Face Fit Testing

HSE guidance and ACOPS are issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Following the guidance is not compulsory, unless specifically stated, and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance.

The Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) supporting the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), the Control of Lead at Work Regulations, the Control of Asbestos Regulations, the Confined Spaces Regulations and the Ionising Radiations Regulations stipulate that tight-fitting RPE should be fit tested as part of the selection process.

Where respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is used as a control measure under health and safety legislation, it is vital that the selected RPE is both adequate and suitable.

You must be able to prove the RPE is: To ensure that the selected RPE has the potential to provide adequate protection for individual wearers

• Adequate RPE is right for the hazard and reduces exposure to the level required to protect the wearer’s health.

Suitable RPE is right for the wearer, task and environment, such that the wearer can work freely and without additional risks due to the RPE.

These are two of the most important documents to support face fit testing.

Both have a legal status and are best practice to follow. Produced by the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) is a companion document to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) INDG 479. The purpose of the companions is to provide complementary practical guidance to the requirements set out in HSE INDG 479 on conducting fit testing in the Qualitative method.

In these documents you will find the relevant INDG 479 requirements and beneath that, complementary Fit2Fit guidance on the practical elements to deliver effective fit testing. Following this guidance is recommended to ensure the correct application of the fit test method.

A fit test certificate typically lasts for 1-2 years depending on your RPE policy or program. The regulations state face fit tests should be repeated whenever there is a change to the RPE type, size, model or material or whenever there is a change to the circumstances of the wearer that could alter the fit of the RPE; for example:

• weight loss or gain;
• substantial dental work;
• any facial changes (scars, moles, effects of ageing etc.) around the face seal area;
• facial piercings;
• Introduction or change in other head-worn personal protective equipment (PPE).

As part an RPE programme, it is good practice to have a system in place to review when a repeat fit test may be required. Sunbelt Safety recommends that a suitable interval for repeat fit testing is annually as in some situations RPE is being used as a primary or sole means of control.

A fit test report will be produced following each successful fit test. The user will receive a detailed explanation of the results. Captured on the report will be:

• The name of person fit tested
• The make, model, material and size of the face piece
• The type of filters fitted to the face piece during the fit test
• The presence or absence of in-face piece spectacles
• The make and model of any PPE and/or RPE accessory worn during the fit test
• Whether the face piece used was the subject’s issued face piece, a company pool face piece or a test face piece
• The test exercises performed during the fit test
• The fit test method
• For quantitative tests, the measured fit factor for each individual test exercise and the overall fit factor
• The pass level used in the test
• The result of the fit test in terms of a pass or fail
• The date of the test and date of retest
• The details of the person who performed the test, name of firm, address etc.

A fit test cannot be conducted if there is any hair growth between the wearer’s skin and the face piece of the mask. The HSE conducted research into the effects of Facial hair called the RR1052 research report. It shows that after 24hrs of shaving the seal of the mask was significantly reduced.

A trimmed goatee beard and moustache inside the seal of the mask maybe acceptable in some industries.

Yes, even with positive pressure systems, seal integrity is important, as pressure can momentarily drop during heavy exertion.

A negative-pressure respirator refers to any tight-fitting respirator in which the air pressure inside the face mask is negative during inhalation with respect to air pressure outside the respirator. It retains particulate matters while the contaminated air is passing through it. Because air pressure outside the mask is higher than inside the mask, any seal leak or improper fit will pull in air and expose workers to potential hazards.

Positive pressure respirators may be equipped with a facepiece that fits tightly against the wearer's face or a loose-fitting hood or helmet. This air supply creates positive pressure within the breathing zone of the wearer preventing ambient air from entering even in the event of a leak the two main types of positive-pressure respirators are pressure-demand and continuous flow.