Fit testing is required for employees wearing tight-fighting respirators, such as disposable or reusable respirators. This procedure helps ensure the user has selected the correct size respirator and that a seal against the face can be made in order to provide the expected protection.
Registered Fit Testers trained by 3M can provide you on-site qualitative fit testing.
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Learn more about the difference between qualitative and quantitative fit testing protocols.
Find information to help users perform their everyday seal check test.
More information to help support you and your respirator fit test program.
Tight-fitting respirators must seal to the wearer’s face in order to provide expected protection. This includes disposable respirators (also called “filtering facepieces”). Therefore, fit testing is required in Malaysia by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) before a user wears a mandatory respirator on the job, and must be assessed at least annually as highlighted in the Guidelines on The Use of Personal Protective Equipment Against Chemical Hazards, under the Occupational Safety & Health (Use and Standard of Exposure of Chemical Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000. In addition, fit tests should be performed:
3M Malaysia provides training and certification to our registered fit testers working under our 3M Authorized Distributors (Personal Safety).
A qualitative fit test (QLFT) may only be used to fit-test:
QLFT is pass/fail and relies on the user’s senses using one of four OSHA-accepted test agents:
Each QLFT method uses seven exercises performed for 1 minute each:
Read more about OSHA fit testing protocols.
View our online catalog for qualitative testing products.
A quantitative fit test (QNFT) can be used to fit-test any tight-fitting respirator. It involves using an instrument to measure leakage around the face seal and produces a numerical result called a “fit factor.” There are three OSHA-accepted QNFT test protocols:
QNFTs use the same seven exercises as QLFTs, plus an additional “grimace” test where the subject smiles or frowns for 15 seconds.
A fit factor of at least 100 is required for half-mask respirators and a minimum fit factor of 500 for a full facepiece negative-pressure respirator.
Learn more about Quantitative Fit Testing of Respirators (PDF, 346 KB)
Find apparatus hoods, nebulizer and other products for qualitative testing.
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Find disposable and reusable respirators for use with fit testing as well as test adaptors.
Make the task of qualitative fit testing less tedious with the tap of a button. Test both reusable and disposable respirator wearers and perform up to five fit tests at one time.
Grab your 3M™ Fit Test Kit, download the app, and you’ll be ready to experience convenient digital data recording. Now available for download on all smart phones and tablets from the following stores:
Preloaded with OSHA & ISO qualitative fit test protocols and meets OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.134, Appendix A and ISO 16975-3.
Qualitatively tests both reusable and disposable respirator wearers with Bitrex® or Saccharin.
The app has two modes – one for fit testers who need less step-by-step guidance and one for those who prefer more detailed guidance.
Import wearer details & export fit test records, eliminating the need to track manually.
If a worker's respirator doesn't seal properly, there's no certainty it is providing the expected protection.
A good fit means the respirator will seal to your skin. A respirator can only work when air passes through the filter. Air will take the path of least resistance, so if the seal isn’t there, the air will go around rather than through the respirator – and therefore lessen the protection.
Safety glasses, hearing protection, face shields, hard hats and coveralls can all vie with a respirator for real estate on a person's face, head or body.
To catch these problems before they happen on the job, OSHA requires any PPE that could interfere with the respirator's seal to be worn during the fit test.
A user seal check ensures the tight-fitting respirator is being worn right each time the user puts on the respirator. Employees are required to do so by OSHA regulations unless the use is voluntary
Users can either perform a positive-pressure or negative-pressure seal check as described in the product User Instructions.
Positive-pressure seal check means blocking the exhalation valve on a half or full facepiece respirator or covering the respirator surface on a filtering facepiece, usually by using your hands, and trying to breathe out. If slight pressure builds up, that means air sin't leaking around the edges of the respirator.
Negative-pressure check involves blocking the intake valves on a half or full facepiece respirator or covering the respirator surface on a filtering facepiece, typically using your hands and trying to breathe in. If no air enters, the seal is tight.
As pioneers in the field of respiratory protection, we not only invented the first NIOSH approved filtering facepiece disposable respirator, we helped develop qualitative fit testing protocol used today. We have a deep bench of experienced and passionate experts eager to spread knowledge about and increase understanding of this crucial part of respiratory protection.
Got questions? Get in touch with our respiratory protection specialists.