The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) updated its Respiratory Protection Standard by deleting several standards and changing some definitions, according to its Web site.
OSHA released a “questions and answers document” on its Web site (www.osha.gov) in early August explaining the standards and definitions. The two major warning properties — odor and irritation — are unreliable or otherwise inappropriate to use as indicators because air purifying materials are no longer providing adequate protection. Most toxic substances do not have appropriate sensory warning properties, according to the report.