Face Fit Testing | ||||||
Why carry out a face fit test?
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 specifiy it is the employers duty to ensure that an employee has an effective face seal with their mask. The Health and Safety Executive expect face fit testing to be carried out.
Faces come in all shapes and sizes and at the moment masks do not so it is important to have face fit tests if these have not been undertaken before or if employees have:
Our face fit testers have been trained by accredited trainers. The fit testing can be undertaken on any tight fitting particulate respirator or gas/vapour respirator fitted with a particulate pre-filter as long as it fits inside the test hood. The process The testing can be carried out at your work place and takes about half an hour per person. What you need to do as an employer 1. Each employee will need to bring the mask/s they wear and other PPE for their head i.e. glasses, ear defenders with them as they will need to wear them during the test as well as the mask. 2. Those taking part in the testing need to be clean shaven or the mask may not create an adequate seal and they will fail the test. What will we do as the tester? As part of the process we may conduct a toolbox talk on the dangers of breathing in hazardous materials and the importantance of masks for all those being tested. The test will be explained to each person being tested. The Test
Certificates Test Certificates will be provided for those who pass the test on the day which are valid for a year. Retesting Retesting may be able to take place for those who fail on the same day, depending on the circumstances or a revisit may be required. Advice on wearing a different mask with a better fit for those who fail the test may be provided. Retesting will be required within the year for those who change their mask type, their weight has altered significantly or if they have had facial or dental surgery. FFP3
It is a legal requirement that anybody who might be required to wear an FFP3 respirator be fit tested in order to check that an adequate seal can be achieved.
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