Training

Required for those who supervise or work on projects involving renovation, repair, or painting in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities and schools in which greater than six square feet of tested lead based paint (LBP) is disturbed.

Renovation, Repair and Painting Firms must be certified for work in Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and must use trained RRP renovators according to the rule in 40CFR745 Subpart E.:

• To plan the project
• To supervise lead-safe trained workers
• To ensure proper set-up of dust control
• To ensure the continuing use of lead-safe work practices
• To verify clean-up
• To implement and document cleaning verification

OHA and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) each have jurisdiction in Oregon State to require this training and subsequently are expected to enforce on behalf of the public, the requirements of this training.

Refresher training is required every five (5) years and consists of a 4-hour refresher training program.

Required for those who supervise or work on projects involving renovation, repair, or painting of in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities and schools in which greater than six square feet of tested lead based paint (LBP) is disturbed.

Renovation, Repair and Painting Firms must be certified for work in Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and must use trained RRP renovators according to the rule in 40CFR745 Subpart E.:

• To plan the project
• To supervise lead-safe trained workers
• To ensure proper set-up of dust control
• To ensure the continuing use of lead-safe work practices
• To verify clean-up
• To implement and document cleaning verification

OHA and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) each have jurisdiction in Oregon State to require this training and subsequently are expected to enforce on behalf of the public, the requirements of this training.

Refresher training is required every five (5) years and consists of a 4-hour refresher training program.

Lead abatement is a Lead-Based Paint Activity which is designed to permanently remove the hazards of lead-based paint in residential properties and child-occupied facilities (i.e., daycare and kindergartens) built prior to 1978. Lead Supervisors are also required to supervise “interim controls”; Interim Controls are defined as controlling LBP hazards without complete removal of the paint; Interim controls must be performed in HUD housing and public housing (i.e., Section 8 housing).

Lead Abatement Workers perform lead abatement in residential properties and child-occupied facilities (i.e., daycare and kindergartens) built prior to 1978. Lead Abatement workers also implement “interim controls” to control LBP hazards without elimination of lead-based paint in HUD housing and public housing (i.e., Section 8 housing). Workers who disturb lead-based Paint in renovation, repair and painting in non-HUD housing are not required to become Lead Abatement Workers (see section on RRP.)

At ETTNW, we offer a 2-hour General Industry Lead Awareness Class that follows OSHA Topics for all workers who may encounter a lead hazard in the workplace. This includes individuals who are required to work around lead or lead-containing materials but who do not perform lead-based abatement work. Our course will cover the following topics:

• Knowledge such as practices of identifying lead
• Health outcomes linked with lead exposure
• How to minimize contact
• Warning signs
• Job site markers

Each employee covered by the general industry rule must be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of at least the following:

• The health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica;
• Specific tasks in the workplace that could result in exposure to respirable crystalline silica;
• Specific measures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to respirable crystalline silica, including engineering controls, work practices, and respirators to be used;
• The contents of this rule; and
• The purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program.

This training must be specific for the workplace and task that each employee performs. According to OSHA, in general industry and maritime workplaces, training subjects would commonly include:

• Signs that the controls may not be working effectively (e.g., visible dust emissions)
• Work practices needed for the controls to function effectively (e.g., not opening windows near local exhaust sources, positioning the local exhaust hood directly over the exposure source)

Workers should know that when silica dust builds up in their lungs, they are at risk of developing serious lung diseases, including silicosis, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. All of these health issues are preventable.

The key to preventing health problems is to stop the dust from traveling through the air, where they can breathe it in. Wet cutting is the most effective method for controlling silica dust generated during sawing and drilling because it controls the exposure at its source. Dust that is wet is less able to become or remain airborne.

When Should You Train?

Workers must be trained at the time they are assigned to a position involving exposure to respirable crystalline silica. While there is no annual refresher training requirement, additional training must be provided as often as necessary to ensure that workers know and understand respirable crystalline silica hazards and the protections available in their workplace.

Examples of when additional training would be required include:

• When the employer asks an employee to perform a task that is new to that employee;
• When the employer introduces new protections; and
• When a worker is working in a manner that suggests he or she has forgotten what was learned in training.

Tips for Workers
Your workers should:

• Be aware of the operations and jobs that create crystalline silica exposures.
• Use engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation and blasting cabinets.
• Wear an N95 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-certified respirator or a Type CE abrasive-blast supplied-air respirator for abrasive blasting. Employers may provide respirators at the request of employees or let employees use their own respirators when respirators are not required under the silica standard.
• Use available work practices such as water sprays to control dust exposures.
• Vacuum the dust from work clothes when finished working in operations where silica dust is produced.
• Remove work clothes and wash or shower before putting on street clothes.
• Participate in training, exposure monitoring, and health screening and surveillance programs to monitor any adverse health effects caused by crystalline silica exposures.
• Not smoke, since smoking adds to the lung damage caused by silica exposures.
• Not eat, drink, or apply cosmetics in areas where silica dust is present, and should wash their hands and faces outside of dusty areas before eating, drinking, or applying cosmetics.

A copy of the respirable crystalline silica rule must be readily available to each employee.

This will satisfy the OSHA training requirements for any employee who is required to wear a respirator in the workplace. OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard 29CFR1910.134.

Workplace hazards may include incidental asbestos exposure, industrial chemical vapors, toxic dusts, mold and other microorganisms.
This training will provide basic information on the use and care of respirators so employees will know when to wear respiratory protection.

The regulations require that the employer shall ensure each employee can demonstrate knowledge of the following:

• Why and when respirator use is required.
• Proper fit, usage and maintenance.
• Capabilities and limitations of the respirator.
• How to use the respirator effectively in emergency situations, including malfunctions.
• How to inspect, fit check, don, doff and properly use the respirator.
• Maintenance and proper storage of the respirator.
• Limitations on the effective use of respirators.

Respiratory protection training and fit testing is required prior to an employee wearing a respirator in the workplace.
OSHA requires that annual respiratory protection training and refreshers be provided to employees covered by the Respiratory Protection Standard.

Qualitative respirator fit testing is available during class for employees who:

• Provide their own respiratory protection equipment at time of class,
• Are clean shaven and
• Have a completed OSHA Respiratory Protection Medical Evaluation Questionnaire which has been reviewed and approved by a Licensed Health Care Professional.