Fit-Testing 101, how not to do it

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For those of you who do “fit-testing,” what can you see in these photos that makes you go Hmmmmm?

Hints:

  1. Color
  2. 1910.134 App A – Fit Testing Procedures (Mandatory)
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5. Irritant Smoke (Stannic Chloride) Protocol

This qualitative fit test uses a person’s response to the irritating chemicals released in the “smoke” produced by a stannic chloride ventilation smoke tube to detect leakage into the respirator.

(a) General Requirements and Precautions

(1) The respirator to be tested shall be equipped with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) or P100 series filter(s).

(2) Only stannic chloride smoke tubes shall be used for this protocol.

(3) No form of test enclosure or hood for the test subject shall be used.

(4) The smoke can be irritating to the eyes, lungs, and nasal passages. The test conductor shall take precautions to minimize the test subject’s exposure to irritant smoke. Sensitivity varies, and certain individuals may respond to a greater degree to irritant smoke. Care shall be taken when performing the sensitivity screening checks that determine whether the test subject can detect irritant smoke to use only the minimum amount of smoke necessary to elicit a response from the test subject.

(5) The fit test shall be performed in an area with adequate ventilation to prevent exposure of the person conducting the fit test or the build-up of irritant smoke in the general atmosphere.

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