Face fit testing
If you wear a tight-fitting respirator for protection against hazards at work, you will be required to have a face fit test to make sure the respirator fits correctly and therefore protects the wearer from the hazard.
Face fit testing
Our team of Respiratory Technicians are available to support you throughout the UK with the implementation of an effective Respiratory Management Programme. Watch our short video below about the importance of face fit testing and answers a range of the frequently asked questions.
Locations
We provide a Fit2Fit accredited service, carrying out face fit tests for clients throughout the UK, either at your premises or one of our training or satellite centres (Warrington, Bracknell, Stafford, Hull)
Training
Our large team of Fit2Fit Technicians can carry out Face Fit Testing throughout the UK and also deliver training courses and mentoring in Qualitative and Quantitative Face Fit Testing.
Accreditations
All members of our team have taken and passed the industry recognised exam and practical assessment for Face Fit Testing and are Fit2Fit Accredited. Our team work closely with the BSIF and HSE to promote best practice and to increase the awareness of Face Fit Testing.
Team
You will have access to one of the largest team of Fit2Fit accredited Respiratory Specialist’s covering the UK. Our Respiratory Specialists have over 125 years’ experience between them and are able to deliver Respiratory Training, Face Fit Testing, RPE Servicing and Maintenance and air purity testing. The team are available to deliver these services at your site.
Supporting guidance
When fit testing is required
Fit testing is required during the initial selection of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) under COSHH, CLAW, CAR and the Ionising Radiation Regulations, ensuring that poorly fitting facepieces are not chosen for use. Guidance is outlined in HSE document INDG479. Fit testing must also be repeated if facial features change: such as significant weight change, major dental work, or other alterations that could affect the fit.
Facial hair and respirator fit
Certain facial hair styles can prevent a tight-fitting respirator from sealing properly, reducing protection. Hair within the mask’s seal area can also affect performance. If you’re required to wear a tight-fitting mask, you must pass a Face Fit Test and maintain a suitable facial hair style. If this isn’t possible, a powered air-purifying respirator should be used instead.
HSE Guidance Handbook – HSG53
This practical guide from the Health and Safety Executive explains when respiratory protective equipment (RPE) should be used, how to select suitable RPE for a given hazard, and how to ensure it remains effective. It covers legal duties, training requirements, maintenance, and fit-testing procedures to help employers manage RPE correctly and comply with the law.
Book your face fit testing
Our team of Respiratory Technicians are available to support you throughout the UK with the implementation of an effective Face Fit testing programme for your teams. We can deliver 16 tests in a full day or 8 tests in a half day all at your site. Get in touch to book now.
Face fit testing FAQs
Close and tight fitting are the terms usually given to a full face mask, a half mask or a filtering face piece that relies heavily on the quality of the fit of the face piece to the wearers face. Loose fitting face pieces include visors, helmets, hoods and blouses.
No. However, you need to ensure that the make, model, type and size of face piece that you wear is the same as the mask worn during the face fit test.
If you sit your breathing apparatus course at Arco Professional Safety Services Ltd we can offer a limited number of tests on the day you attend for your course. However, these are limited to early morning (prior to course start), during breaks and early evenings (after your course finishes). As you can appreciate delegates cannot miss out any of the course content and because it takes up to a day to test a course full of delegates it is just not possible to test everyone on the day of their course. To arrange a test on the day of your course, just speak to a member of the training team who will be happy to arrange this for you.
Yes. All close fitting masks, or in other words masks that work by creating a seal to your face need to be tested. If your escape set is a hooded set then the hood is classed as loose fitting (not close fitting) and therefore does not require a test.
No. In fact it is the other way around. During the fit test you will be assessed on how well you fit the mask to your face so it is important you are competent in donning (putting on) procedures prior to the test.
Yes – the test is not a fitness test or a health check. The test is to determine how well the mask fits your face, NOT if you are fit enough to wear the mask. Operatives do not have to be super fit to take the test but they will be expected to walk (not run) on a treadmill or step up and step down slowly for about 10 minutes. If you have a cold then this can affect the test results (an increased number of particles in the mask!) – just speak to your tester who will be able to advise you.
Yes – during the breathing cycle (particularly during heavy exertion) you breathe faster in and out in the middle of your breath. This is known as peak inhalation/exhalation. During this period it is possible to ‘over breathe’ the set which will then momentarily operate in negative pressure in relation to the outside atmosphere.
One of the pre-use checks for a face mask involves checking the seal by creating a negative pressure inside the mask and causing the mask to ‘suck’ onto the face. This is a very quick test and does not take account of the movements a wearer makes during the course of their work or the effects of pressure inside the mask once working. The only accurate method of testing for a seal is to carry out a formal face fit test.
The supporting guidance for COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health), CLaW (Control of Lead at Work) and CAR (Control of Asbestos Regulations) recommends face fit testing as a method of ensuring an adequate face seal. The HSE document INDG479 (Fit Testing of Respiratory Protective Equipment Face Pieces) lays down the protocol for carrying out face fit testing.
Tight fitting face pieces rely on achieving good contact between the wearer’s skin and the face seal of the face piece. As people come in different shapes and sizes it is unlikely that one type of mask will fit everyone. A poor fit will reduce the level of protection and may lead to immediate or long term ill health of the wearer. A fit test is also useful for checking that the wearer can correctly don (put on) the face piece.