Given the importance we place on health and safety, we provide various programs to prevent illness and injury in the workplace. One of these programs is our Respiratory Protection Program. With the information you provide to us through Risk Assessment Forms and Occupational Health Questionnaires, we will assess your risk for exposures in the workplace and medically clear you for respirator use, as indicated.
Respiratory hazards may include exposure to bioaerosols, allergen proteins, dust, gases, and vapors. Vapors evaporate from liquids, such as pesticides, paints, adhesives, and lacquer thinner. Gases are chemicals that are gaseous at room temperature. There are various sources of dust which include particles carried in the wind, construction, landscape maintenance, machining operations, and some research components.
Employees (or their supervisor) must complete a respiratory hazard assessment to determine if they are deemed at risk for exposure to harmful substances in the workplace. This hazard assessment is review by RLSS or RMS to evaluate the respiratory hazard and to recommend what type of respirator is indicated for adequate protection. Respiratory hazard assessments are completed by completing the form at the following link: https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8dZW9SqfG0rxFI1
If you are new to the Respiratory Protection Program, you must complete a hazard assessment prior to being medically cleared and fit tested to a respirator.
Once the respiratory hazard assessment has been reviewed and RMS or RLSS has recommended the employee be enrolled in the respiratory Protection Program, the employee is required to complete an OSHA Respirator Questionnaire. This questionnaire is reviewed by Occupational Health staff to provide medical clearance for the recommended respirator. It is of utmost importance for employees to complete the questionnaire with accurate and detailed information. Occupational Staff will review the completed questionnaire and may contact the employee if needed to obtain more information regarding their responses prior to medically clearing the employee for respirator use. Due to high demand for services related to respiratory protection, for groups of 10 individuals or more, please allow a minimum of 6 weeks to process your request.
NOTE: UArizona is currently transitioning from the “Medical Surveillance Program application” to the “RLSS User Dashboard” throughout the Spring of 2023. Check with your supervisor about what online form system to use to complete your OSHA Respirator form:
- Supervisors/Protocols enrolled into the RLSS User Dashboard guide their staff to complete OSHA Respirator forms by logging into the RLSS User Dashboard with their Net ID. If the OSHA Respirator form is not available on the User Dashboard to protocol staff, please contact RLSS at rlss-ppe@email.arizona.edu(link sends e-mail) to schedule an online “Orientation/Enrollment”.
- After signing in Click Form Requirements, select OSHA Respirator Questionnaire.
- Supervisors/Protocols not yet enrolled into the RLSS User Dashboard guide their staff to complete OSHA Respirator forms by logging into the online Medical Surveillance Program application.
- After signing in Click MyForms, select OSHA Respirator in the drop-down menu. Click Initiate Form, complete and Submit.
UNDER “FIT TESTING” at https://occhealth.arizona.edu/programs/respirator-protection-program:
Once an employee is medically cleared to wear a respirator, the employee will be registered into the Respiratory Protection Training on EDGE Learning. Individuals must be registered to find the course on EDGE Learning. If you do not see the course under My Learning, please contact RLSS for assistance. At the end of the training links are provided to schedule a fit test with RLSS or RMS.
Please note:
- Research employees cleared through Occupational Health will select the 1st link on the final slide, marked as for Researchers.
- Non-research employees and students cleared through Campus Health will select the 2nd link on the final slide, marked as for Non-Researchers.
A respirator fit test by a qualified professional is the only approved way of determining which model and size respirator fits you properly and offers you the appropriate level of protection. An employee should not use a respirator that they have not been medically cleared for, completed training for, and have conducted a successful fit test for.
The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to use your properly fitted respirator. Fit tests should be repeated annually to ensure proper fit of respirator. If you were previously fit tested to a model and size of N95 that you no longer have access to, please contact RLSS or RMS to schedule a re-fit test to a different model and size N95 that your department will have available to you in a sustainable supply.