I just got a letter from my LT. wanting to know if we are OSHA compliant with our gas masks and training. Reading this crap hearts my brain. I think my training program is with in the standards.

Any other Chem. Agent Inst. out there dealt with this? Any in put will help.

I saw something about this on Calibrepress or Policeone's discussion boards, where they were saying that the older style military M17 masks were not OSHA compliant...went to the link that was supplied, and couldn't decipher through the regulations anything to confirm that...if you find out info, let me know, as my mask is an M17...

I can tell you that the M17 is not OSHA compliant. So far the San Diego S.O. has provided me with the best info. That info. was very technical and is going to cost the department a lot of $$.

Anyone care to share what they are doing about this issue?

I too have a M17 and looking to find a M40 for a good price and in good condition. I have also heard that the M17 in NOT OSHA compliant. Oh well, I rather have a mask that I can change filters without a lot of BS in a SHTF situation.

Bump his tomorrow-I think I have the relevant info somewhere at work.

Basically, OSHA only regulates a couple of LE aspects, and they do not enforce either heavily. One is bloodborne pathogens; your agency has to provide safety training, gloves, masks, body suits and decon supplies, certain vaccinations, and minimum levels of treatment post-exposure (including expensive "Protease coctails").

The other one is HazMat. The requirement is that is your agency responds to any kind of HazMat incident, it has to provide masks, suits and training for first responders. The MSA masks work fine for this, and we just bought a bunch last year, pre 9-11 (someone was actually thinking ahead). M17s won't cut it, because they aren't rated for many industrial toxins, which is the reason LE is required to have this stuff. The nice side benefit (if you can call it that) is that a WMD incident is essentially a HazMat incident, so the same gear works for both.

These masks are far more useful for riot control, perimeter or dealing with someone who just got a liberal application of OC (you need a mask if you use pepperball on someone).

For LE go with the MSA Advantage 1000(What I used),MSA Millenium(MCU 2/P) , Scott M95, Scott M40 or the military versions of the previous if avialable new through the DOD.  

The M17 series is outdated and most filters are over 10+ years old. The M17 series is ok for Riot or entry use when using CS,CN or OC but for any of the WMD agents it's outdated.The M17 is not OSHA compliant according to OSHA and MSA.

The MSA Advantage 1000 and Millenium are great masks(comfort, visibility and shooting) and they're avialable commercially with a wide range of filters for different applications.

The masks are not the issue. We have great masks that are OSHA compliant. What I am asking about is this
[url]http://www.dir.ca.gov/Title8/5144b_1.html[/url]

This is the California law that mirrors the Fed. OSHA laws. They are, for the most part, the same. The issues are Fit test, User check Procedures and OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire. San Diego SO is using something called a Port-a-Tester to do the fit test ect. and then send their SWAT teams member to the county Doc. to get a full physical every year. That works for a larger agency but a smaller one like mine, with a regional team, does not have the $$ to go to this far. I was hopping that someone here would have a policy in place that addresses these issues at a level that my agency could work with.

I did a little research on OSHA's web site.  Their regulations apply only to private industry.  They do not apply to local government agencies.  The only way that you have regulations that apply to you is if your state passed their own OSHA type regulations.

(I am not an expert at OSHA but was wanting to find out how my department was in violation in not providing us with proper protective gear.  I was shocked when I got on the OSHA web site and discovered that the regulations don't apply.  I guess I shouldn't have been shocked.  The government is famous for applying rules to everyone but themselves.)

The M40 hasn't been released from defense stocks for dispersal to LE agencies as they have the M17.

You can buy them commercially, or similar masks, but they'll cost you. My advice would be to check the surplus stores..you never know when you might locate an M40 series mask that someone "liberated"

Another good mask is the 3M 6000DINN series. These masks use the standard NATO cannisters ala M40 and are very reasonably priced. They also have dual side bayonet adapters to accept standard industrial filters. We use them with a CS/CN cannister mounted on the masks with multigas cannisters available.