Free written program · 29 CFR 1910.134
Respiratory Protection Program Template for Required Use
A respiratory protection program describes how you select respirators and manage the people who wear them. The template covers exposure assessment, respirator selection, medical evaluation, fit testing, cleaning, inspection, and storage. Employers overseeing dusty operations, fumes, vapors, or infectious airborne hazards can use its structure, with a suitably trained administrator adding procedures for the specific contaminants and equipment at their worksite.
The full respiratory protection program template
Respiratory Protection Program. Blanks in [brackets] are for your own details.
The printable copy downloads as a web page file: open it in your browser, then print it or save it as a PDF.
Written program for selecting, fitting, using, and maintaining respiratory protection equipment.
1. Purpose & Scope
This Respiratory Protection Program establishes procedures for the selection, use, and maintenance of respirators at [Company Name] in compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134. Respirators are required when engineering controls are insufficient to reduce airborne contaminants below OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs). The Program Administrator is [Name/Title].
2. Exposure Assessment
The Safety Manager conducts exposure assessments to determine where respiratory protection is needed. This includes:
- Identifying airborne contaminants (dust, fumes, mists, vapors, gases).
- Quantifying exposure levels through air sampling.
- Comparing results to OSHA PELs and ACGIH TLVs.
- Reassessing when processes, materials, or controls change. Results are documented and shared with affected employees.
3. Respirator Selection
Respirators are selected based on:
- Type and concentration of contaminant.
- Assigned Protection Factor (APF) needed.
- NIOSH approval for the specific hazard. Types used at this facility: filtering facepiece (N95, P100), half-face elastomeric with appropriate cartridges, full-face elastomeric, and powered air-purifying (PAPR) for extended use. IDLH atmospheres require supplied-air respirators (SAR) or SCBA.
4. Medical Evaluation
All employees required to wear respirators must receive a medical evaluation BEFORE fit testing or use. The evaluation:
- Uses the OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire (Appendix C).
- Is reviewed by a Physician or Licensed Health Care Professional (PLHCP).
- Determines if the employee can safely wear a respirator.
- Is repeated if health conditions change. Medical records are maintained confidentially per 29 CFR 1910.1020.
5. Fit Testing
Employees using tight-fitting respirators must be fit tested:
- Before initial use.
- Annually thereafter.
- When a different respirator size, model, or make is used.
- When physical changes could affect fit (weight change, dental work, facial scarring). Acceptable fit test methods: qualitative (Bitrex, saccharin, irritant smoke) for half-face only; quantitative (PortaCount) for all types. Employees must be clean-shaven in the seal area.
6. Use, Maintenance & Storage
Daily: user seal check before each use (positive and negative pressure checks). After use: clean and disinfect per manufacturer instructions or Appendix B-2. Inspect: before and after each use for damage, worn parts, proper function. Storage: in clean, dry location away from contamination, chemicals, sunlight, extreme temperatures. Protect from deformation. Cartridges/filters: replaced per change-out schedule based on contaminant concentration and manufacturer guidelines.
The printable copy adds effective and review dates and approval signature lines for management and the safety manager.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a qualified person check it against your site, your state's rules and the standard before you rely on it.
Respiratory protection program: when it’s needed
Under 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1), you need a written program with worksite-specific procedures when respirators are necessary to protect employee health or you require their use. Name an administrator qualified by suitable training or experience. Medical evaluation comes before fit testing and use, and tight-fitting respirators require fit testing before first use and at least annually. Voluntary use follows different rules: when employees voluntarily wear only filtering facepieces, provide Appendix D information, but a full written program is not required for that use alone.
How to use this respiratory protection program template
- Identify airborne contaminants and obtain an exposure assessment before deciding which respirators, filters, or cartridges workers will use.
- Appoint a suitably trained administrator and arrange confidential medical evaluations before employees undergo fit testing or start respirator work.
- Record each tight-fitting respirator’s make, model, style, and size, then arrange the appropriate initial and annual fit tests.
- Develop cartridge replacement schedules, inspection routines, cleaning instructions, and storage arrangements using the manufacturer’s directions and exposure information.
- Have a qualified respiratory protection professional review selection limits and emergency procedures, especially for unknown or immediately dangerous atmospheres.
Before you use this respiratory protection program template: what to fill in and check
- Contaminants, measured exposure levels, oxygen conditions, and whether emergencies could change the hazard.
- Administrator qualifications, medical provider arrangements, and the fit testing method for each respirator.
- Cartridge service-life information, replacement schedules, cleaning facilities, and protected storage locations.
- Whether use is mandatory or genuinely voluntary, including any employer direction to wear a dust mask.
Get a version for your industry and state
Pick your industry and state and answer a few questions. We write a full respiratory protection program template from our checked list of federal and state rules and show which rules it used.
Email me the respiratory protection program template
We send this written program to your inbox as a printable document, so you have it ready when you need it.
- Printable copy with approval signature lines
- Blanks marked for your company details
- Free, no credit card
Free email access. Open online; print or save where available. No spam — unsubscribe anytime.
Respiratory protection program questions
Do voluntary N95 users need a respiratory protection program?
When use is genuinely voluntary and limited to filtering facepiece respirators, such as disposable N95s, 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2) does not require the full written program. You must provide Appendix D information and determine that the use itself does not create a hazard. If you require those masks, or the exposure requires respiratory protection, the voluntary-use exception does not apply.
Does a user seal check replace a fit test?
A seal check and a fit test serve different purposes. Fit testing evaluates whether a particular tight-fitting respirator fits an individual and is required before initial use and at least annually. A user seal check is performed each time that respirator is put on. Teach the manufacturer’s checking procedure, but do not treat a successful daily check as evidence that scheduled fit testing can be skipped.
Can employees wear a tight-fitting respirator with a beard?
Facial hair cannot come between the sealing surface and the face or interfere with valve function under 29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1). A beard outside those areas may present a different situation, depending on the respirator. Have the administrator evaluate the actual fit and equipment. Where appropriate for the hazard, a suitable loose-fitting respirator may offer an alternative, but selection still requires an exposure-based review.