ANSI/AIHA/ASSE Z88.10-2010: The American National Standard for Respirator Fit Testing Methods

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Respirators are essential personal protective equipment (PPE) used in various workplaces across the United States to protect workers from inhaling hazardous substances. The use of respirators is integral to workplace safety in numerous industries, and their selection is guided by the specific hazards present in each environment.

The ANSI/AIHA/ASSE Z88.10-2010 guideline was developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), now known as ASSP, with content provided by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE). The guideline provides guidance on respirator fit-testing for respiratory protection program managers.

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Why is Respirator Fit Testing Important?

A fit test is conducted to verify that a respirator is both comfortable and correctly fits the user. Fit test methods are classified as either qualitative or quantitative. A qualitative fit test is a pass/fail test that relies on the individual’s sensory detection of a test agent, such as taste, smell, or involuntary cough (a reaction to irritant smoke).

A quantitative fit test uses an instrument to numerically measure the effectiveness of the respirator. The benefits of a fit test include better protection for the employee and verification that the employee is wearing a correctly-fitting model and size of respirator. Higher than expected levels of exposure to a contaminant may occur if the respirator has a poor face seal against the user’s skin, which can result in leakage.

Fit testing uses a test agent, either qualitatively detected by the wearer’s sense of taste, smell, or involuntary cough (irritant smoke) or quantitatively measured by an instrument, to verify the respirator’s fit. The intent of fit testing is to evaluate sealing surface leakage. Other sources of leakage may contribute to the total leakage detected.

What is the Purpose of ANSI/AIHA/ASSE Z88.10-2010?

The purpose of ANSI/AIHA/ASSE Z88.10-2010 is to provide clear and consistent guidance with regard to the respirator fit testing components of an effective respiratory protection program. It includes:

• Qualifications of a Fit Test Operator
• Medical Evaluation
• Training for Respirator Wearers
• Interference Concerns
• Frequency of Fit Tests
• Respirators Used for Fit Testing
• Choosing the Respirator
• Test Requirements Common to All Fit Tests
• Required and Elective Fit Test Exercises
• Duration of Fit Test Exercises
• Record Keeping
• Training Records of Fit Test Operators
• Required and Elective Fit Test Exercises
• Exercise Description
• Evaluation Form for Respirator Fit Test Operator

A single fit test exercise protocol cannot model all workplace activities encountered by respirator users. Recognizing this, the standard provides flexibility regarding fit test exercise protocols.

Exercises may be selected that are more representative of actual workplace activities, including repeated respirator donning.

Types of Respirators

The two main types of respirators are air-purifying respirators (APRs) and atmosphere-supplying respirators (ASRs) according to the CDC.¹ Each type of respirator has a different level of protection, indicated by an assigned protection factor (APF).

• N95 Respirators: These are filtering facepiece respirators that filter out at least 95% of airborne particles. They are commonly used in healthcare settings and during pandemics.
• Half-Mask Respirators: These cover the nose and mouth and can be equipped with replaceable cartridges or filters for specific contaminants. They are used in many industries, including construction and manufacturing.
• Full-Face Respirators: These provide a higher level of protection by covering the entire face, including the eyes. They are often used in chemical handling, hazardous materials response and paint applications.
• Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs): These use a battery-powered blower to push air through filters, providing a higher volume of filtered air to the user. They are often used in healthcare, chemical industries, and environments with extremely hazardous contaminants.
• Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA): These are used in situations where the air quality is immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH). SCBAs are commonly used by firefighters and in industries like mining or oil and gas.

Industries in Which Respirators are Commonly Used

The appropriate type of respirator depends upon the level of exposure and the respiratory hazards in the work environment, and are commonly required for:

• Manufacturing: Various types of respirators are used depending on the materials being processed, including full-face and half-mask respirators for chemical exposure.
• Chemical Industry: Full-face respirators and PAPRs are often used when handling hazardous chemicals to prevent inhalation of toxic substances.
• Mining: Respirators are critical for miners to protect against dust and toxic gases found underground.
• Healthcare: N95 respirators and full-face respirators are used to protect healthcare workers from airborne pathogens, especially during procedures that generate aerosols.
• Construction: Half-mask respirators and N95s are commonly used to protect workers from dust, fumes, and other airborne particles.
• Firefighting: SCBAs are essential for firefighters to provide breathable air in smoke-filled environments.

Compliance and Implementation

According to the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a successful fit test only qualifies an employee to use the specific brand/make/model and size of respirator that he or she wore during that test.² Respirator sizing is not standardized across models or brands. For example, a medium in one model may not offer the same fit as a different manufacturer’s medium model.

Facial hair that lies along the sealing area of a respirator, such as beards, sideburns, or some mustaches, will interfere with respirators that rely on a tight facepiece seal to achieve maximum protection. A common misconception is that human hair can act as a crude filter to capture any particles that are in the airstream between the sealing surface and the user’s skin. However, facial hair is not dense enough and the individual hairs are too large to capture particles like an air filter does; nor will a beard trap gases and vapors like the carbon bed in a respirator cartridge. Therefore, the vast majority of particles, gases, and vapors follow the air stream right through the facial hair and into respiratory tract of the wearer. In fact, some studies have shown that even a day or two of stubble can begin to reduce protection.

Additional Resources

This standard is available at: https://bit.ly/3UWGMxu. Find additional information from the CDC, visit: https://bit.ly/48Wuif4

Fit testing is only one element of a complete respiratory protection program. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134) requires employers to establish a respiratory protection program when respirators are necessary to protect employee health. The regulation is available online: https://bit.ly/3YPksqO. wmhs