Face Fit Testing Explained

What is a face fit test?

Face fit testing means testing how well a specific mask fits the face of the person wearing the respiratory protective equipment. Every face is different, so you cannot simply assume that one type of mask will fit each of your employees properly. Ensuring the correct ‘fit’ is extremely important for the protection of your employees. After all, respiratory protective equipment is not worn without reason, but in order to reduce any possible exposure to a minimum.

There are various types of respiratory protective equipment on the market, such as disposable masks (expressed in FFP1, FFP2 or FFP3 protection class), half masks and full-face masks. CBRN (military) gas masks, PAPRs (Powered Air-Purifying Respirators) and SCBAs (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) are also forms of respiratory protection for which an adequate fit is essential.

Is face fit testing mandatory?

In the Netherlands, as of 2019, face fit testing is only mandatory in the asbestos sector. That is to say, every professional who comes into contact with asbestos during inspection and/or remediation and who wears respiratory protection must undergo a face fit test. On the basis of a covenant with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, the Ascert Foundation carries out a number of tasks in the asbestos field. One of its tasks is supervising the performance of face fit tests. Wearers of full-face masks are required to be face fit tested annually.

Face fit testing is also becoming increasingly important in other sectors. Companies in oil & gas and chemicals often take the lead here. The Dutch fire service is likewise aware of the need for face fit testing. Internationally it is confirmed that this is one of the most important aspects of a company’s respiratory protection policy. The Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA), the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are unanimous on this point. In the United States and the United Kingdom, among others, face fit testing is mandatory for every user of respiratory protection!

Quantitative or qualitative face fit testing?

Face fit testing can be done both qualitatively and quantitatively. According to HSE 282/28 (the most widely used face fit test protocol in the Netherlands), quantitative face fit testing is mandatory for everything except disposable masks. After all, if better respiratory protection has to be worn, the correct fit is even more important! Qualitative face fit testing is carried out by means of a subjective test in which the test subject has to indicate whether he or she can taste the test agent (a sweetener, for example) while wearing the mask. Quantitative face fit testing is done by an objective method, namely measuring the number of particles outside the mask versus the number of particles inside the mask. Dividing these two quantities by one another produces what is known as a Fit Factor. This is a ratio that quantifies how good the fit actually is for the specific combination of person X + mask X. The higher the Fit Factor, the better. The HSE 282/28 protocol prescribes a minimum Fit Factor of 100 for the use of disposable masks and half masks. All better-protecting equipment, such as full-face masks and SCBA, must achieve a minimum Fit Factor of 2000.

The HSE 282/28 protocol prescribes a standardised face fit test. An official face fit test consists of seven activities that may occur during a working day. Normal and deep breathing, moving the head and talking, but also bending forward, are all part of the test. In this way the most realistic possible picture of the Fit Factor can be obtained.

AccuFIT9000 Face Fit Tester

With the AccuFIT9000 you bring the most modern quantitative fit tester into your organisation. Quantitative fit testing is prescribed by NIOSH and OSHA, among others. The measuring principle used is known as CPC, or Condensation Particle Counting. Internationally it is regarded as the most accurate and representative method. A quantitative fit test can be carried out using various protocols. The most widely used in Europe is the so-called HSE protocol (HSE 282/28). The OSHA protocol is also used regularly, particularly by international companies originating from the United States. Would you like to know more about this innovative measuring instrument? Then get in touch with us, so that our specialists can help you!