Comprehensive Occupational Safety
Environmental Site Assessments
Training
Asbestos
Hazwoper
Lead (Pb)
OSHA
Respirator Fit Testing
Respirator Training and Fit Testing
(Quantitative)
Fit Testing Types: Qualitative (QLFT) and Quantitative (QNFT):
There are two basic types of fit tests: (1) qualitative (QLFT) and quantitative (QNFT). The qualitative test is a pass/fail test relying on the subject’s voluntary or involuntary response to a challenge agent; i.e., taste, smell, or irritation. IHR staff encourages the use of the more sophisticated quantitative fit test. The quantitative fit test measures the challenge agent leakage into the respirator without dependence on a test subject’s voluntary or involuntary response to the challenge agent. The instrumentation is typically capable of measuring fit factors of 10,000 and higher. Respirators that require a fit factor above 100 must be fit tested using the quantitative (QNFT) test method. We strongly encourage quantitative fit testing for all workers potentially exposed to asbestos, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and other cancer-causing toxic agents.
Workers that utilize air purifying respirators (APRs) should be "fit tested", and retrained in their proper use periodically. In the case of the asbestos standard in the US, OSHA requires fit testing of the worker annually, and this testing would also apply to workers that are exposed to lead (Pb), arsenic (As), mold spores, and other toxic materials. IHR’s experienced staff will help you select the proper APRs for the application, train your workers in the in the proper use of the APR, and perform quantitative fit testing (QNFT) of the individual workers. With the use of a fit testing adaptor, testing can be accomplished for the worker with their own, personal air purifying respirator.
Our service is efficient, and the quantitative fit testing can be performed in less than 30 minutes. We can perform this testing at your site, or at our offices in Boise. IHR will maintain a record of the fit test (indefinitely), and re-train and re-test the workers periodically, e.g., annually as in the case of the requirements of the OSHA asbestos standard. Our service would follow the required medical approval for the individual worker to use an APR, and this documentation must be in place before we can proceed with the fit testing.
The Reason for Fit Testing:
Humans come in many shapes and sizes, as do respirators. This results in wide variability of physical dimensions and features of both people and respirators. The ability of a respirator to form a satisfactory “seal” or barrier between the wearer and the contaminated environment may be significantly affected by these variables. If the respirator-user match (“fit”) is not checked, an unsatisfactory seal may unknowingly exist. This could allow excessive leakage of airborne contaminants into the wearer’s breathing zone, even though the user is wearing a respirator correctly selected for the application. A fit test is used to assess whether a specific type, model and size of respirator can adequately fit a specific individual.
Another equally important reason for fit testing is to ensure that an individual knows how to properly don (put on) and wear the respirator. The proper size respirator will provide little protection if it is not worn correctly. This is why it is extremely important that the fit test operator not assist the test subject when the respirator is donned. The fit test is not the time to teach a person how to put on a respirator. This should have been done during an earlier training session. Half of the reason for the fit test is to find out if the test subject knows how to wear the respirator properly without help.
Contact Us:
Toll Free: (888)
322-8287
or
Industrial Hygiene Resources
206 Murray Street
Boise, Idaho 83714
208-323-8287
Fax: 208-323-0783