Healthcare Respirator Fit Testing
Did you know that a respirator will only protect you to its maximum ability when it fits properly? Respirators like the N95 offer a 95% protection rate when appropriately fitted. However, their protection drops significantly when fitted incorrectly. Therefore, their effectiveness will depend on the overall fit.
Knowing who can perform respirator fit testing within your healthcare facility can save lives. In addition, training your staff to perform these fit tests can ensure the long-term safety of all personnel. Your respirator should always fit properly, no matter what the exposures are.
Keep reading to learn about how a respirator should fit for healthcare workers, who can perform a fit test and the appropriate testing procedure.
What Is a Respirator Fit Test?
A competent and trained individual performs a respirator fit test. They are responsible for checking the respirator’s seal on the individual’s face. This verifies that there aren’t any leaks or gaps.
They also check the respirator itself. This ensures that the respirator can filter out the contaminants to its maximum.
Each respirator fit test varies. In addition, the contaminants the individuals are exposed to will determine the type of respirators to be worn. Therefore, ensuring respirator safety for all situations is crucial to maintaining the health of all employees.
Who Can Perform Respirator Fit Testing?
The OSHA respiratory fit test is the standard for respirator training. Individuals with this training can perform fit testing.
These designated individuals must renew their training every year to ensure the safety, proper technique, and continued health of employees.
Environmental consulting firms, like Atlantic Environmental, can provide your healthcare facility with the necessary training on the appropriate testing procedure. These respiratory protection programs allow your facility to find any weak points in their respirator usage. They can also test for contaminants in your air to ensure that you’re using the correct respirators.
In addition, they can create a respiratory program tailored to your healthcare facility’s unique needs. This can help find areas in your respirator guidelines and practices that may need improvement.
OSHA Respiratory Protection Training?
It’s the role of OSHA to ensure that every facility provides a safe work environment for its employees.
Ensuring that your facility’s respirator fit training is up to OSHA’s standards is vital to keeping your facility in line with compliance. Facilities deemed hazardous and not up to date with their respiratory safety may face steep fines.
The Covid-19 pandemic is creating a higher number of illnesses among frontline workers. As a result, OSHA is working toward creating a new standard to lower this exposure rate. Unfortunately, your facility’s respirator standards may soon be out of date resulting in the need for further training.
Making Sure Your Respirators Fit Properly Is Vital
Ensuring that your respirators fit each employee is paramount to the safety and success of your healthcare facility.
Knowing who can perform respirator fit testing within your facility will ensure you remain compliant and strengthen the first line of defense for your workers.
Here at Atlantic Environmental, we support you by providing the most up-to-date training and standards for your facility and its workers. Contact Atlantic Environmental here to learn more about how Atlantic Environmental can help you today!
Healthcare Respiratory Fit Testing Service Areas
Atlantic Environmental services New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Georgia.