A person who is required to wear a respirator should be evaluated periodically for medical fitness, depending on the nature of the work to be done and the person's physical capacity.
Parameters:
(1) person's age
(2) level of exertion (strenuous vs not strenuous)
(3) weight of the respirator
where:
• Some respirators are heavy, such as the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
Age of the Person
Strenuous Working Conditions with Heavy Respirator
All Others
< 35 years of age
every 3 years
every 5 years
35 – 45 years of age
every 18 months (1.5 years)
every 2 years
> 45 years of age
every year (annually)
every 1-2 years
These parameters can be adjusted based on the person's condition and the nature of the work:
(1) more frequent: more strenuous tasks, more cumbersome equipment, multiple comorbid conditions
(2) less frequent: simple tasks, simple respirator, robust worker with no comorbid conditions
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