Personal Protective Respiratory Equipment Testing (FIT Testing)
In these days of budget cuts and cutbacks, reducing the costs of “Doing Business” is becoming an important part of improving the bottom line. Alamo City Health & Safety offers concierge services for your employees by providing flexible schedules which minimizes the impact on operations and productivity with immediate hardcopy documentation as well as electronic reporting (via FormFox). Our goal at Alamo City Health & Safety is to make Occupational Medicine services quick and affordable, saving your company time and money as well as by keeping your company in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Every employer is responsible for ensuring that each employee who requires a personal protective respiratory equipment, half-face or full-face, to be properly tested. The purpose of a Respiratory Fit Test (FIT) is to ensure that the seal on the required half-face or full-face personal respiratory equipment does not allow for any contaminants to leak into the designated respiratory equipment. There are two categories when testing for personal protective respiratory equipment, Qualitative Respirator Fit Test (QLFT) and Quantitative Respirator Fit Test (QNFT).
If you are unsure of which type of personal protective respirator equipment is needed for your company or are unsure of which type of Respirator FIT Testing is needed, you can visit the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website at, http://www.osha.gov, or you can contact us direct at Alamo City Health & Safety at 210-366-4357 or email Daniel Gutierrez ([email protected]).
A Licensed Healthcare Provider must certify any person prior to being FIT Tested to be healthy enough to wear a personal protective respiratory equipment. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates a medical clearance by means of a Medical Evaluation Questionnaire (MEQ), prior to any personal protective respiratory equipment testing, 1910.134 App C – FIT Testing Procedures
The Licensed Health Care Provider reviewing the Medical Evaluation Questionnaire (MEQ) will make the determination if further testing is warranted prior to conducting the FIT Testing:
- Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) - measurement of lung volume, air capacity, rate of flow as well as oxygen saturation (tested via spirometry and pulse oximeter)
- Basic Heart and Lung Evaluation - height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, urine analysis, oxygen saturation and auscultation of the heart and lungs, performed by a Licensed Healthcare Provider
*Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) may also be utilized in the area of Medical Surveillance. A company may choose to have a Medical Surveillance Program as a baseline measurement for all their employees. A Medical Surveillance Program involves recurrent longitudinal examinations and data analysis over time.
