At its January 2006 meeting, the Board of Directors approved several resolutions amending the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. These approved amendments relate to the public hearing conducted in the fall of 2005.

Health employers requested that the Workers’ Compensation Board repeal the current 1993 CSA standard for respirators and replace it with the 2002 edition of that standard. Of particular interest is the 2002 edition’s adoption of biennial respirator fit testing.

The amendments include:

• References to the 1993 edition of the CSA Standard for the selection, use and care of respirators are repealed and replaced with references to the 2002 edition (with the exception of section 8.33 regarding respirator selection). >
• Part 8 requirements for annual fit testing revised to detail circumstances in which a fit test must be conducted prior to the one year anniversary of the last fit test.
• Table 8-1 (Respirator Protection Factors) is revised to include an additional type of respirator and to define air purifying respirators as non-powered.
• Requirements added to Part 8 regarding records, maintenance, inspection, and compressed breathing air storage limitations for self-contained breathing apparatus and related air cylinders.
• Requirements added to Part 31 for annual fit testing and circumstances in which a fit test must be conducted prior to the one year anniversary of the last fit test.

The amendments came into effect on May 17, 2006.