Respirator Fit Testing (Quantitative and Qualitative)
Regulations
When OSHA's revised Respiratory Protection Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134, became effective on April 8, 1998, it provided employers with an all-inclusive reference source for fit testing guidelines. Before its revision, the standard made reference to testing a respirator's "face-piece-to-face seal," but provided no additional guidance on how to perform the test. The standard now specifies what needs fit testing, the kinds of fit tests allowed, the procedures for conducting them, and how frequently fit tests must be performed.
What's Covered
29 CFR 1910.134(f) states, "Before an employee may be required to use any respirator with a negative or positive pressure tight-fitting facepiece, the employee must be fit tested with the same make, model, style, and size of respirator that will be used." This statement is noteworthy because it mandates that tight-fitting positive pressure facepieces such as those used in PAPRs and airline respirators be fit tested. The statement also does not exclude disposable particulate respirators from fit testing.
Two methods are acceptable for fit testing a tight-fitting positive pressure mask:
- The mask can be converted into a negative pressure respirator and equipped with filters appropriate to the fit test protocol being followed.
- An identical negative pressure respirator can be used as a surrogate for fit testing as long as it has the same sealing surfaces as the positive pressure respirator.
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