Respirator Fit and Fit Testing
Fit testing is required for employees wearing tight-fighting respirators, such as disposable or reusable respirators. This procedure helps ensure the user has selected the correct size respirator and that a seal against the face can be made in order to provide the expected protection.
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On-site fit testing for your teamWe've partnered with Examinetics to provide you on-site fit testing and medical evaluation services.
Book a Fit Test from a 3M preferred Fit Test partner
Looking for fit testing procedure equipment? View our online fit testing catalog.
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Learn more about the difference between qualitative and quantitative fit testing protocols.
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Find information to help users perform their everyday seal check test.
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More information to help support you and your respirator fit test program.
Qualitative and quantitative fit testing
3M Centre for Respiratory Protection
Overview of the Fit Testing Process
Tight-fitting respirators must seal to the wearer’s face in order to provide expected protection. This includes disposable respirators (also called “filtering facepieces”). Fit testing is required by Australian New Zealand Standard AS/NZS1715 before a user wears a respirator on the job, and should be assessed at least annually. In addition, fit tests should be performed:
- Whenever a different size, style, model or make of respirator is used.
- When any facial changes occur that could affect fit, such as significant weight fluctuation or dental work.
AS/NZS1715 doesn’t require fit test administrators to be certified, just to know how to conduct a test, recognize invalid tests, and properly clean and maintain equipment.
There are two kinds of tests: qualitative and quantitative.
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Qualitative Fit Test (QLFT)
A qualitative fit test (QLFT) may only be used to fit-test:
- Negative-pressure, air-purifying respirators, as long as they’ll only be used in atmospheres where the hazard is at less than 10 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL).
- Tight-fitting facepieces used with powered and atmosphere-supplying respirators.
QLFT is pass/fail and relies on the user’s senses using one of he AS/NZS 1715 accepted test agents:
- Isoamyl acetate (banana smell); only for testing respirators with organic vapor cartridges.
- Saccharin (sweet taste); can test respirators with a particulate filter of any class.
- Bitrex® (bitter taste); can also test respirators with particulate filters of any class.
- Irritant smoke (involuntary cough reflex); only for testing respirators with level 100 particulate filters.
Each QLFT method uses seven exercises performed for 1 minute each:
- Normal breathing.
- Deep breathing.
- Turning head side to side.
- Moving head up and down.
- Talking.
- Bending over (or jogging in place if fit test unit doesn’t permit bending at the waist).
- Normal breathing again.
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Quantitative Fit Test (QNFT)
A quantitative fit test (QNFT) can be used to fit-test any tight-fitting respirator. It involves using an instrument to measure leakage around the face seal and produces a numerical result called a “fit factor.” There are three accepted QNFT test protocols:
- Generated aerosoluses a non-hazardous aerosol such as corn oil generated in a test chamber.
- Condensation nuclei counter (CNC) uses ambient aerosol and doesn’t require a test chamber eg Portacount
A fit factor of at least 100 is required for half-mask respirators and a minimum fit factor of 500 or 1000 for a full facepiece negative-pressure respirator depending on the protection factor required in use.
3M Respirator Fit Testing Procedure Equipment
View our online catalog of products to help you run a successful fit testing program.
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Qualitative testing productsFind apparatus hoods, nebulizer and other products for qualitative testing.
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Fit testing kitsFind testing kits with apparatus hoods, nebulizer and solution options.
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Quantitative testing productsFind disposable and reusable respirators for use with fit testing as well as test adaptors.
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Digitize the fit test process with the 3M™ Wear it Right app
Make the task of qualitative fit testing less tedious with the tap of a button. Test both reusable and disposable respirator wearers and perform up to five fit tests at one time.
- Digitize the fit test process for Disposable & Reusable Respirators
- Model-specific guided fit tests
- Global fit test protocol and language support
- Print and email fit test certificates
- In-app record keeping
Wear it Right app is compatible with iPad and requires iPadOS 14.0 or later.
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Follows OSHA fit testing protocolsPreloaded with OSHA & ISO qualitative fit test protocols and meets OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.134, Appendix A and ISO 16975-3.
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Convenience just a download awayQualitatively tests both reusable and disposable respirator wearers with Bitrex® or Saccharin.
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Two modes, One appThe app has two modes – one for fit testers who need less step-by-step guidance and one for those who prefer more detailed guidance.
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Go paperless with easy recordkeepingImport wearer details & export fit test records, eliminating the need to track manually.
If a worker's respirator doesn't seal properly, there's no certainty it is providing the expected protection.
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A good fit means the respirator will seal your skin. A respirator can only work when air passes through the filter. Air will take the path of least resistance, so if the seal isn't there, the air will go around rather than through the respirator - and therefore the lessen the protection.
