Respirator Fit Testing: The Key to OSHA Compliance and Employee Safety

Employees across various industries — including healthcare, defense, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, public safety and more— are required to wear respirators to protect against hazardous airborne contaminants. These workplace health and safety measures are governed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), alongside other state and federal regulations.

Employers in respirator-required workplaces must have a documented respiratory protection program and ensure respirators provide a proper fit through regular fit testing.

OSHA’s Respirator Protection Standard

OSHA has set specific regulations for respirator use across industries: General Industry (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134), Maritime (OSHA 29 CFR 1915.154, 1917.92, 1918.102), & Construction: OSHA 29 CFR 1926.103).

These regulations require employers to provide properly fitted respirators and implement a respiratory protection program that includes respirator selection, employee respirator training, & respirator fit testing.

Why Respirators and Proper Fit Testing Matter

Respirators are vital protective devices that filter out harmful particles, gasses, vapors, mists, or pathogens from the air. Prolonged exposure to these hazards can lead to serious health issues, including lung diseases, cancer, and even death.

There are two primary types of respirators: air-purifying respirators, which filter contaminated air from the environment and air-supplied respirators, which provide clean air from an external source.

For a respirator to provide effective protection, proper fit is crucial. A poorly fitted respirator won’t form a tight seal, which compromises its ability to protect the wearer. The Assigned Protection Factor (APF)—which indicates the level of protection a respirator provides—is only valid if the respirator passes a fit test.

When are Fit Tests required?

Fit Tests are required before initial use of a respirator, when employees switch to a new or different respirator, after significant physical changes (i.e weight loss or facial surgery), and on an annual basis.

Types of Fit Testing:

Qualitative Fit Tests: Rely on the wearer detecting a specific taste or smell to assess fit.
Quantitative Fit Tests: Use precision instruments to measure leakage and provide more precise, objective results.

For optimal accuracy and compliance, CSS recommends quantitative respirator fit testing, as it ensures the respirator fits properly and provides the required protection.

Industry-Leading Respirator Fit Testing Equipment

To remain compliant with OSHA standards, it’s essential to use reliable, high-quality respirator fit testing devices. At CSS, we offer industry leading quantitative respirator fit testing equipment both for rent or for sale. Our equipment allows you to accurately evaluate respirator fit and ensure your workplace meets OSHA regulations while providing the best protection for your employees.

AccuTec’s AccuFIT 9000 Pro: Accutec’s AccuFIT 9000 PRO is an advanced Quantitative Respirator Fit test system designed for testing a variety of respirators including all full and half-face tight-fitting respirators, plus most disposable respirators (N-95’s). The AccuFIT 9000 PRO is quick and easy to use and can complete a fit test in 2.5 minutes. This system uses real-time particle counting technology to measure the amount of leakage in a respirator’s seal, providing precise fit factor results. The touch screen on the AccuFIT displays instructions for users in real time, making conducting a fit test seamless.

AccuTec’s AccuFIT 9000: Accutec’s AccuFIT 9000 is an advanced Quantitative Respirator Fit test system designed for testing a variety of respirators including all full and half-face tight-fitting respirators. The AccuFIT 9000 is OSHA-compliant for testing tight-fitting respirators utilizing the OSHA Fast-Fit protocol, which allows for a fit test to be completed in 2.5 minutes. This system uses real-time particle counting technology to measure the amount of leakage in a respirator’s seal, providing precise fit factor results. The touch screen on the AccuFIT displays instructions for users in real-time, making conducting a fit test seamless. Please note that the AccuFIT 9000 is not compatible with fit testing N-95’s – please order the 9000 PRO model instead.

TSI PortaCount Pro 8038: The TSI PortaCount Pro 8038 is an advanced quantitative fit testing system designed to accurately measure respirator fit and ensure compliance with OSHA’s respiratory protection standards. This system uses real-time particle counting technology to measure the amount of leakage in a respirator’s seal, providing precise fit factor results. The PortaCount Pro 8038 is ideal for a wide range of respirator types, including N95 masks, P100, half-face, and full-face respirators.

TSI PortaCount 8048: The TSI PortaCount Pro 8048 is an advanced, high-performance respirator fit testing system that offers quantitative testing with real-time particle counting technology. It is designed to provide precise fit factor readings for a wide variety of respirators, including N95, P100, and other tight-fitting respirators, and is particularly effective for environments where regular fit testing is required. With enhanced features, the PortaCount Pro 8048 is ideal for workplaces that need to conduct thorough and frequent fit tests across multiple employees.

CSS Can Provide You High-Quality Respirator Fit Testing Equipment

At CSS, we provide industry leading respirator fit testing equipment both for rental and for sale. We guarantee a simplified rental experience, which means we make it easy for you to stay in compliance and keep your employees safe. Renting from us means access to the youngest fleet of rental instruments that help you maintain compliance with OSHA’s respiratory protection standards. Contact CSS today to find the right respirator fit testing equipment for your workplace and ensure your employees’ safety. Contact us at (720) 303-1777 or click the link below to request a quote today: https://compliancesafetysupply.com/request-quote/

CSS: Compliance, Safety, & Supply

Years of industry experience motivate our timely, reliable equipment delivery while providing top-quality gear, so you can focus on getting the job done.

CSS: Compliance, Safety, & Supply

4800 Dahlia St C9, Denver, CO 80216

www.compliancesafetysupply.com

(720) 303-1777

service@compliancesafetysupply.com

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