3M Centre for Respiratory Protection
Tight-fitting respirators must seal to the wearer’s face in order to provide expected protection. This includes disposable respirators (also called “filtering facepieces”). Fit testing is required by Australian New Zealand Standard AS/NZS1715 before a user wears a respirator on the job, and should be assessed at least annually. In addition, fit tests should be performed:
AS/NZS1715 doesn’t require fit test administrators to be certified, just to know how to conduct a test, recognise invalid tests, and properly clean and maintain equipment.
There are two kinds of tests: qualitative and quantitative.
A qualitative fit test (QLFT) may only be used to fit-test:
QLFT is pass/fail and relies on the user’s senses using one of he AS/NZS 1715 accepted test agents:
Each QLFT method uses seven exercises performed for 1 minute each:
Based on OSHA fit testing protocols.
A quantitative fit test (QNFT) can be used to fit-test any tight-fitting respirator. It involves using an instrument to measure leakage around the face seal and produces a numerical result called a “fit factor.” There are three accepted QNFT test protocols:
A fit factor of at least 100 is required for half-mask respirators and a minimum fit factor of 500 or 1000 for a full facepiece negative-pressure respirator depending on the protection factor required in use.
Respirator fit is important because it involves several major issues:
A good fit means the respirator will seal to your skin. A respirator can only work when air passes through the filter. Air will take the path of least resistance, so if the seal isn’t there, the air will go around rather than through the respirator – and therefore lessen the protection.
Employees wearing tight-fitting respiratory protection should perform a seal check each time they put on their respirator. A fit test ensures that the respirator is able to fit and provide a secure seal, but a user seal check ensures that it’s being worn right each time.
Users can either perform a positive-pressure or negative-pressure seal check:
See the product User Instructions for more details.
Safety glasses, hearing protection, face shields, hard hats and coveralls can all vie with a respirator for real estate on a person’s face, head or body. For instance, if a half face respirator doesn’t fit well (especially if it’s too large), it can overlap with glasses. The more that happens, the more fogging can potentially occur on glasses, and the more likely it is that they’ll interfere with the respirator’s seal.
To catch these problems before they happen on the job any PPE that could interfere with the respirator’s seal to be worn during the fit test.
The better a respirator fits, the more stable it’s likely to be on the wearer’s face. Fit testing determines the respirator’s ability to retain its seal when the worker is in motion. That’s why test subjects are told to go through several exercises as part of testing. A respirator that shifts during movement may not be able to retain its seal.
How to be Fit Tested
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Fit testing can be conducted in three main ways:
1. By a competent individual e.g. an occupational health nurse or occupational hygienist. This option is ideal for individuals or businesses who do not have in-house expertise or resources and would like to include fit testing as part of their annual health monitoring. For more information on where to locate an occupational health nurse or trained individual please visit www.nzohs.org.nz .
2. By purchasing a 3M Qualitative Fit Test Kit and participating in 3M Qualitative Fit Test training. This is ideal for organisations with in-house resource(s) and have a high turnover of staff, are in remote locations, have multiple shifts, contract workers, shut downs, seasonal requirements, urgent or short notice requirements*. Also ideal for upskilling staff and improving engagement in respiratory protection programs.Click here to contact 3M about 3M Qualitative Fit Test Training. Current COVID-19 restrictions may cause delays in response times.
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3. Working with 3M on a comprehensive PPE programme including respiratory protection. 3M may include the provision of fit testing as part of the service offering.Click here for more information
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Fit testing is not only required by AS/NZS 1715; it’s vital to respiratory safety. This list provides some of the whys and hows of fit testing.
As pioneers in the field of respiratory protection, 3M not only invented the first AS/NZS 1716 compliant filtering facepiece disposable respirator, we helped develop qualitative fit testing protocol used today. We have a deep bench of experienced and passionate experts eager to spread knowledge about and increase understanding of this crucial part of respiratory protection.
See the next step in your journey to optimising your respiratory protection program.