All employees required to wear filtering facepiece respirators for high- and extremely-high risk tasks must pass an initial fit-test before using their respirator; an employee’s initial fit-test must be repeated when a different make or model of respirator is used.
During the pandemic, annual fit-testing is temporarily suspended by L&I; however, additional fit-testing will be repeated when there is a significant physical change in an employee’s face that would affect fit or when an employee or medical provider notifies us that the fit is unacceptable.
No beard, stubble, or other facial hair that could interfere with the mask-to-face seal is allowed during fit testing (or during work use).
Fit testing for PLU staff is conducted by Concentra using qualitative fit testing as detailed in Table 11 of WAC 296-842-22010 of the Respirators rule. The Employer Authorization Form and the Concentra Medical Questionnaire should be completed prior to reporting for the fit test to streamline payment to Concentra and ensure the proper tests and evaluations are performed.
Concentra provides a Filtering Facepiece Respirator Fit Test record form to document fit-testing results. The fit test records for each employee are provided to the PLU EH&S Manager and retained electronically.
School of Nursing students who are required by clinical placements to wear respirators shall receive their medical evaluations, fit tests, in-person instruction, and respirators from a trained, licensed healthcare provider affiliated with the clinical placement site or, when the site is unable, the PLU SON. Their fit test records will be maintained by the clinical placement site or PLU SON. the SON fit testing procedure can be found here, and fit test record forms can be found here.
After passing a fit-test, each employee will be trained on proper use and issued a respirator. In cases where SON students are unable to safely wear required face-fitting respirators, they will either be placed in a clinical location that does not require this level of respiratory protection or issued a personal air-purifying respirator (PAPR).