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In the present work environment conditions, a respirator and a right respirator fit test become a basic need of a worker’s respiratory security.
Equipment for quantitative fit testing is a significant part of respiratory protection. It ensures the highest protection of respiratory activity through the right-sized and donned respirator. Well, one can choose or buy fit test kits, adapters, fit testing tools, disposable respirator fit testing probes, and many others from online stores. Fit tests are either quantitative or qualitative.
What is Quantitative Fit Testing?
A quantitative fit test works like a machine tool to determine the amount of leakage a face mask has encountered. It simply determines a tight fitting-mask where an individual wears without facing any leakage. Well, this test is only applicable for a specific respirator where the worker is going to wear followed by the type, size, and model of the respirator. Thus, the respirator mask must be matched with the worker’s respirator mask otherwise the fit-test will not occur.
However, a complete fit test with a proper process or method always saves lives in a bio-hazardous situation. A proper fit test prevents the leakage of the face mask in a contaminated situation. In this quantitative fit testing, various kinds of masks can be tested including N-95 Filtering Face mask, Half-Face Masks, and Full-Face Respirators.
Also, Quantitative fit testing is very common in numerous businesses that manage potential bio-hazardous elements or situations. This can be varying to the health care unit, manufacturing, environmental, and others.
Purpose of Fit Testing
The purpose of fit testing ensures the respirator works fine giving adequate coverage for complete protection to the face. However, the fit-test is prescribed for each type of respirator depending upon the size and the model of the respirator. The fit-test must be directed utilizing the specific type, model, style, and size of the respirator that the handler uses. If any of that changes, or an individual has an adjustment in weight, dental work, or other change that could influence the fit, that individual must be fit tested once more.
Advantages of Quantitative Fit Testing
- It gives unlimited protection security
- It works fast with less than 3 mins
- Doesn’t require a hood and harmful test operator
- The positive result can’t be cheated by a test subject
- Confirmation Check gives faultless proof of instrument execution
- Total mask testing solution
- It is very easy to use and gives accurate result
Disadvantages of Quantitative Fit Testing
- It is costlier compared to qualitative fit testing
- Just a single representative might be fit tested at once
- Sometimes adapters or other equipment requires a specific model to operate
Conclusion
Therefore, a Quantitative fit test utilizes fit testing hardware to quantify the leakage around the face seal of the respirator veil to give a “fit factor”. A base fit factor of 100 is required for the half-mask respirators & a base fit factor of 500 for a full face mask respirator. However, to determine the durability of the respiratory mask, quantitative fit testing is required to serve this purpose.
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