Effectiveness of Fit Check Methods on Half Mask Respirators

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Abstract
Studies were conducted to evaluate whether a positive/negative (+/-) fit check was an effective aid in helping users of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) achieve a good fit when donning the RPE. Two types of half-facepiece RPE were used in the studies: the disposable, filtering facepiece and the elastomeric facepiece. Three models of disposable, filtering facepiece and one model of dual-cartridge, elastomeric facepiece were evaluated. A population of 64 inexperienced users of RPE was randomly divided into two equal groups. One group was trained to don the RPE using the +/- fit check as an aid, while the second group was trained to don the RPE without conducting a +/- fit check. The number of successful RPE donnings achieved in the group using the fit check was compared with the number of successful RPE donnings achieved in the group not using a fit check. The data obtained from this experiment suggested that, in general, fewer unsuccessful donnings and more consistent donnings were obtained by RPE users when fit checks were used as an aid in donning both general types of RPE used in the study. This implies that a +/- fit check has value in assisting the wearer of a disposable filtering facepiece or a half mask to properly don the RPE. On a second population of 64 inexperienced users of RPE, the pass/fail outcome of fit checks was used to measure the discriminatory power of fit checks. The subjects used the +/- fit check to discriminate whether the fit of RPE preadjusted by the experimenters was good or bad. Fit checks were found to be fairly useful, easy-to-learn tools for respirator wearers to discriminate between good and poor donnings.

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