Fit testing – Willson® can make sure you comply
June 30th 2005 Willson®, the leading respiratory PPE brand from Bacou-Dalloz help many companies with advice on Fit Testing and guidance on suitable Willson disposable respirators but one recurring issue is getting an acceptable fit from this ‘universal’ product
So, Bacou-Dalloz has pioneered one of the most significant changes in disposable respirators in recent years - Willson respirators available in multiple sizes to fit different face profiles and so maximise Fit Test compliance
Using Respiratory PPE The fundamental concept of a respirator is to protect the wearer by keeping contamination outside by making a protective seal against the face that only allows air to be inhaled through the appropriate filter material
The integrity of the system relies on the effectiveness of the seal against the face. If this is not maintained, contamination will be inhaled and the risk of exposure has been realised - and the employee may not know the seal has been breached
So it is essential a respirator fits the wearer properly, but with many different face shapes and sizes, this is difficult to achieve. Some companies also believe that if they don’t use many masks, Fit Testing is not applicable. But whether a company issues just one mask to a single employee or is issuing five thousand masks a day, they are both operating a Respiratory Protection Programme that must be fully compliant with UK legislation
There are two types of Fit Testing: Quantitative Fit Testing - a probe is inserted inside the mask and the air it meets is continuously sampled and analysed by computer while the wearer undertakes exercises to simulate working conditions
The computer counts any contaminated particles that have got into the respirator and records all data for future reference. However, it is not easily portable and so not practical for many industries
Qualitative Fit Testing - the integrity of the face seal is checked by testing the wearer’s ability to taste a solution of Bitrex. As individual taste sensitivity varies, this test comes in two parts. In Part One, the wearer is exposed to a very weak solution of Bitrex to establish their ability to taste this
In Part Two, the wearer is exposed to Bitrex (while wearing the respirator), and again exercises are undertaken to simulate working conditions.The Bitrex Kit is popular and very cost effective - less than £100. It is portable and simple, although most customers require some training, which Bacou-Dalloz can provide
Deliverable Benefits In addition to the primary objective of safeguarding employees’ respiratory health, a managed and regular Fit Testing Programme delivers: Improved Compliance and User Wear-time
the employee has one-to-one training on the use of his respirator and instruction in its correct fitting the wearer is given a practical demonstration on what inward leakage means and the signs to look out for
Reduction in Costs
each employee has a specified type and size of mask this eliminates the waste from frequent changes of respirator trying to find a good fit
Getting Started It is very simple to establish and run a Fit Test programme, as Bacou-Dalloz supply Bitrex Fit Testing Kits and the required attachments to test Willson respirators using Quantitative Fit Testing
When undertaking Fit Testing, most employers find that there is a general requirement for other Personal Protection Equipment as well, such as eye and hearing protection, all of which needs to be compatible and compliant - and is available from Bacou-Dalloz
For further information on the complete range of Bacou Dalloz PPE and customer training and support services including Fit Testing, go to www.bacou-dalloz.com | 
