Are you sure they’re protected?

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RESPIRATORS PROTECT workers from breathable hazards in the workplace. The efficiency of a respirator's filter material alone does not suffice to counter dangers posed by airborne hazards.

If a respirator does not seal properly on a worker’s face, airborne hazards can leak underneath the facepiece seal and into a worker's breathing zone.

Respirator fit testing to maximise protection

In the UK, businesses that have workers wearing respirators are required by HSE INDG 479 to perform respirator fit testing and confirm those respirators will provide the right level of on-the-job protection needed. If your employees wear tight-fitting respirators in the workplace, you must provide proof of fit testing for each make, model and size of mask they use.

Respirator fit testing evaluates the seal between a respirator and the wearer's face, identifying gaps or leaks that put workers at risk. Fit test results confirm if a respirator will provide the right level of on-the-job protection needed.

A real-time look at the fit of a respirator

It can be difficult to achieve a good fit with filtering facepieces like FFP2s and FFP3s. Many respirator wearers may feel their respirator fits well, only to find out they have difficulty passing a fit test due to incorrect sizing or wear.

Under HSE, there are two accepted basic types of fit testing: Quantitative Fit Testing and Qualitative Fit Testing.

Respirator fit testing for every industry

The company says, "TSI’s PortaCount® Respirator Fit Tester delivers safety by utilising the quantitative fit testing method to identify poor fitting respirators. The instrument fit tests the respirator during movement, providing a real-time measurement of the protection provided by a respirator. It also provides real-time information on how respirator fit is changing over-time, which is key for improving training and simplifying mask selection.

"The PortaCount® Respirator Fit Tester features intelligent touchscreen solutions, providing assistance across your entire respiratory protection programme from training through compliance. Video animations guide staff through proper fit test exercise movements during a fit test, providing a consistent testing experience."

MORE INFO

Contact TSI today for a free demo of the PortaCount® Respirator Fit Tester
+44 (0) 149 4 459200
answerseu@tsi.com