Respirator Fit Testing Services

Examinetics can help your company implement a respiratory protection program to keep your employees healthy and keep you compliant with regulatory standards.

Examinetics Respirator Fit Testing Benefits

Stay compliant with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134 – Standard on Respiratory Protection.

  • Nationwide on-site coverage
    We can come to all your locations across the contiguous United States.
  • Largest Fleet
    Our fleet of more than 140 mobile units come direct to your work site to perform respirator fit testing onsite.
  • Near-Site Clinic Network
    Our network of 6,500 occupational clinics is ideal for companies with a small employee population that needs fit testing.
  • Flexible Scheduling
    Flexible on-site scheduling options based on your work shifts or we schedule directly with your employees for clinic testing.
  • Regulatory Compliance
    We help you stay compliant with OSHA, MSHA, FRA, DOT and other regulatory agencies.
  • In-House Experts
    Expert occupational health specialists and in-house nurses for confidence in our services.
  • Full Suite
    Get fit testing across a broad range of respirators and medical clearance evaluations.
Illustrated icon showing a person wearing a respirator, emphasizing correct mask placement over the nose and mouth as step four.

Standard: 1920.134
Total Violations: 2,470
Fiscal year 2023 Ranking: 7
(2,521 Violations)

Source: Safety + Health Magazine
Based on OSHA Information

Mobile Respirator Fit Testing Services

Respiratory protection violations are in the OSHA’s Top 10 most frequently cited standards for fiscal year 2024.

Respiratory Protection is the fourth most frequently cited standard, up from seventh on the list only last year.

A most violated section of the standard regards fit testing. Section 1910.134(f)(2) states:
“the employer shall ensure an employee using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator is fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, style, model or make) is used, and at least annually thereafter.”

This requirement is known as respirator fit testing, but also referred to as mask fit testing, face fit testing or just fit testing.

An estimated 1 in 10 people will become sick due to respiratory hazards encountered in the workplace annually (American Journal of Respiratory Care and Medicine). Ensure your employee health and regulatory compliance with respirator fit testing services from Examinetics.

Ribbon Background

Three Delivery Methods

When it comes to your workforce, safety and productivity are always top of mind. With Examinetics, you get both…while staying compliant with all regulations for respiratory protection. You need a partner who can deliver dependable services to protect your employees and your bottom line. Choose from one of our three delivery methods to create a program that works for your business needs.

Onsite Respirator Fit Testing

Our respirator fit testing services come directly to your work location. We have a fleet of 140 mobile units across the country, so we can service any location in the U.S.

Our friendly and qualified technicians will come directly to your facility for a testing event that minimizes disruption and productivity loss for your business.

A white Examinetics mobile clinic truck with stairs extended is parked outdoors, used for on-site occupational health screenings.
An empty healthcare waiting room with metal chairs, a reception desk, informational posters, a digital display, and a water dispenser.

Clinic Respirator Fit Testing

For some businesses, sending a small number of employees to a local clinic for mask fit testing may make sense. Examinetics has a network of more the 6,500 occupational health clinic partners across the country. No matter where you are located, we have a nearby clinic to serve your employees.

When you partner with Examinetics, we do all the heavy lifting for you. Once you place an order, our team will coordinate all aspects of the employee clinic visit, including scheduling with your employee and getting the results into the client portal with all your other data.

Respirator Fit Testing On-Demand

Examinetics offers a rental of a quantitative respirator fit testing machine. Perform onsite respirator fit testing on your employees on-demand…on your terms.

A short-term rental gives safety managers the flexibility and convenience they need to stay compliant and productive. We mail a kit, and you test your employees whenever and wherever is best for you. Simply send it back when you are done, while our support team is here for onboarding and whatever care you need.

Whether you are a small business, work at a remote location, or have a large number of off-site visits, it’s now easier than ever to implement in-house respirator fit testing

A safety professional demonstrates procedures to a worker wearing a high-visibility vest and respirator mask during an indoor safety training session.

The recent hearing and respirator testing conducting by your company went very well. Your technicians were very professional and cordial.

Keith Summers

We use Examinetics every year for our hearing tests and fit testing and couldn’t be happier with the service we receive. The experience is pleasurable from scheduling all the way to completion of the testing.

Michael McDermott

Examinetics has been a great company to work with the past few years. All employees are cordial and do an excellent job at providing great service. Each onsite technician has always taken the ever-changing schedule and atmosphere here in stride and with a smile on their face. We will continue to use them to conduct our annual fit testing and audiology evaluations.

Joe Hayes

We have used Examinetics to conduct our annual hearing and fit tests for several years and we have been extremely satisfied with the level of service we receive. From easy & flexible scheduling and knowledgeable & courteous technicians to the neat and organized record keeping, Examinetics is the Chick-fil-A of health screening.

Lindsay Matherne

I first became aware of Examinetics service through a previous employer. Now in a new company and role as Site Safety Health and Environmental Representative, I thought immediately of Examinetics when it came to Auditory and Respiratory testing for my facility. The on-site testing was convenient and quick. The technician was knowledgeable and thorough. The results of the testing were ready the same day. I would recommend any company that requires Auditory and Respiratory testing to use Examinetics!

