Respiratory Protection Program
The University of Arizona (UA) Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) is a joint effort by Research Laboratory & Safety Services (RLSS), Risk Management Services (RMS), and Occupational Health (OH). RLSS provides hazard assessments and respirator fit testing to the University of Arizona research community. All UA employees must be evaluated, cleared, trained, and fit tested to obtain respirators at the University of Arizona, as mandated by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).
Review the required compliance actions for using respiratory protection below:
To determine respiratory protection needs, RLSS or RMS must provide a documented hazard assessment.
- To begin the process, check if you are already enrolled by navigating to the User Dashboard. If you are not, please contact us at RLSS-ppe@arizona.edu (researcher) or risk@arizona.edu (non-research) for an assessment or assistance.
Once determined that a respirator is needed, all workers using one must be evaluated and medically cleared to use respiratory protection. Complete and submit the OSHA Respirator form via the User Dashboard. If the form is not available on the User Dashboard, please contact RLSS at rlss-ppe@email.arizona.edu. For questions about the actual medical clearance form should be sent to occhealth-support@email.arizona.edu.
Medical clearances are only required every 3 years, unless more frequent clearances are determined to be required by a healthcare professional.
Once medically cleared, all workers must be trained and fit tested annually.
- After receiving confirmation of medical clearance, complete the online training.
- You will be enrolled in the Respiratory Protection Training Course on EDGE Learning--contact rlss-help@arizona.edu if you do not see this under "My Learning" or experience any issues.
- At the end of the training are scheduling links to schedule a fit test with RLSS (researchers) or RMS (non-researchers).
- Research employees cleared through Occupational Health will select the 1st link on the final slide, marked as for Researchers.
- Non-research employees and students cleared through Campus Health will select the 2nd link on the final slide, marked as for Non-Researchers.
- Individuals who work at a UA site off main campus, such as College of Medicine – Phoenix, will need to reach out to schedule.
Researchers will contact rlss-ppe@arizona.edu. Non-researchers will contact risk@arizona.edu.
The only exception to these steps is when a respirator, N95 style only, is used voluntarily. Voluntary use requires that the hazards have been evaluated and there is nothing requiring the use of respiratory protection, it is only being used as a precaution. The voluntary use form (linked below) and conditions described within must be met and submitted to rlss-ppe@arizona.edu to be compliant.
Respiratory Protection Resources