Comparison of Five Methods for Fit-Testing N95 Filtering-Facepiece Respirators

Details

• Personal Author:
  Campbell, David D. ; Coffey, Christopher C. ; Jensen P ; Lawrence R ; Myers W ; Zhuang Z ; Campbell, David D. ; Coffey, Christopher C. ; Jensen P ; Lawrence R ; Myers W ; Zhuang Z
• Description:
  Five fit-testing methods (Bitrex, ambient aerosol condensation nuclei counter using the TSI PortaCount Plus, saccharin, modified ambient aerosol condensation nuclei counter using the TSI PortaCount Plus with the N95-Companion, and generated aerosol using corn oil) were evaluated for their ability to identify poorly fitting N95 filtering-facepiece respirators. Eighteen models of NIOSH-certified, N95 filtering-facepiece respirators were tested by a panel of 25 subjects using each fit-testing method. The penetration of the corn oil and the ambient aerosols through the filter media of each respirator was measured in order to adjust the corresponding generated and ambient aerosol overall fit factors, reflecting only face-seal leakage. Fit-testing results were compared to 5th percentiles of simulated workplace protection factors. Beta errors (the chance of passing a fit-test in error) ranged from 3 percent to 11 percent. Alpha errors (the chance of failing a fit-test in error) ranged from 51 percent to 84 percent. The ambient aerosol using the TSI PortaCount Plus and the generated aerosol methods identified poorly fitting respirators better than the saccharin, the Companion, and Bitrex methods. These errors rates should be considered when selecting a fit-testing method for fitting N95 filtering-facepieces. When both types of errors were combined as an assignment error, the ambient aerosol method using the TSI PortaCount Plus had the lowest percentage of wearers being assigned a poor-fitting respirator. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Fit-Test Exposure-levels Filtering-Facepiece Respirator Protective-equipment Protective-measures Respiratory-protective-equipment Simulated Workplace Protection Factor Simulation-methods
• ISSN:
  1047-322X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article ; Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies ; NPPTL - National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory ; DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies ; NPPTL - National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Volume:
  17
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20022297
• Citation:
  Appl Occup Environ Hyg 2002 Oct; 17(10):723-730
• Contact Point Address:
  Christopher C. Coffey, Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2003
• NORA Priority Area:
  Research Tools and Approaches: Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment ; Research Tools and Approaches: Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:74980ad33da18903b4cd0907fc2de905c82880d41689536b2dfcdc7a02fdf2ecffc1796ecf191f7b80e9103c19cf44afa15d555f7d05ee09e04211c83f03ba7c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/199116/cdc_199116_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 328.10 KB ]