If OSHA requires your employees to wear respirators, they will also need to undergo a respirator fit test to ensure the equipment satisfies safety standards. This test should be conducted using the NIOSH-certified respirator that the employee will be wearing. Employees should also bring any other protective equipment which may affect the fit such as safety goggles, and male employees must be clean shaven. Before testing can begin, a medical evaluation must be conducted by a physician or other licensed health care provider (PLHCP).
There are two primary types of respirator fit testing: qualitative and quantitative. Each serves its own unique purpose:
The user will be instructed to do things such as take deep breaths, move the head around and bend over. If no odor, taste or irritation occurs, the respirator has passed.
In order to pass, a half-mask respirator must score a fit factor of at least 100, while a full-mask respirator must score at least 500.
In Zachary, Lane Regional Medical Center offers a full range of occupational health and wellness services to area employers through our WellnessWorks program, including respirator fit testing and associated medical exams. Currently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, FASTLane is reserving the hours of 7-9 AM, Monday - Friday for occupational medicine services such as fit testing only! To learn more about these services for your own employees, click the button below.