Facefit testing is a critical element of respiratory protection in the UK workplace. Ensuring that employees have the right respiratory protective equipment (RPE) that fits perfectly is not just a legal requirement, but also a matter of health and safety. At JCM Health & Safety Compliance, we offer comprehensive facefit testing & advisory services that ensures your team’s RPE provides the correct level of effective protection.

Where respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is used, it must be able to provide adequate protection for individual wearers. RPE can’t protect the wearer if it leaks. A major cause of leaks is poor fit. Tight-fitting facepieces need to fit the wearer’s face to be effective.

Health & Safety Executive : https://www.hse.gov.uk/respiratory-protective-equipment/fit-testing-basics.htm

What is Facefit Testing

It’s two fold. The aim of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is to protect staff exposed to toxic airborne contaminants or particulates that may, particularly over time, be harmful. Firstly, the correct type of RPE needs to be identified according to the risks faced. Is it a risk from contaminants during normal working? Or is it perhaps an emergency situation when RPE would be donned during an evacuation or incident response? Is RPE required for self-rescue? Or as an adjunct to other systems such as extraction & filtering?

Once the correct type of RPE is identified then there’s still a need to ensure that it functions correctly. If mask/respirator type RPE is chosen (rather than breathing apparatus type) then it relies on having a good seal with the wearer’s face and it’s the effectiveness of this seal that’s at the centre of face fit testing & training.

Facefit RPE with a beard?

Masks & respirator types of RPE rely on a close seal to the face so that all the incoming breathing air is drawn through the filter rather than any gaps.

If there’s any gaps around the edges of the mask, dirty air will pass through these gaps and into your lungs. So it’s really important that the mask is fitted correctly, every time!

Facial hair – stubble or beards – makes it impossible to get a good seal

If you’re clean shaven, then it should be possible to get a good quality mask seal and protect your lungs but if you’ve got stubble or a beard then that’s not going to be possible. In which case, speak to our team about the other types of RPE available.