Respirator Clearance for Employees

Respirator clearance is the official medical approval that confirms an employee can safely wear respiratory protection at work. A licensed healthcare professional (PLHCP) reviews the employee's medical history and determines if they are physically capable of wearing a respirator without health risks. This clearance is required by OSHA 1910.134 before employees can use tight-fitting respirators.

Employees get respirator clearance by completing an OSHA-approved medical questionnaire (Appendix C) which is reviewed by a PLHCP. This can be done at a clinic or online. RespiratorTest.com offers online clearance where employees complete the questionnaire in 15 minutes and 98% receive instant approval. The clearance certificate is available for immediate download.

Online respirator clearance at RespiratorTest.com costs $17-22 per employee depending on volume. Traditional clinic clearance costs $75-150 per employee. For a company with 100 employees, online clearance saves approximately $10,000+ annually compared to clinic visits.

Yes. OSHA allows the medical evaluation to be conducted using a questionnaire, which can be administered electronically. RespiratorTest.com uses the official OSHA Appendix C questionnaire and all evaluations are reviewed by a licensed PLHCP physician. Our clearance certificates have a 100% acceptance rate during OSHA audits.

OSHA does not specify an expiration period for respirator clearance. However, industry best practice and most compliance professionals recommend annual renewal. Re-evaluation is required if an employee reports symptoms, a physician recommends it, or workplace conditions change. RespiratorTest.com provides 12-month certificates with automated renewal reminders.

Yes. RespiratorTest.com offers bulk processing for employers. Create a company account, invite employees by email, and track completion through the employer dashboard. Volume discounts apply: $20/employee for 2-25 employees, $18 for 26-50, and $17 for 51+ employees. All certificates are stored in a centralized dashboard for easy compliance management.

Approximately 2% of employees are not immediately cleared due to medical conditions. In these cases, the PLHCP may: (1) clear with restrictions such as limited duration or specific respirator types, (2) request additional medical documentation, or (3) recommend alternatives like PAPRs. Employers receive only the clearance status, not specific medical details, due to HIPAA requirements.

For purely voluntary use of filtering facepiece respirators (N95s), OSHA does not require medical clearance. However, employers must provide Appendix D information to employees. If N95 use is mandatory (required by employer or for specific job tasks), medical clearance is required before use.