OSHA
Beards and OSHA Respirator Fit Testing: What You Need to Know
You Can’t Have a Beard for OSHA Respirator Fit Testing Think your beard is just a style choice? If your job requires wearing a tight-fitting
OSHA Physicals
Respirator Fit Testing
A respirator cannot protect your employees if it does not fit their face. Certain respirators, known as tight-fitting respirators, must form a tight seal with your face or neck to work properly. If a respirator doesn’t fit your face properly, contaminated air can leak into the respirator facepiece, and you could breathe in hazardous substances.
A respirator fit test determines if a tight-fitting respirator seals appropriately and does not leak. It should only take place after an employee has been medically cleared to wear a respirator and before the employee actually wears it on the job.
What to keep in mind when fit testing an employee:
- Fit testing is required annually
- A respirator fit test is required for all tight-fitting respirators.
- An employee must complete the fit test using a respirator that is the same make, model, and size of one he/she will wear on the job while also wearing any other required equipment (e.g., glasses).
What are the OSHA Regulations?
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134
- A respirator shall be provided to each employee when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of such employee. The employer shall provide respirators which are applicable and suitable for the purpose intended. The employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protection program. The employer is responsible for ensuring that a medical evaluation is performed to ensure that using a respirator will not place a physiological burden on the employee.
Two types of Fit Testing
Qualitative Fit Test
What do you need to know?
- Qualitative fit testing is a pass/fail test method that uses your sense of taste or smell, or your reaction to an irritant in order to detect leakage into the respirator facepiece.
- Whether the respirator passes or fails the test is based on the employee detecting leakage of the test substance into their facepiece. There are four qualitative fit test methods accepted by OSHA:
- Isoamyl acetate, which smells like bananas
- Saccharin, which leaves a sweet taste in your mouth
- Bitrex, which leaves a bitter taste in your mouth; and
- Irritant smoke, which can cause coughing
- Qualitative fit testing is normally used for half-mask respirators (those that just cover your mouth and nose).
Quantitative Fit Test
What do you need to know?
- Quantitative fit testing uses a machine to measure the actual amount of leakage into the facepiece and does not rely upon the employee’s sense of taste, smell, or irritation in order to detect leakage.
- The respirators used during this type of fit testing will have a probe attached to the facepiece that will be connected to the machine by a hose. There are three quantitative fit test methods accepted by OSHA:
- Generated aerosol
- Ambient aerosol
- Controlled Negative Pressure
- Quantitative fit testing can be used for any type of tight-fitting respirator.
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We offer a number of physicals related to DOT, Non-DOT Medical Services, and OSHA-Related work, such as DOT Physicals, Respiratory and HAZMAT/HAZWOPER Physicals, and more.
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Respirator Physicals are offered at all offices
Lititz, PA Office
Georgetown, DE Office
-
20797 Professional Park Blvd.
Georgetown, DE 19947 - 302.515.1708
- 302.253.8338 (Fax)
- info@cnsoccmed.com
- Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 4:30PM (closed Sat.-Sun.)
Questions about Respirator Physicals?
Our Occupational Healthcare staff members specialize in Respirator Physicals and are ready to answer any questions you have whether you need In-Clinic Services or Onsite Clinic Services. All medical staff has very specific knowledge in Occupational Medicine, which is exactly what you need.