How does a Project Leader or supervisor determine if a respirator is necessary?
A. Assessment. Your Project Leader or supervisor must assess each potentially hazardous job in your work area to determine if there may be a need for a respirator. The Service may have conducted a program-specific assessment based on known work activities to identify hazards and establish general respirator protection guidance. These assessments often identify responsibilities that the Project Leader or supervisor must fulfill. For example, Wildlife Inspectors and Special Agents have to use respirators in some circumstances when inspecting shipments or handling wildlife (see 241 FW 9). B. Evaluation. If the Project Leader/supervisor finds a potential respiratory hazard and cannot eliminate it using engineering or administrative controls, including product substitution (i.e., replacement of a product or equipment that is less hazardous), he/she must evaluate the hazard. The evaluation tells your Project Leader/supervisor and your duty stations Respiratory Protection Program Administrato
