Policy Text
Policy
705San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentRespiratory Protection Program - 1Respiratory Protection Program
705.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The San Luis Obispo Police Department is committed to preventing injury and illness in the
workplace and makes every effort to protect our employees from harmful airborne substances. The
Department has determined that employees may be exposed to certain airborne hazards including
riot control agents and other hazardous substances during routine and emergency situations.
The purpose of this program is to ensure that police employees are protected from exposure to
respiratory hazards. This general order establishes a respiratory protection program for police
personnel. This program will comply with the California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 5144,
Respiratory Protection.
707.1.1 APPLICATION
This program applies to all police personnel who are required to wear respirators during normal
work operations and during emergency situations. Participation in this program is mandatory for
all reserve officers, officers, sergeants, and lieutenants. Employees participating in the respiratory
protection program do so at no cost. The expense associated with the training, medical evaluations
and respiratory protection equipment will be borne by the City of San Luis Obispo.
707.1.2 POLICY
Employees will use their respirators under conditions specified by this policy, and in accordance
with the training they receive on the use of each model. In addition, the respirator shall not be
used in a manner for which it is not certified by the NIOSH or by its manufacturer.
705.2 RESPONSIBILITIES
(a) Program Administrator: The Program Administrator is responsible for administering the
respiratory protection program. The Admin Sergeant is the Program Administrator for the City of
San Luis Obispo. Duties of the Program Administrator include:
(a) Evaluate respiratory hazards;
(b) Arrange for annual qualitative fit testing using an accepted OSHA protocol;
(c) Administer the medical surveillance program;
(d) Maintain records required by the program;
(e) Evaluate the program;
(f) Update the written program, as needed
(b) Police Department Coordinator: The Operations Division Commander will assign one member
of the Department to act as the Police Department's respiratory protection program coordinator.
Duties of the Program Coordinator include:
(a) Purchase, maintain and inventory of respirators and filter canisters;
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Respiratory Protection Program
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentRespiratory Protection Program - 2(b) Coordinate with the Program Administrator on how to address respiratory hazards or
other concerns regarding the program;
(c) Ensure employees attend the required training;
(d) Identify work areas and tasks that require workers to wear respirators;
(e) Select proper respiratory protection based on specific or identified hazard;
(f) Ensure that employees under their supervision (including new hires) have received
the appropriate training, and fit testing;
(g) Ensure the availability of appropriate respirators and accessories;
(h) Awareness of tasks requiring the use of respiratory protection;
(i) Enforce the proper use of respiratory protection when necessary;
(j) Continually monitor work areas to identify respiratory hazards;
(k) Ensure annual medical exams for the following classifications of employees:
(a) Employee is a member of an emergency response team (i.e. Clan Lab clean up)
(b) Exposure level in excess of the Permissible Exposure Limit
(c) Employee wears the mask on more than two occasions/events in a year
(c) Employees: It is the responsibility of the employee to have an awareness of the respiratory
protection requirements for his or her work areas in accordance with the City's respiratory
protection program. Employees are responsible for wearing the appropriate respiratory equipment
according to instructions. Employees are also responsible to observe all factors and conditions
required to demonstrate a good respirator fit and adequate face seal. Employees must also:
(a) Care for and maintain respiratory protection equipment as instructed, and store it in
a clean and sanitary location;
(b) Inform their supervisors if the respirator no longer fits and to request a new one that
fits properly. A fit check and fit test shall be performed with the issuing of a new mask;
(c) Inform their supervisor of the Program Administrator of any respiratory hazards that
they feel are not adequately addressed in the workplace and of any concerns that they
have regarding the program.
705.3 WORKPLACE EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT
The type of airborne hazards presented to police personnel occurs in situations where engineering
controls are not feasible or adequate. Control of airborne hazards through employee's use of
respirators will provide emergency protection against occasional and relatively brief exposures.
The results of the current hazard evaluation have identified the following potential exposure risks:
(a)
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Respiratory Protection Program
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentRespiratory Protection Program - 3.
(b)
(c) Potential risk of exposure to tuberculosis (TB) or other Airborne Transmitted Diseases
(ATD's), while interacting with individuals likely to be infected. The use of a one half
face respirator has been shown to be effective in protecting the wearer from TB.
705.4 RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT, USE AND SELECTION
There are two different pieces of equipment that fall under the category of respirators that San
Luis Obispo Police Department field employees shall be