Environmental Health & Safety

Respiratory Protection

EH&S evaluates workplaces for possible airborne hazards and recommends ways to reduce these hazards when found. When appropriate, EH&S will fit campus workers with respirators and provide annual training on their proper use. EH&S evaluates a person's ability to safely wear a respirator prior to a respirator being issued in accordance with Cal/OSHA regulation 8 CCR 5144.

Reference the table below to determine whether to submit a Voluntary Use or Mandatory Use respirator request.

For more information contact ehsih@ucr.edu. 

Required/Mandatory Use

  • Healthcare Provides 
  • Welders 
  • Police Officers 
  • Pesticide Applicators 
  • Animal Care Handlers 
  • Steam Plant Operators 
  • Painters 
  • Carpenters

Wood Workers require annual training, annual fit testing, and a medical evaluation before fit testing. 

Request For Mandatory Use

Voluntary Use (Dusk Masks)

  • Wildfire events 
  • Non-hazardous dusty events 
  • Odors within non-hazardous work environments 
  • COVID

Request For Voluntary Use

Respiratory Protection Resources