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11. Repairs. The company shall ensure that respirators that fail an inspection or are otherwise found to be defective are removed from service,and are discarded or repaired or adjusted in accordance with the following procedures: • Repairs or adjustments to respirators are to be made only by persons appropriately trained to perform such operations and shall use only the respirator manufacturer's NIOSH-approved parts designed for the respirator; • Repairs shall be made according to the manufacturer's recommendations and specifications for the type and extent of repairs to be performed; and • Reducing and admission valves, regulators, and alarms shall be adjusted or repaired only by the manufacturer or a technician trained by the manufacturer. Training 1. The company shall ensure that each employee required to use a respirator can demonstrate knowledge of at least the following: • Why the respirator is necessary and how improper fit, usage, or maintenance can compromise the protective effect of the respirator; • What the limitations and capabilities of the respirator are; • How to use the respirator effectively in emergency situations, including situations in which the respirator malfunctions; • How to inspect, put on and remove, use, and check the seals of the respirator; • What the procedures are for maintenance and storage of the respirator; • How to recognize medical signs and symptoms that may limit or prevent the effective use of respirators; and 2. The training shall be conducted in a manner that is understandable to the employee. 3. The training shall be provided prior to requiring the employee to use a respirator in the workplace. 4. Retraining shall be administered annually,and when the following situations occur: • Changes in the workplace or the type of respirator render previous training obsolete; • Inadequacies in the employee's knowledge or use of the respirator indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill; or • Any other situation arises in which retraining appears necessary to ensure safe respirator use. Program Evaluation 1. The safety program administrator shall conduct evaluations of the workplace as necessary to ensure that the provisions of the current written program are being effectively implemented and that it continues to be effective. 2. The safety program administrator shall regularly consult employees required to use respirators to assess the employees' views on program effectiveness and to identify any problems. Any problems that are identified during this assessment shall be corrected. Factors to be assessed include, but are not limited to: • Respirator fit(including the ability to use the respirator without interfering with effective workplace performance); • Appropriate respirator selection for the hazards to which the employee is exposed; • Proper respirator use under the workplace conditions the employee encounters;and 71