Respirators are used in many Canadian workplaces to protect employees from airborne hazards such as silica dust, welding fumes, chemical vapours, smoke, infectious particles and other contaminants that can damage the lungs. However, simply providing workers with an N95, half-face respirator or full-face respirator does not guarantee that they are protected.
A respirator must fit the individual worker’s face properly. Even a small gap around the nose, cheeks, chin or jaw can allow contaminated air to bypass the filter and enter the respirator. This is why professional fit testing is such an important part of any workplace respiratory-protection program.
Employers in Calgary and surrounding areas can arrange on-site respirator mask fit testing through Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing. Mobile testing allows businesses to have multiple workers tested at their own workplace, reducing travel, scheduling disruptions and time away from regular duties.
Tight-fitting respirators are designed to form a seal against the wearer’s face. When the seal is effective, inhaled air is directed through the respirator’s filter or cartridge before it reaches the worker.
When the respirator does not fit properly, air can travel around the edges instead. The worker may still feel as though the mask is secure, but contaminants can enter through gaps that are too small to notice.
Tightening the straps does not always solve the problem. A respirator may be the wrong size, shape, model or style for that person’s facial structure. Pulling the straps too tightly may also make the respirator uncomfortable without creating a better seal.
Mask fit testing determines whether a specific respirator can provide an acceptable fit for an individual worker before that respirator is used in a hazardous environment.
People have different facial shapes, nose sizes, jawlines, cheekbones and chin structures. These differences affect how a respirator sits against the skin.
A respirator that fits one employee well may provide inadequate protection for another employee. Even two respirators marked as the same size can fit differently when they are made by different manufacturers or belong to different product lines.
Fit testing applies to the exact make, model, style and size worn during the test. Passing a fit test with one medium half-face respirator does not automatically mean that the employee can safely switch to another medium model.
Some workers may need to try several respirators before an acceptable fit is found. This is a normal part of the process. The goal is not to force every worker into the same equipment. It is to identify the respirator that provides each person with a reliable seal.
Fit testing is generally required for respirators that depend on a tight facial seal.
These may include disposable N95 respirators, reusable half-face respirators, full-face respirators and certain self-contained breathing apparatus facepieces. The specific requirements depend on the equipment, workplace hazard and applicable occupational health and safety rules.
A surgical or procedure mask is not the same as a respirator. These masks may be useful for controlling droplets or protecting against splashes, but they are not designed to create the tight facial seal expected from an N95 or reusable respirator.
It is also important to understand that passing a fit test does not mean a respirator is appropriate for every hazard. The employer must first identify the substances workers may be exposed to and select filters, cartridges and respirators designed for those hazards.
For example, a particulate filter intended for dust may not provide protection from chemical vapours. Fit testing confirms the seal, but proper hazard assessment determines which respirator and filter combination should be used.
Qualitative fit testing uses a test substance that the wearer can taste or smell.
During the test, the worker puts on the respirator and a testing hood. A test agent is introduced while the worker completes a series of movements and exercises, such as breathing normally, breathing deeply, turning the head, moving it up and down, bending and speaking.
If the worker detects the test substance, it indicates that air is leaking into the respirator. The mask may need to be adjusted, or the worker may need to try a different size or model.
Qualitative testing can be an effective and practical method for certain types of respirators. However, it depends partly on the worker’s ability to detect the test agent and is not appropriate for every respirator or protection level.
Quantitative fit testing uses specialized equipment to measure how much air is leaking into the respirator.
Instead of relying on taste or smell, the equipment produces an objective numerical result known as a fit factor. The worker completes a series of movements while the machine evaluates the seal.
Quantitative testing can be used for a wider range of respirators and may be required when a higher level of respiratory protection is needed. It is commonly used for reusable half-face and full-face respirators.
The appropriate method depends on the respirator, the workplace hazard and the requirements of the employer’s respiratory-protection program.
Facial hair is one of the most common reasons a worker cannot achieve a proper respirator fit.
Beards, stubble, long sideburns and other hair that crosses the sealing area can create small gaps between the respirator and the skin. Even short stubble may interfere with the seal.
Workers should arrive for fit testing clean shaven anywhere the respirator touches the face. They must also remain clean shaven in that area when using the respirator at work.
A worker who passes a fit test while clean shaven cannot assume that the respirator will provide the same protection after growing facial hair.
Other items can also affect the fit. Safety glasses, goggles, hard hats, protective hoods and other personal protective equipment should be considered when selecting and testing a respirator.
A formal fit test and a user seal check serve different purposes.
Fit testing is completed periodically using an accepted testing procedure. It confirms whether a particular respirator is capable of fitting the worker properly.
A user seal check is performed by the worker every time the respirator is put on. It helps identify obvious leakage, incorrect positioning or strap problems before the worker enters the hazardous area.
Passing a fit test does not eliminate the need for a seal check before each use. Workers must also inspect the respirator, confirm that valves and straps are working properly and replace damaged or expired filters and cartridges.
Workers should be fit tested before they are required to use a tight-fitting respirator.
Retesting may also be necessary when the worker changes to a different respirator make, model, style or size. A new test may be required after significant weight changes, dental work, facial surgery, scarring or other physical changes that could affect the seal.
Employers should also arrange retesting at the frequency required by the applicable regulations, standards and workplace respiratory-protection program.
Fit-test records should identify the worker, date, respirator make and model, size, testing method and result. Maintaining accurate records helps employers confirm that workers are using the equipment for which they were actually tested.
Coordinating fit testing can be challenging when employees work across multiple shifts, job sites or departments. Sending workers individually to an outside clinic may create unnecessary travel time and interruptions.
Rocky Mountain Mobile Hearing Testing brings qualitative and quantitative testing directly to the workplace. This allows employers to schedule several employees together, test different respirator sizes or models and complete the necessary documentation without sending the entire team off-site.
Mobile service can be particularly useful for construction companies, industrial facilities, healthcare organizations, emergency services, manufacturing operations and other workplaces where several employees require respiratory protection.
Mask fit testing should not be viewed as paperwork that must be completed before a worker is allowed onto a job site.
A poorly fitting respirator can create a false sense of security. The worker may believe they are protected while airborne contaminants continue to leak around the facepiece.
A complete respiratory-protection program should include hazard assessment, proper respirator selection, fit testing, worker training, routine seal checks, cleaning, inspection and equipment maintenance.
Professional fit testing confirms that the respirator is appropriate not only for the workplace hazard but also for the person expected to wear it. Taking the time to verify that fit can make the difference between simply handing out protective equipment and providing protection that actually works.
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