Respiratory Protection Program Review Checklist [FREE PDF]

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134 requires employers to establish and maintain a written respiratory protection program when employees must wear respirators due to hazardous atmospheres. A compliant program must address hazard assessment, respirator selection, medical evaluation, fit testing, training, use procedures, and program evaluation. This checklist helps EHS professionals systematically audit all program elements to protect worker respiratory health and maintain regulatory compliance.

  • Industry: Industrial Hygiene
  • Frequency: Annually
  • Estimated Time: 50-70 minutes
  • Role: EHS Manager
  • Total Items: 41
  • Compliance: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134 Respiratory Protection, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1020 Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records, NIOSH 42 CFR Part 84 Approval of Respiratory Protective Devices, ACGIH TLVs for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents, ANSI/ASSE Z88.2 Practices for Respiratory Protection

Written Program & Administrative Requirements

Verify the existence, currency, and completeness of the written respiratory protection program.

  • Is there a written respiratory protection program that addresses all work areas where respirators are required?
  • Has the written program been reviewed and updated within the past 12 months or after any significant operational change?
  • Has a qualified program administrator been designated in writing with documented authority and responsibility?
  • Does the written program include procedures for respirator selection, medical evaluation, fit testing, use, maintenance, and training?
  • Is the written program readily accessible to all employees who use respirators?

Hazard Assessment & Respirator Selection

Review the process for identifying respiratory hazards and selecting appropriate NIOSH-approved respirators.

  • Has a documented hazard assessment been performed to identify all respiratory hazards in each work area?
  • Are airborne contaminant concentrations quantified through air monitoring and compared against OSHA PELs, NIOSH RELs, and ACGIH TLVs?
  • Are all respirators used in the program NIOSH-approved under 42 CFR Part 84?
  • Are respirators selected based on their Assigned Protection Factor (APF) relative to the Maximum Use Concentration (MUC)?
  • Are IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) atmospheres identified and appropriate SCBA or supplied-air respirators with egress bottles specified?
  • Is respirator selection documented with rationale for each work task or exposure scenario?

Medical Evaluation Program

Assess the process for medical clearance prior to respirator use and ongoing medical surveillance of respirator users.

  • Have all required employees received OSHA-compliant medical evaluations before being permitted to wear a respirator?
  • Is medical evaluation conducted using the OSHA-required medical questionnaire (Appendix C to 1910.134) or equivalent?
  • Are employees who report medical symptoms that may affect respirator use referred for follow-up medical evaluation?
  • Are medical evaluation records maintained confidentially and retained per OSHA 1910.1020 requirements?
  • Are employees re-evaluated when there are changes in work conditions, health status, or respirator type that may increase physiological burden?

Fit Testing Program

Evaluate the compliance and documentation of qualitative and quantitative fit testing for all tight-fitting respirator users.

  • Have all employees required to wear tight-fitting respirators received a fit test using the respirator model they will use in the workplace?
  • Is fit testing conducted using OSHA-accepted qualitative (QLFT) or quantitative (QNFT) methods per Appendix A to 1910.134?
  • Is a pass/fail record retained for each employee showing the respirator make, model, style, and size that passed fit testing?
  • Is fit testing repeated whenever an employee reports or the employer, PLHCP, or supervisor observes changes that could affect fit?
  • Are fit test technicians or administrators trained and qualified to administer the specific fit test protocol being used?

Respirator Use Procedures

Review procedures for pre-use inspection, user seal checks, and proper use in routine and non-routine conditions.

  • Are employees trained and required to perform a user seal check each time they put on a tight-fitting respirator?
  • Are employees prohibited from wearing tight-fitting respirators when conditions that prevent a good seal exist (e.g., facial hair, temple eyeglass stems)?
  • Are employees allowed to leave hazardous areas to remove respirators when they experience discomfort, difficulty breathing, or dizziness?
  • Are employees using air-purifying respirators with cartridges informed of the cartridge change schedule and its basis?
  • For supplied-air respirators and SCBAs, are procedures established for cylinder air quality testing meeting Grade D breathing air standards?

Respirator Maintenance, Inspection & Storage

Confirm that procedures for cleaning, disinfecting, inspecting, and storing respirators are established and followed.

  • Are respirators cleaned, disinfected, and inspected at required frequencies per OSHA Appendix B-2?
  • Are respirators inspected before each use, during cleaning, and at least monthly for emergency-use respirators?
  • Are damaged or defective respirators removed from service immediately and repaired or discarded?
  • Are respirators stored to protect them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging chemicals?
  • Are inspection records for emergency-use SCBAs maintained including date, findings, inspector name, and required remediation?

Training & Information Program

Assess the adequacy, frequency, and documentation of employee respiratory protection training.

  • Have all respirator users received initial training before being required to use a respirator in the workplace?
  • Does training cover all required topics including why respirator use is necessary, limitations, proper use, fit checking, and maintenance?
  • Is refresher training provided annually and whenever inadequate knowledge or use is observed?
  • Are training records documenting date, content, and employee completion retained for at least 1 year?
  • Is training conducted in a manner and language that employees understand?

Program Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

Review process for ongoing program evaluation, employee feedback, and corrective action implementation.

  • Has a formal program evaluation been conducted by the program administrator within the past 12 months?
  • Are supervisors and employees consulted to identify any problems with respirator use or program effectiveness?
  • Are identified deficiencies in the program corrected and documented with root cause analysis and corrective action plans?
  • Is the program reviewed and updated following any significant changes in workplace hazards, processes, or applicable regulations?
  • Please summarize the overall program evaluation findings, identified deficiencies, and recommended corrective actions with target completion dates?

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Why Use This Respiratory Protection Program Review Checklist [FREE PDF]?

This respiratory protection program review checklist [free pdf] helps industrial hygiene teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for ehs manager professionals, this checklist covers 41 critical inspection points across 8 sections. Recommended frequency: annually.

Ensures compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134 Respiratory Protection, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1020 Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records, NIOSH 42 CFR Part 84 Approval of Respiratory Protective Devices, ACGIH TLVs for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents, ANSI/ASSE Z88.2 Practices for Respiratory Protection. Regulatory-aligned for audit readiness and inspection documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Respiratory Protection Program Review Checklist [FREE PDF] cover?

This checklist covers 41 inspection items across 8 sections: Written Program & Administrative Requirements, Hazard Assessment & Respirator Selection, Medical Evaluation Program, Fit Testing Program, Respirator Use Procedures, Respirator Maintenance, Inspection & Storage, Training & Information Program, Program Evaluation & Continuous Improvement. It is designed for industrial hygiene operations and compliance.

How often should this checklist be completed?

This checklist should be completed annually. Each completion takes approximately 50-70 minutes.

Who should use this Respiratory Protection Program Review Checklist [FREE PDF]?

This checklist is designed for EHS Manager professionals in the industrial hygiene industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.

Can I download this checklist as a PDF?

Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.

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