PROGRAM  ELEMENTS This   section   explains   respirator   program requirements. It applies to all personnel and visitors who enter an area where respiratory protective equipment is necessary.  This  section  does  not  address  damage control,  gas  free  engineering,  or  underwater  protection. The   respiratory   protection   program   includes   the following  elements: b l l l l l l l Written  standard  operating  procedures Proper,  hazard-specific  selection  of  respirators User  training  in  the  proper  operation  and limitations  of  respirators Regular cleaning and disinfecting of respirators Convenient,  clean,  and  sanitary  storage  of respirators Inspection,   repair,   and   maintenance   of respirators Industrial  hygiene  surveys  to  identify  operations requiring respirators and recommend specific types  of  respirators Use of only those respirators approved by the National  Institute  for  Occupational  Safety  and Health (NIOSH) and Mine Safety and Health Administration  (MSHA) TYPES OF RESPIRATORS The two basic types of respirators are air-purifying and atmosphere-supply. We will explain each in the following   paragraphs. Air-Purifying  Respirators This type of respirator removes air contaminants by filtering them or by absorbing them as the air passes through   the   cartridge.   In   all   cases   when   using air-purifying respirators, the atmosphere must contain enough oxygen, at least 19.5 percent by volume. They are  available  with  different  types  of  facepieces  for different   levels   of   protection,   and   they   come   in disposable  and  reusable  models.  The  cartridges,  filters, and prefilters must be a type that is effective against the contaminant  present  at  the  time  of  use.  Air-purifying respirators may be either nonpowered or powered. The nonpowered  type  depends  on  the  user’s  lungs  while  the powered type uses a fan to lower breathing resistance. Air-purifying respirators are divided into two types that we will explain in the next paragraphs. One protects against particulate and the other protects against gas and vapor. PARTICULATE AIR-PURIFYING RESPIRATORS.– These respirators use cartridges, filters, and prefilters to protect against aerosols, that is, solid  or  liquid  particles  dispersed  in  air.  They  remove toxic and nontoxic dust, fog, fumes, mist, smoke, and sprays either singly or in combination. GAS   AND   VAPOR   AIR-PURIFYING RESPIRATORS.– These respirators use cartridges and canisters to remove contaminants through absorption. Most cartridges remove a specific type of gas or vapor, such as organic vapors, acid gases, ammonia, or carbon monoxide. FILTERS, CARTRIDGES, AND CANISTERS.–  Some  manufacturers  of  air-purifying respirators  combine  the  removal  capabilities  of  two  or more type cartridges in a single cartridge. Others allow you to screw together cartridges and combine their capabilities. All manufacturers allow you to attach a prefilter  to  a  cartridge  and  combine  different  degrees  of particulate removal. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations  when  you  combine  filters,  cartridges, and canisters. Federal  regulations  require  that  each  type  of respirator  cartridge/canister  be  color-coded  to  identify its intended use. See the  Navy  Occupational  Safely  and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual,  OPNAVINST 1500. 19B, for information on color coding. Each  cartridge/canister  is  labeled  with  the contaminant(s)   it   protects   against   and   the NIOSH/MSHA  approval  number.  Some  labels  may provide  more  information  about  the  cartridge’s capabilities  and  limitations. Atmosphere-Supplying  Respirator These  types  of  respirators  are  used  when  the contaminant has no warning property (odor), when the contaminant’s  concentration  is  too  high  to  use  an air-purifying respirator, or when the environment is immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH). The two  types  of  atmosphere-supplying  respirators  are supplied-air  respirators  and  self-contained  breathing apparatuses  (SCBA).  We  will  explain  each  of  them  in the  following  paragraphs. SUPPLIED-AIR  RESPIRATORS.–  These are further divided into hose masks and air-line respirators described in the next paragraphs. 10-9