This is without a doubt one of the top ten questions we get each year… Can employee’s be fit-tested with facial hair stubble? And not to be a smart a_s about it, the answer is still the same… NO. OSHA has been consistent over the years and my dozen or so articles on the matter over the past 20 years have been consistent, but we still get asked in the hopes something has changed. So our written program should include this prohibition, our annual training should include this prohibition, and our annual review of our program and its effectiveness should cover this prohibition and yet still we have one (1) additional layer of protection in place to ensure that employees in the respiratory protection program are clean shaven, and that is…
the annual fit-test! That’s correct, OSHA prohibits any facial hair (including “stubble”) during the fit-test…
(emphasis by me)
Appendix A to § 1910.134: Fit Testing Procedures (Mandatory)
Part I. OSHA-Accepted Fit Test Protocols
A. Fit Testing Procedures — General Requirements
The employer shall conduct fit testing using the following procedures. The requirements in this appendix apply to all OSHA-accepted fit test methods, both QLFT and QNFT.
…
9. The test shall NOT be conducted if there is ANY hair growth between the skin and the facepiece sealing surface, such as stubble beard growth, beard, mustache or sideburns which cross the respirator sealing surface. Any type of apparel which interferes with a satisfactory fit shall be altered or removed.