Respiratory Health Exam

Respirator Fit Testing

A Respirator Fit Test is required for any general industry worker who may be exposed to the respiratory hazards mentioned and is quite common in healthcare, manufacturing, and construction.

Testing is essential to ensure the proper fit. It's also important to note that not all respirators protect against the same hazards. For example, respirators that protect from dust may not protect you from vapors, etc.

There are two different fit tests, Quantitative and Qualitative.

Qualitative Respirator Fit tests are used for a half-mask respirator (like the N-95) and use smoke or a smell to test for a good seal. They are generally less accurate than a quantitative test. This test does not measure the amount of air entering the mask and is a pass/fail test.

Other Respiratory Screening

Pulmonary function testing (PFT) and spirometry are not required by OSHA but are additional tests to ensure the safety of the workers. PFTs are useful for physically demanding jobs, such as firefighters, and can detect poor respiratory health upon hire, as well as monitor lung function and detect changes to lungs before symptoms appear.

Pulmonary function testing is basically measuring how well you're breathing; from how well you inhale and exhale, to how effectively your lungs are exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Spirometry is part of pulmonary function testing and measures volume (amount) and flow (speed) of the air you breathe.

Types of Respiratory Health Exams

OSHA respiratory standards require screening for any general industry job that exposes workers to respiratory hazards. These hazards vary depending on the industry and include gases, vapors, dust, mists, fumes, smoke, sprays, fog, and airborne pathogens.

After exposure to some of these, workers may become ill immediately. Others can take years to make someone sick and can cause serious, life-threatening illnesses. Asbestos is just one example, possibly causing lung cancer several years after exposure.

As an employer, you are required to keep workers safe from these potentially deadly hazards and must meet federal OSHA or state OSHA respiratory protection standards. A key component of these standards is to provide employees with medical evaluations, including fit testing, and then providing appropriate respirators.

Prior to fit testing, it is required that all employees fill out OSHA's respiratory questionnaire to be used for their evaluations.

Respiratory Health Exam

Respiratory Health Exams

Respirator Fit Testing

Other Respiratory Screening

Types of Respiratory Health Exams

This website uses cookies.