Occupational Safety Testing Services

Huntington Beach, California, September 3, 2024

Each year, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) promotes Respiratory Protection Week. It’s a time for the agency to highlight the vital role that respiratory protection plays for millions of workers in California and across the rest of the United States. For 2024, the weekly observance takes place from September 3^rd through the 6^th.

During Respiratory Protection Week, NIOSH shares its findings and educational tools to promote proper respiratory protection practices to prevent injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the workplace. In California, Cal/OSHA’s respiratory protection standard provides minimum steps employers must take to ensure safe and effective use of respirators by their workers.

Workers from a wide range of industries are required to wear respirators to protect themselves from airborne hazards they may encounter on the job. Cal/OSHA’s regulation for worker use of respirators can be found in title 8 of the California Code of Regulations (T8CCR), section 5144 and its appendices. Section 5144 applies to all workplace respirator use, but there are also substance-specific standards. These include additional respiratory protection requirements for lead, asbestos, and various other substances.

“Nationwide, respiratory protection is one of OSHA’s 10 most frequently cited safety and health violations most years,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager at LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “For 2023, it was the seventh most frequently cited standard, the third most in 2022, second most in 2021, and it was ranked third in 2020.”

For businesses and institutions in California, LA Testing provides laboratory testing services, sampling supplies, air monitoring instruments, and respiratory protection products to help them comply with Cal/OSHA standards. They offer respirators, filters, and fit testing supplies. LA Testing also carries gloves, protective suits, containment equipment, air scrubbers, and other tools to safeguard workers. Several years back, they even sponsored an educational video about Respiratory Protection Week that can still be seen at: https://youtu.be/S2bve-BXW78

To learn more about industrial hygiene and air quality testing resources, or for access to respiratory protection equipment and supplies, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com, or call (800) 755-1794.

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for environmental and indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, bacteria, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro and San Diego.