I don’t know about South Carolina, but federal OSHA requires annual fit testing for all tight-fitting respirators.  Respirator use in workplaces is regulated by OSHA, not the CDC.

I think annual fit testing is a good idea for people who only infrequently wear a respirator, because they often forget the basics of properly donning an N95 filtering facepiece respirator – such as proper placement of the straps and forming the noseclip around the nose.  My research team found that people who received an adequate fit factor – with training and assistance - only 7-10 days later were not able to achieve the same good fit when they returned for a second fit test (without assistance).

Lisa M Brosseau, ScD, CIH

Professor

University of Illinois at Chicago

School of Public Health, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

312-413-5185

From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces+brosseau=uic.edu@mylist.net] On Behalf Of Galaid Edward I
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 4:10 PM
To: mcoh-eh@mylist.net
Subject: [MCOH-EH] Annual fit testing, usually for an N-95

Senior management is asking why we do annual fit testing, usually for an N-95  used in a clinical environment.  Here, Safety “owns” the respirator program.

In South Carolina, the state regs defer to the 2005 CDC TB document.  Which says:  The frequency of periodic fit testing should be determined by the occurrence of 1) a risk for transmission of M. tuberculosis, 2) a change in facial features of the wearer, 3) a medical condition that would affect respiratory function, 4) physical characteristics of respirator (despite the same model number), or 5) a change in the model or size of the assigned respirator

So, are you doing fit testing after the initial?   If yes, how often, and how come?

This should be interesting.  Thanks for your responses.

Ed

Edward I. Galaid, MD, MPH
ABIM, ABPM (Occ Med, PH&GPM)

Medical Director, Occupational Health Partners

Roper St. Francis Healthcare   Charleston, SC

Member, ACOEM Task Group on Medical Guidance for Law Enforcement Officers

843-724-2131

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