Final answer:
Employers must have a written respiratory protection program, which includes medical evaluations, fit testing, and training per OSHA standards. This program ensures proper use and maintenance of respirators in the workplace.
Step-by-step explanation:
Each employer who requires, supplies, or allows the use of respirators in any form on the premises must have a written respiratory protection program as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This program should include specific procedures tailored to the workplace to prevent inhalation of harmful contaminants. It is a critical component of worker safety when hazardous conditions cannot be completely controlled through other means.
OSHA regulations require a comprehensive program that includes medical evaluations, fit testing, and training on the proper use, maintenance, and limitations of respirators. Providing respirators is not enough; employers must ensure that their use does not in itself pose a hazard, so a meticulous approach adhering to OSHA standards is essential.
While a safety manual and a training program are parts of the comprehensive approach, and a medical examination may be needed to determine a worker's ability to use a respirator, the specific written policy that OSHA requires is indeed a comprehensive respiratory protection program.