ABSTRACT
The enactment of the Occupational Safety Health Act in 1970 has had a significant impact on respiratory protection. Congress, in creating OSHA to enforce regulations on safety and health, also created NIOSH. One of its functions is to test and certify respirators. An existing consensus standard for respiratory protection, ANSI Z88.2-1969, was adopted and enforced by OSHA as its standard on respiratory protection. OSHA also mandated the use of MSHA/NIOSH approved respirators. There had been significant developments in respiratory protection in the past two decades. Details of some of these developments will be addressed in subsequent chapters. A brief review of major developments follow.
