Protection from respiratory hazards starts with assessing the exposure and applying the hierarchy of controls. Employers should consider more effective controls before relying on respiratory protection.

• Choose an appropriate respirator for the worker, the task, and the circumstances
• Ensure workers receive fit testing before using a tight-fitting respirator, at least annually, and whenever changes could affect fit
• Ensure workers perform a user seal check before each use
• Prevent anything from interfering with the seal or proper functioning of a tight-fitting respirator
• Consult with respirator users before issuing a respirator and consider medical conditions or other limitations that may affect safe selection and use

In practice, this means that the employer must implement and enforce procedures that help maintain an effective respirator seal, ensuring that workers:

• Keep hair, jewellery, clothing, personal items, personal protective equipment, and anything else from interfering with the seal or proper functioning of the respirator. 
• Reassess the risk if there are significant weight changes, dental work, or facial injury, as a new fit test may be needed. 
• Wear and adjust the respirator in the same manner as during fit testing.
  Examples of appropriate procedures include:
  
  • User seal checks before each use. Workers using tight-fitting respirators must perform a positive- or negative-pressure user seal check before each use, as required by section 8.41 of the Regulation. 
  • Inspection procedures. Employers must have processes to ensure respirators are inspected before use. 
  • Supervision and monitoring. Supervisors must verify that workers are wearing respirators correctly, following established procedures, and maintaining seal conditions while performing their work. 
  • Maintaining fit-test conditions. Employers must ensure that the conditions that allowed the respirator to pass the fit test are maintained.