Federal Standards & Regulation
Respiratory protection is addressed in specific OSHA standards for general industry, maritime, and construction.
OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.134 requires the use of NIOSH-approved respirators and a respiratory protection program to include medical evaluations, training, and fit testing.
OSHA Respiratory Protection Standards
NIOSH Respirator Standards
Types of Respiratory Protection
There are two main types of respiratory protection:
- air-purifying respirators (APRs)
- atmosphere-supplying respirators (ASRs).
Each respirator type provides a different level of protection based on its design. It’s important to choose the right type of respirator for the specific exposure. To do that, you must identify all respiratory hazards in your environment and the amount of exposure.
Additional Resources
Verify Your Respirator
NIOSH’s Certified Equipment List is a tool to help users select appropriate respirators and confirm respirators are NIOSH-approved.
Search the Certified Equipment List
ISEA is represented on the following standards committees and panels:
- ANSI Z88 – Respiratory Protection
- ANSI Z117 – Confined Spaces
- ANSI Z10 – Occupational Health and Safety Systems
- ANSI Homeland Security Standards Panel
- ASTM E54 – Committee on Homeland Security Applications – E54.4 – PPE
- NFPA Technical Correlating Committee – Fire & Emergency Service Protective Clothing & Equipment
- NFPA Technical Committee on Electronic Safety Equipment
- NFPA Technical Committee on Respiratory Protection & Personal Alarm Equipment
- NFPA Technical Committee on Gas Hazards
- US TAG Administrator, ISO TC 94/SC15 – Respiratory Protection
- International Society for Respiratory Protection (ISRP) – sponsor
