The inhalation of respirable dusts, toxic gases, vapors, fumes, mists, radioactive air contaminants, and oxygen deficiency are hazards associated with Respiratory Protection. Respirators are used when engineering controls are not feasible or applicable. The use of personal protective equipment in no way diminishes the Laboratory’s responsibility to minimize all air contaminants by the use of accepted engineering controls. Since respirators may subject the user to additional stress and increase risk of injury by interference with vision, freedom of movement, comfort, and ability to communicate, they are considered the least desirable alternative for providing respiratory protection.

The Respiratory Protection Program is designed to determine the need for respirators based upon the operation and materials used, select and provide the appropriate respirator for the task, and determine training and instruction in the proper use of respirators and their limitations. It will also regulate the use and locations of the selected respirators, require necessary maintenance of reusable respirators, determine respirator inspection schedules and procedures, and require medical clearance for respirator use. . 

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Last Modified: March 16, 2012
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DOE, Office of Science One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.

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