Respiratory protection at work: the duties

Engineering and organisation first

Under the German Hazardous Substances Ordinance, substitution, technical and organisational measures take priority, for example closed systems, extraction and ventilation. Personal protective equipment comes only when these measures are not enough. Burdensome protective equipment such as respiratory protection must not be a permanent measure.

Risk assessment and selection

The employer determines which hazardous substances occur in which concentration and selects the respirator accordingly: the device by protection level, the filter type by substance, the filter class by concentration. The limit values are in TRGS 900, the limits of use of the devices in DGUV Rule 112-190. The respirator finder shows the procedure for the AirGuard Pro range.

Under the PPE Use Ordinance, protective equipment must suit the employees and be kept in proper condition; in principle it is intended for use by one person. The employer bears the costs.

Instruction with exercises

Anyone working with hazardous substances is instructed before starting the work and at least annually afterwards (Hazardous Substances Ordinance). For respiratory protection this includes practical exercises: putting on, checking the face seal, changing filters, behaviour on odour or breathlessness.

Limit the wearing time

Respiratory protection is a burden: breathing resistance rises, it gets warm under the mask, the weight presses. DGUV Rule 112-190 therefore sets wearing-time limits and recovery times per device type. They are set in the risk assessment and recorded in the operating instructions.

Occupational health surveillance

For work with respiratory protection, the ArbMedVV (annex part 4) regulates mandatory and offered surveillance. Which applies depends on the device group under AMR 14.2, which is based on the weight and breathing resistance of the device: for devices of groups 2 and 3 mandatory surveillance is required, for group 1 offered surveillance. AMR 14.2 was republished in GMBl No. 20/2026; the occupational physician clarifies the classification of your devices.

Inspect, care, store

Clean and disinfect masks after every use, check them for damage before every use and inspect masks kept ready regularly; the instructions for use of the AirGuard Pro masks state at least once a month. Store dry, dust-free and so that the mask does not deform.

Checklist for employers

1. Determine hazardous substances and concentrations, use limit values under TRGS 900.
2. Exhaust substitution, technical and organisational measures.
3. Ensure the oxygen content; otherwise no filtering respirator.
4. Choose the mask by protection level, the filter by substance and concentration.
5. Wearing trial with samples, check face seal and tolerance.
6. Set a change schedule for gas filters, wearing times and recovery times.
7. Instruct with exercises, before starting and at least annually.
8. Arrange or offer occupational health surveillance.
9. Organise cleaning, inspection and storage of the masks.