Pass the fit test
You’ve purchased respirators to protect staff from inhaling hazardous fumes. However, you’ve been told that the staff must be “fit-tested” before they can use them. Is this a legal requirement, and if so, how should they be trained?
Down the gym
If your staff are worried that their physical fitness is about to be called into question, they can relax. Fit-testing doesn’t address physical capabilities. It’s actually a simple exercise which, if completed correctly, will ensure that anyone using respiratory protective equipment (RPE) receives the full benefit from it (see The next step).
Is a fit-test a legal requirement?
Although fit-testing isn’t mentioned in health and safety legislation, it’s the only practical way of checking that the RPE supplied is actually doing its job. This means that it has effectively become a legal requirement.
Worn, but not properly
RPE includes all types of face mask - from the throwaway single use ones, right through to air-fed breathing apparatus. All are used to protect the wearer from exposure to hazardous fumes, dusts etc. However, it’s been recognised that although many people wear them, a large percentage don’t do so properly.
Note. RPE is only effective if a seal is made to the wearer’s face. If this doesn’t happen, potentially hazardous substances can get in around the sides of the mask and into the breathing zone.
What does a fit-test do?
A fit-test has two purposes. Firstly, going through the process will identify whether a sufficient seal can be achieved. Secondly, the exercise will train the wearer in how to achieve a seal and the importance of doing so.
How is it carried out?
The precise method depends on the nature of the RPE. For half-masks and filtering face pieces, a bitter or sweet tasting aerosol is used. The individual wearing the RPE puts a hood over their head, into which the aerosol is added. If they can taste it, the RPE isn’t fitted properly. If the unit is fitted with an organic filter, an odour test is completed.
Support available
Although fit-testing kits are available, there’s no point in investing in one, as many of the major RPE suppliers are willing to complete the process for you. They are even more keen if you’re willing to buy a large number of their masks.
Tip. Before buying RPE of any kind, speak to your supplier. Not only will they help you with the fit-test process, but the experts they employ are best placed to identify the most suitable type of RPE for your task.
Note. We appreciate that this is putting a lot of trust in the supplier and potentially opening yourself up to paying over the odds, but this shouldn’t happen. The market is so competitive that all the companies are vying for your custom and know that the real money is in repeat business. For this reason, it’s in their interests to bend over backwards to win your contract.
Tip. To make sure you get the best deal, get quotes from a number of suppliers.
For further information on the fit-testing process, visit http://healthandsafety.indicator.co.uk(HS 08.13.06).
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