Most standards are voluntary, meaning there are no laws requiring their application. Despite that, adherence to standards is beneficial to companies because it shows products have been independently tested to meet certain standards. These standards are trade-specific and are frequently self-imposed by industry-related societies or committees. Some, however, are mandatory. With that said, it is often difficult to discern which ones require compliance.

Laws and regulations in most municipalities, provinces and states in North America require certain products to be tested to a specific standard or group of standards by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). The law of the jurisdiction often requires it, or the customer specifies it.  

Respiratory protection
An estimated five million workers are required to wear respirators in 1.3 million workplaces throughout North America. Respirators protect workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapours and sprays. These hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, other diseases or even death.

Respirators are necessary for protection from airborne hazards and biological contaminants. They are also required in atmospheres that are oxygen-deficient or that could possibly pose that risk.

Generally, if respiratory protective equipment is used: 
•    Employers are required to provide the appropriate equipment.
•    Employers must ensure that it is properly fitted to the 
individual worker.
•    Employers are required to ensure that workers using respiratory protective equipment are adequately trained.
•    Employers must maintain and store equipment properly. 

CSA Standard Z94.4 - Selection, Use and Care of Respirators
Although most jurisdictional legislation across Canada has yet to adopt the latest CSA 2011 revision of the CSA Z94.4 standard, they all reference the standard as a whole. Using the latest standard as a basis for developing and maintaining a respirator program is the simplest way to ensure you are complying with the law.

CSA Z94.4 was designed to establish requirements for the selection, use and care of respirators. Furthermore, it identified the need for an effective respiratory protection program and the importance of its administration in the workplace. Its objective was to protect respirator users from any known respiratory hazards.

CSAZ94.4-11 was updated in 2011 and the scope was expanded to include protection against bio-aerosols when selecting a respirator. In addition, fit testing protocols were updated, respirator interference concerns were addressed and training requirements were added and updated in this version of the standard.

The respirator selection process used in CSA Z94.4-11 is based on NIOSH criteria for the testing and certification of respirators. 

CSA Z94.4-11 requires a written respiratory protection program to be in place where respiratory protection is used to protect workers from inhaling hazardous atmospheres.

The basic elements of a respiratory protection program are:
•    hazard identification
•    exposure assessment
•    education of employees on airborne hazards in the workplace;
•    selection of appropriate respirators;
•    provision of respirator fit testing;
•    provision of training in the proper use of respiratory protection;
•    provision of appropriate procedures for cleaning, inspecting and storing respirators;
•    provision of medical surveillance for workers using 
respiratory protection;
•    provision for evaluating the effectiveness of this program;
•    maintenance of training, fit testing and medical 
surveillance records;
•    control and monitoring of external contractors performing work in environments that require the use of respiratory protection.
Employers must choose respirators based on the selection criteria:
•    Respiratory protective equipment must be properly fitted to the wearer’s face.
•    Employers must comply with standard when fit testing respiratory protective equipment.
•    Employers must use the assigned protection factors (APFs) specified in that standard.
•    Employers must develop a written code of practice 
governing the selection, maintenance and use of respiratory protective equipment.
For more information about CSA Group visit www.csagroup.org.

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