OSHA has released a new video and poster for employers and workers on how to properly wear and remove a respirator. The poster has been produced in English and Spanish (the Hmong and Tagalog versions aren’t ready yet) and demonstrate and describe seven steps every worker should follow when putting on and taking off a respirator:
- Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60 percent alcohol before putting on and after removing the respirator;
- Inspect the respirator for damage;
- Cover mouth and nose with the respirator and pull strap over the head so that it rests at the back of the head. A second strap should rest at the back of the neck. Use the metal nose clips to mold the respirator to the shape of the nose;
- Adjust the respirator by placing both hands over it and inhaling and exhaling. Readjust the straps if air leaks from the respirator’s edges;
- Avoid touching the respirator while wearing it;
- Remove the respirator by grabbing the strap(s) from behind. Do not touch the front; and
- If the respirator does not need to be reused because of supply shortages, discard it in a closed-bin waste receptacle.
The posters are below. The video (English only) is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU4stQgCtV8