Respirator Fit Testing
BC's Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requires any person who is required to wear a tight fitting face piece during the course of their work or for emergency response is required to be fit tested to ensure an effective seal.
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People working in the following industries will often need to be fit tested:
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Healthcare including nurses, doctors, long-term care homes, dentists, orthodontists, dental hygienists
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First responders including emergency medical services (EMS), firefighters and police officers
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Oil and gas
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Mining
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Chemical production
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Pharmaceutical and research laboratories
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HSC offers on-site quantitative respirator fit testing which meets all provincial legislation and CSA Standard Z94.4 Selection, Care and Use of Respirators.
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HSC uses a TSI portacount to measure the effect of the respirator seal and is suitable for use on all air purifying, air supplying and N, R and P series filtering face piece respirators.
This method does not rely on your sense of taste, smell, or irritation in order to detect leakage. Instead, the respirator fit testing equipment measures real-time fit while the user simultaneously performs a series of moving, breathing and talking exercises designed to simulate the same movements made durig work.
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Every participant who successfully completes the fit test is provided a wallet sized card indicating the respirator they were tested for and its size.
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Student Fit Testing
Respirator fit test requirements also apply to college students of various programs including trades:
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welding
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carpentry
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power engineering
Health-related Programs often require a record of fit testing prior to placements or practicums. Programs include:
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nursing
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social work
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dental assistant and dental hygiene
