide with colbalt binder.
 		 
03/24/1987 - Acceptance of closed-circuit self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighting.
 		 
04/24/1986 - Couplings used in supplied air respirator systems.
 		 
11/19/1985 - Application of the Hazard Communication standard to gray and ductile iron castings.
 		 
05/01/1990 - Respirators required during initial hazardous waste site entry
 		 
06/04/1991 - Training required for emergency response at industrial facilities
 		 
06/29/1992 - Definition of an emergency response.
 		 
07/17/1991 - 1910.120 Application to Petroleum Product Spills or Releases Subject to State Codes
 		 
07/28/1992 - Spray painting relating to vehicle maintenance operations.
 		 
04/25/1994 - Breathing air: testing and carbon monoxide alarm.
 		 
12/02/1991 - Hazwoper training in hospitals.
 		 
08/24/1994 - Application of OSHA's Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standard to employers of news media personnel who are covering emergency response incidents.
 		 
01/04/1999 - Respiratory protection: editing the medical questionnaire; medical questionnaire not always required.
 		 
02/05/1999 - Using a "generic type" certificate of analysis for Grade D breathing air.
 		 
05/15/1997 - Permissible Exposure Limits for Nuisance dust.
 		 
03/12/1999 - Complying with the "two-in, two-out" policy for interior structural firefighting.
 		 
04/29/1998 - Two-in/two-out procedure in firefighting/IDLH environments.
 		 
04/12/1999 - Frequency of fit-testing for respirators to protect against M. tuberculosis exposure.
 		 
07/01/1997 - NIOSH approved respirator during the period of an employee's escape from a chemical release of phosgene.
09/04/1996 - Belt mounted filtration unit used with any NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator. 
10/16/1998 - Conduct of respiratory protection medical evaluations by medical technicians.
 		 
11/13/1998 - Two-in/two-out rule for interior structural fire fighting.
 		 
12/15/1998 - Respiratory protecton standard two-in/two-out policy.
 		 
12/22/1998 - Clarification of the respiratory protection medical evaluation.
 		 
06/13/1990 - Ventilation for an anhydrous ammonia refrigeration system.
 		 
01/10/1990 - Use of Air-Purifying Respirators In Dangerous Concentrations of Gases Or Vapors
 		 
01/24/1980 - Carbon Monoxide Alarm/Monitoring at Abrasive Blasting Operations.
 		 
04/08/1986 - MSDS requirements for non-domestic shipments.
 		 
12/22/1983 - Paragraph (a)(2) applies to respirators provided for emergency use.
 		 
11/15/1985 - Use of Bureau of Mines Approved Gas Mask Canisters
 		 
03/01/1989 - Respiratory Protection for Mercury and Chlorine
 		 
05/08/1992 - Interface of 1910.120 and other standards.
 		 
09/11/1989 - Application of 1910.120 to post-emergency clean-up operations including oil spill clean-ups.
 		 
11/03/1989 - Exhaust air in spray operations.
 		 
04/16/1996 - Job requiring respiratory protection.
 		 
04/02/1997 - OSHA standard for rung spacing on fixed industrial ladders and PPE in powered industrial vehicle battery changing.
 		 
01/02/1999 - Clarification of a PLHCP under the Respiratory protection standard.
 		 
01/04/1999 - The grimace step in respiratory protection fit-testing procedures.
 		 
10/01/1999 - Respirators for voluntary use and cleaning respirators during fit testing.
 		 
11/11/1998 - Assessing hazards to select eye and respiratory protection.
 		 
12/07/1998 - Respiratory protection for anhydrous ammonia storage installations.
 		 
08/30/1995 - Interim interpertation concerning Type-CE respirators used in abrasive blasting that are manufactured by the E.D. Bullard Company, Models 77 and 88.
 		 
06/10/1991 - Training required for clean-up of hazardous waste and hazardous substances
 		 
12/09/1996 - Issuance of and paying for Personal Protective Equipment.