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Compatibility with other PPESafety glasses, hearing protection, face shields, hard hats and coveralls can all vie with a respirator for real estate on a person's face, head or body.
To catch these problems before they happen on the job, AS/NZS 1715 and ISO 16975.3 requires any PPE that could interfere with the respirator's seal to be worn during the fit test.
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User seal check: An essential everyday testA user seal check ensures the tight-fitting respirator is being worn right each time the user puts on the respirator. Employees are required to do so by AS/NZS 1715 and ISO 16975.3 regulations unless the use is voluntary
Users can either perform a positive-pressure or negative-pressure seal check as described in the product User Instructions.
Positive-pressure seal check means blocking the exhalation valve on a half or full facepiece respirator or covering the respirator surface on a filtering facepiece, usually by using your hands, and trying to breathe out. If slight pressure builds up, that means air sin't leaking around the edges of the respirator.
Negative-pressure check involves blocking the intake valves on a half or full facepiece respirator or covering the respirator surface on a filtering facepiece, typically using your hands and trying to breathe in. If no air enters, the seal is tight.
Fast Facts About Fit Testing
Fit testing is not only required by AS/NZS 1715; it’s vital to respiratory safety. This list provides some of the whys and hows of fit testing.
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Fit tests must be performed before use of a tight-fitting respirator.
In addition, OSHA stipulates that fit testing of employees must occur at least annually; whenever a different size, style, model or make of respirator is used; and when any physical change occurs that could affect fit (such as, for example, significant weight fluctuation, dental work, or other facial changes).
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Disposable respirators need to be fit-tested.
Also known as filtering facepieces, these tight-fitting respirators must be fit-tested before mandatory use at a job site.
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Voluntarily used respirators don’t require fit testing.
If the employer provides respirators for voluntary use but they aren’t required, they don’t need to be fit-tested – but 3M still recommends it.
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Fit testers don’t require certification to perform fit tests.
However, the AS/NZS1715 standard does recommend that fit testers should know how to conduct a test, recognize invalid results, and properly clean and maintain equipment.
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There are two kinds of fit tests.
A qualitative fit test (QLFT) may only be used to fit-test certain negative-pressure, air-purifying respirators and positive-pressure, atmosphere-supplying respirators. It relies on the user’s ability to detect a particular taste, smell or irritant. A quantitative fit test (QNFT) can be used to fit-test any tight-fitting respirator. It involves using an instrument to measure leakage around the face seal and produces a numerical result called a “fit factor.”
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A respirator’s assigned protection factor (APF) is only valid if the respirator fits correctly.
The workplace level of respiratory protection that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to employees when the employer implements a continuing, effective respiratory protection program as specified by AS/NZS 1715 Without fit testing, there’s no way of knowing if the respirator is actually able to provide its advertised level of protection for a specific worker.
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A good fit means the respirator will seal to your skin.
A respirator can only work when air passes through the filter. Air will take the path of least resistance, so if the seal to the face isn’t secure, the air will go around rather than through the respirator. Therefore, it is essential to ensure a proper fit when wearing tight-fitting respirators.
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Any PPE that could interfere with the respirator’s seal must be worn during the fit test.
Respiratory protection is often worn simultaneously with other personal protective equipment (PPE). Safety glasses, hearing protection, face shields, hard hats and coveralls can all vie with a respirator for real estate on a person’s face, head or body, and could interfere with the respirator’s seal. Fit testing should ensure that equipment is compatible and doesn’t reduce the effectiveness of the respirator due to a compromised face seal.
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Tight-fitting respirators cannot be properly work with facial hair.
Beards, mustaches, or even stubble interfere with the seal of a tight-fitting respirator. That’s why AS/NZS 1715 requires that employees be clean-shaven the day of the fit test and prohibits any facial hair in areas where the respirator comes into contact with the face.
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A respirator that shifts during movement may not retain its seal.
That’s why fit testing involves several exercises, such as head turning and speaking. This determines the respirator’s ability to retain its seal when the worker is in motion.
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3M are proud to be an official support of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienist (AIOH) RESP-FIT respirator fit testing training and accreditation program.
RESP-FIT main objective is to improve respirator fit test competencies in Australia. They have developed a training course syllabus that training providers can develop their course against. They have also developed an accreditation process for fittesters to go through as a external assessment process as evidence of their competence. They also list fittest service providers who employ accredited fit testers.
Visit www.respfit.org.au for further information.
Got questions? Get in touch with our respiratory protection specialists.
Fit Testing Resources
As pioneers in the field of respiratory protection, 3M not only invented the first AS/NZS 1716 compliant filtering facepiece disposable respirator, we helped develop qualitative fit testing protocol used today. We have a deep bench of experienced and passionate experts eager to spread knowledge about and increase understanding of this crucial part of respiratory protection.
