November 1996

Although engineering and work practice controls are the primary means of protecting workers, source control at construction sites is often not sufficient to control exposure, and airborne lead concentrations may be high or may vary widely.

Presently, in the construction industry, respirators must often be used to supplement engineering controls and work practices whenever these controls are technologically incapable of reducing worker expo-sures to lead to or below 50 mg/m³.

To provide adequate respiratory protection, respirators must be donned before entering the work area and should not be removed until the worker has left the area, or as part of a decontamination procedure. Employers must assure that the respirator issued to the employee is property selected and properly fitted so that it exhibits minimum face piece leakage. Respirators must be supplied by the employer at no cost to employees. Employers must perform either qualitative or quantitative fit tests for each employee wearing negative pressure respirators. Fit testing is to be performed at the time of the initial fitting and at least semiannually thereafter.

Respirator Program: When respirators are provided, the employer must establish a respiratory protection program in accordance with the PEOSH standard on respirator protection, 29 CFR 1910.134.

Minimum requirements for an acceptable respirator program for lead include the following elements:

• Written standard operating procedures gov- erning the selection and use of respirators;
• Selection of respirators on the basis of hazards to which the worker is exposed;
• Regular inspection and cleaning, maintenance and disinfection; worn or deteriorated parts must be replaced, including replacement of the filter element in an air-purifying respirator whenever an increase in breathing resistance is detected;
• Storage in a convenient, clean, and sanitary location and protection against sunlight and physical damage;
• Appropriate surveillance of work area conditions and degree of worker exposure or stress (physiological or psychological must be maintained);
• Evaluation to determine the continued effectiveness of the program;
• Physician's determination that the employee is physically able to perform the work and wear a respirator while performing the work (respirator user's medical capacity to wear and work with a respirator should be reviewed annually);
• Use of Mine Safety and Health Administration/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (MSHA/NIOSH) certified respirators;
• Fit testing of negative-pressure respirators;
• Breathing air used for supplied-air respirators must meet the requirements prescribed in 1910.134(d)(1); and
• Standing permission for employees to leave the work area to wash their faces and respirator face pieces whenever necessary to prevent skin irritation associated with respirator use.

Table I. Respiratory Protection for Lead Aerosols

¹Respirators specified for higher concentrations can be used at lower concentrations of lead.

²Full facepiece is required if the lead aerosols cause eye or skin irritation at the use concentrations.

³A high efficiency particulate filter (HEPA) means a filter that is 99.97 percent efficient against particles of 0.3 micron size or larger.

In addition, if exposure monitoring or experience indicates airborne exposures to contaminants other than lead, such as solvents or polyurethane coatings, these exposures must be considered when selecting respiratory protection. A re-evaluation of the respiratory protection program is required when a worker demonstrates a continued increase in blood lead levels.

Abrasive Blasting and Related Operations: NIOSH type CE respirators are required for use by abrasive blasting operators. Currently, NIOSH certifies both continuous flow and positive pressure respirators for abrasive blasting operations. The continuous flow respirators are recommended by NIOSH only for airborne concentrations less than or equal to 25 times the PEOSH PEL of 50 mg/m³. Positive pressure respirators are recommended by NIOSH for airborne concentrations less than 2,000 times the PEOSH PEL (50 mg/m³). Furthermore, manufacturer's instructions regarding quality of air, air pressure, and inside diameter and length of hoses must be strictly followed. Use of longer hoses or smaller inside diameter hoses than the manufacturer's specifications, or hoses with bends or kinks may restrict the flow of air to a respirator.

Information used in this bulletin was obtained from Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration publications.

Back to the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health Program Home Page

Last Updated: December 1, 1997