New OSHA Memo on COVID-19 and N95 Respirators

Posted on 3/17/2020 by Roger Marks

Fearing a possible supply shortage of N95 filtering facepiece respirators due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the US, OSHA issued temporary enforcement guidance related to the Respiratory Protection Standard at 29 CFR 1910.134.

In the memo, issued March 14, OSHA orders its field officers to “exercise enforcement discretion concerning annual fit testing requirement for respirators” found at 29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2). Enforcement personnel will apply discretion in situations in which respirators are needed to protect health care provider employees.

OSHA’s intention is to ensure that, if healthcare providers are facing a shortage of N95 masks, the masks that are available will be used in situations where they are needed to protect healthcare personnel from COVID-19.

OSHA Field Officers will exercise enforcement discretion as long as the employer makes a good faith effort to comply with 29 CFR 1910.134 and satisfies a list of other requirements.

Initial fit testing requirements still apply, as do requirements for maintenance, care, and annual employee training under the Respiratory Protection standard. 29 CFR 1910.134(k) requires training for employees who are required to wear respirators. Annual re-training is required and the training “must be comprehensive” and “understandable.”

Healthcare employer should review CDC’s guidance Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators.

CDC has also created a Hospital Preparedness checklist to help providers prepare for the arrival of patients with COVID-19.

Read the full Enforcement Guidance Memo here.

Read more from Lion: Online training

Medical Clearance for Respirator Use
OSHA Rules for Hazards in Healthcare

OSHA Respiratory Protection Training

Lion’s Respiratory Protection Online Course can help health care providers and other employers meet the annual training requirement for employees who wear respirators. This safety training is available in English and Spanish.

Browse our full catalog of online safety training courses to protect employees and prevent injury and illness that cost US businesses $1 billion per week.

Tags: N95, osha, respirator

Find a Post

Search for:

Compliance Topics

Compliance Archives

I had a positive experience utilizing this educational program. It was very informative, convenient, and rewarding from a career perspective.

John Gratacos

Logistics Manager

The instructor clearly enjoys his job and transmits that enthusiasm. He made a dry subject very interesting and fun.

Teresa Arellanes

EHS Manager

I have over 26 years of environmental compliance experience, and it has been some time since I have attended an environmental regulations workshop. I attended this course as preparation for EHS Audits for my six plants, and it was exactly what I was looking for.

Frank Sizemore

Director of Regulatory Affairs

The instructor was very patient and engaging - willing to answer and help explain subject matter.

Misty Filipp

Material Control Superintendent

Lion is at the top of the industry in compliance training. Course content and structure are updated frequently to make annual re-training enjoyable. I like that Lion has experts that I can contact for 1 year after the training.

Caroline Froning

Plant Chemist

Best course instructor I've ever had. Funny, relatable, engaging; made it interesting and challenged us as the professionals we are.

Amanda Schwartz

Environmental Coordinator

The training was impressive. I am not a fan of online training but this was put together very well. I would recommend Lion to others.

Donnie James

Quality Manager

These are the best commercial course references I have seen (10+ years). Great job!

Ed Grzybowski

EHS & Facility Engineer

The instructor had knowledge of regulations and understanding of real-world situations. The presentation style was engaging and fostered a positive atmosphere for information sharing.

Linda Arlen

Safety & Environmental Compliance Officer

The instructor made the class enjoyable. He presented in a very knowledgeable, personable manner. Best class I've ever attended. Will take one again.

John Nekoloff

Environmental Compliance Manager

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

In most cases, injuries that occur at work are work-related and must be recorded to maintain compliance with OSHA regulations. This report shows you the 9 types of injuries you don’t record.

Download

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.