True or false: Employees must be clean shaven prior to fit test?

True or false: Employees must be clean shaven prior to fit test?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only for Certain Masks
• D. Not Required

Answer: (A)

A proper seal between the face and the respirator is what the fit test checks. Facial hair in the sealing area can create gaps, allowing air to leak around the edge of the facepiece. If the seal isn’t tight, the test won’t accurately reflect how the respirator will perform in real use. To ensure an accurate test and proper protection, employees must be clean-shaven where the facepiece seals. There are exceptions for loose-fitting PAPRs, which don’t rely on a tight facial seal, but for tight-fitting respirators the rule is clean-shaven prior to fit testing.

A proper seal between the face and the respirator is what the fit test checks. Facial hair in the sealing area can create gaps, allowing air to leak around the edge of the facepiece. If the seal isn’t tight, the test won’t accurately reflect how the respirator will perform in real use. To ensure an accurate test and proper protection, employees must be clean-shaven where the facepiece seals. There are exceptions for loose-fitting PAPRs, which don’t rely on a tight facial seal, but for tight-fitting respirators the rule is clean-shaven prior to fit testing.