Proper use of a respirator is not as simple as throwing a mask at someone and telling them to use it. A respirator can be an expensive piece of equipment and needs to be looked after to provide both value for money and, more importantly, proper protection to safeguard the health of your worker.
If you issue respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to your staff, it is best practice and a requirement of AS/NZS 1715:2009 to have a documented respiratory protection programme to ensure consistency, communicate and record expectations, and to provide guidance. Such a programme would typically include:
- Appointment of a programme administrator
- Appropriate selection of RPE based on the nature of your health risks
- Health screening of users of RPE to ensure suitability
- Training
- Issue of RPE
- Fitting of equipment (including appropriate fit testing)
- Conditions on when and where wearing of RPE is required
- Maintenance of RPE (including filter replacement schedule)
- Disposal of contaminanted equipment
- Record keeping
- Program evaluation
Working for Health can help you develop your documented programme specific to your business.
Testimonials
"Working for Health was engaged by B.E.C.A. consultants on the DC6 site at Fonterra Whareroa in Hawera, to provide a site occupational health nurse for the project. The nurse visited the site twice a month, engaging our work crew in a number of health issues. Our work crew was made up of mainly middle aged men, most were smokers. The nurse was very successful, having 3 of the 11 smokers give up smoking and a further 2 have cut back. The professionalism of the nurse throughout the project has been outstanding and I would not hesitate in recommending Working for Health to any company for health service."
Bruce Watson
Contract Site Supervisor and HSE Rep at Fulton Hogan
"MODEC Management Services New Zealand (Operators of the Maari Oil Field) have used Working for Health, for over 2 years, and have always found the team to be very professional in their approach to Occupational Health. MODEC use Working for Health for the following: Annual Health Assessments, Pre and Post employment Medicals, Noise Mapping and Specific Atmosphere Monitoring. MODEC has always found the team to be very prompt in their response. Furthermore, they have also been flexible with the challenges of working offshore."
Morgan Davies
HSSEQ and Training Coordinator, HSSEQ at MODEC Management Services (NZ) Pte Ltd