If you think you require a filtering facepiece respirator or some form of respiratory protection for your work, you must first contact EHS. EHS will help you determine if a respirator is required, what size and type would protect you best, and what type of filters/cartridges you should use.

 Steps to Secure a Respirator  

1. Register for the Respiratory Program – Fill out the MIT Respirator Program Registration Form
2. Fill out an Exposure Evaluation Form – A link to the Exposure Evaluation Form will be sent to you via email once you have completed Step 1. above.  The purpose of this form serves as a Hazard Assessment and helps to determine your need for respiratory protection.
3. Complete a Medical Clearance – Request respirator medical clearance by contacting Occupational Health @ MIT Medical through HealtheLife or by calling 617-253-8552. (MIT Medical uses HealtheLife to securely transmit personal medical information because regular email is not secure. HealtheLife is a no-cost service available to anyone in the MIT community even if they are not a patient at MIT Medical. If you do not have an account already, you can register for HealtheLife when you call and state you need Occupational Health services.)  Once contacted, Occupational Health will send a OSHA approved questionnaire for you to fill out and submit through HealtheLife. The OSHA questionnaire is used to determine if an in-person evaluation is required to clear you for respiratory protection; if so, you will be asked to make an appointment with Occupational Health. However, for many people, the questionnaire will be all that is needed; if so, you will be told that an appointment is not necessary. If you would prefer to go ahead and make an in-person appointment without filling out the questionnaire, please indicate this when you contact Occupational Health. (For example, anyone who uses a self-contained breathing apparatus must have an in-person evaluation.)
4. Complete a Respirator Fit Test – Schedule a Fit Test.  Industrial Hygiene conducts quantitative respirator fit tests at the EHS Office.  The appointment will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Additional Information  

Facial Hair 
Respirators and beards don’t mix. Facial hair prevents a good seal between the respirator and your face, allowing chemicals to get in.

Comfort (Voluntary) Mask and Respirator Use  
If there is no health concern associated with your work, but you wish to wear a disposable dust mask to protect yourself from nuisance dust you can fill out a voluntary use form.

If you wish to wear a reusable respirator to protect yourself from nuisance odors, please contact Occupational Medicine for a Medical Clearance and then get a respirator fit test at EHS.

Legal Requirements  
MIT Respiratory Protection Program has to abide by OSHA regulation 1910.134.

If you are required to use a respirator as protection against a hazardous material, then you must comply with all components of this law. Complete details are available at MIT’s Respiratory Protection Program.