Why conduct an audit of your program?
To ensure that the Respiratory Protection Program does not lose its effectiveness over time, the program should be audited at least annually. The audit will help ensure that key program elements are in place and operating so that the goal of chemical injury and illness prevention is realized. Essentially, an audit consists of a review of your current program operation and compares what you have to what you should have. Conducting this audit helps you meet the requirements for the "Program Evaluation" specified in the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard.

How to conduct an audit of your program
Use the following checklist to review your Respiratory Protection Program as it currently operates, not as you think it should be operating or as it was originally intended to operate. Review the pertinent records (e.g., written Respiratory Protection Program, fit test records, training records, etc.) to help you determine the status of the key program elements in the checklist. At certain points in the audit, you will need to visit the work areas where respirators are worn or are supposed to be worn to check on how they are being used and maintained by the employees. After completing the checklist, determine which program elements need improvement (i.e., where there are "No" answers) and complete the Necessary Action section found at the end of the checklist.

Respiratory Protection Program audit booklet

Please note: The audit procedures in this checklist address the program requirements in OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134) and ANSI's Practices for Respiratory Protection. OSHA's chemical substance-specific standards (29 CFR 1910.1001 through 1910.1101) included additional program requirements which, while footnoted in this checklist, are not specified since they vary for each substance. If you are providing respirators for protection from chemicals with OSHA substance-specific standards, be sure to refer to the paragraphs on respiratory protection in these standards when conducting your audit.

This checklist is informational only and was compiled from sources believed to be reliable. Zurich Services Corporation - Risk Engineering makes no guarantee of results and assumes no liability in connection with the information, methods or safety suggestions contained herein. Moreover, it cannot be assumed that every acceptable safety or compliance procedure is contained herein. Individual circumstances may warrant or require additional procedures.