Leron Allen

Our company has been using Examinetics for several years, in support of our hearing preservation program as well as respirator fit testing. The convenience of having a fully-equipped, professionally-staffed truck arrive at our facility is a convenience that’s hard to put a price on! I am able to get more than a dozen employees tested in a couple of hours on-site with minimal disruption. The staff is professional and courteous. Examinetics always accommodates our needs with a Spanish-speaking tester, and the results are presented in a clear and meaningful report. Without question, I will continue to use Examinetics on an annual basis.

Tom Supko

Examinetics has been our provider for hearing testing and respirator fit testing since before I started at DeKALB. They have provided continued great service over the years. Annual testing is made easy all the way from the ease of getting on the schedule to the day of testing. Their professionalism and knowledge makes the coordination of the testing a breeze for me.

Marcia Lee

I have worked with Examinetics several times, not only at this company, but at a previous one. I have used their services for audiometric testing and also for a respirator fit test. Their customer service is great, technicians are very helpful, scheduling a visit is very easy, they provide all paperwork way in advance, so your employees have time to complete before their visit. I have always been very satisfied with their services. I recommend them.

Ines Restrepo

Strict adherence to federal, state and local Occupational Health requirements for the well-being of our company employees is my top priority. In the modern era, management in my position must also consider business factors, including cost, provider certification, quality of the services provided, and reliability to maintain schedules. For more than a decade, the Examinetics team has proven no less than stellar in their audiogram services, which 5 years ago I expanded into their mobile respiratory services. They have met every single criteria, remained competitive and, of course, the convenience of online retrieval of historic records has already proven beneficial to individual employees as well as for departmental audit requirements. I personally appreciate Examinetics’ ongoing dedication and look forward to the next decade of their service.

Scott Junkins

We have been using Examinetics for the past several years for our respirator fit tests and hearing tests. The service and efficiency of the operation is always top-notch. Our technician, Floyd, is extremely friendly and professional. He always works quickly to get all of our staff tested, while still being mindful of our work schedule and shift operations. I would highly recommend Examinetics to anyone looking for a hassle-free options for these tests. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

Robert Hughes

Examinetics has always provided us with fantastic service for audiometric and respirator fit testing. From start to finish, Examinetics makes scheduling, onsite testing and viewing reports so simple. The customer service is great, as the staff is quick to respond and always ensures our needs for testing are being met. Plus, the onsite technicians are always friendly and knowledgeable, which makes working with Examinetics even more enjoyable. It is a pleasure to work with and see Examinetics during our annual testing and I only wish more vendors left that same impression!

Jessica Torino

We use Examinetics for our hearing and respiratory fit tests and everything has been flawless from the moment we inquired about their services. The examiner for our site was very knowledgeable and efficient with a pleasant demeanor, putting everyone at ease. The professionalism of every person I had contact with at Examinetics was unmatched!

Heidi Fleischer

The technician who provided us with our fit testing was professional, courteous, and extremely efficient. He processed my employees through the fit testing requirements as fast as I could get them to him. He explained everything in such a way that there were no questions and had an excellent “bed-side manner”. My employees are, at times, a surly bunch, but almost everyone of them commented on how nice he was and how he did not waste time. All in all, I have nothing but praise with the service provided by Examinetics.

Jon HarBison

I work for a manufacturing company that requires our employees to wear respirators and I have to schedule the yearly fit testing and pulmonary testing for all 32 technicians on 4 different rotating 12-hour shifts. We have an Examinetics mobile unit come onsite for 4 days to get all employees. This year our technician came out on the first day and completed all testing for the first team, when in the past it has taken two days. Because he was organized, prepared, ready to start on time and very efficient at his job, everything ran very smooth and fast. All our employees were impressed and happy. We were also able to cut out one whole day. Even afterwards, the Examinetics technician sent me all the paperwork on everyone that had been tested in a timely manner so that I can send it to my SHE department.

Karen Willson

We have more than 20 employees that are fit tested on an annual basis. The fit testing performed is Quantitative Fit Testing. Examinetics has been our vendor of choice for the past several years. They contact me in advance of scheduling the on-site testing vehicle and notify me of any changes or concerns.
The Health Specialist is on-site prior to the start time of testing, sets up his van as soon as he arrives, and stays on schedule during the day. The only thing I do is give him a schedule and ensure that the employees arrive for testing as scheduled. I find that the whole process is very efficient, and have never had any issues. I would recommend Examinetics to anyone who needs respirator fit testing.

John Pecoraro

We have used Examinetics for over a decade to conduct our audiometric and respirator fit testing. They always exceed our expectations in service, correspondence and reporting. Their coordinators are professional, respond promptly and are always willing to work with us on scheduling that best fits our needs. The field specialists arrive early to set up. They are knowledgeable, professional and courteous. Finally, the reports we receive are thorough, organized and timely. They provided the necessary details bundled in a labeled binder and retained a history of our results on an easy-to-use website. We are pleased every year with the quality Examinetics provides and will continue to use them. 

Josh Malchow

Examinetics makes it very easy for my company to have hearing and respirator fit testing every year. They come onsite set up shop, and my employees are usually in and out of hearing of fit testing with 20 minutes. They provide the material needed beforehand so they can have it prefilled-out so it makes for easier process the day of. Also, if the employee had testing in the past, the information is prefilled out for them. All they have to do is fill in the medical questions and then they are tested. It’s a great convenience to have them here onsite as it saves the company time and money!

Whitney Ziegler

I have worked with Examinetics several times, not only at this company but at a previous one. I have used their services for audiometric testing and also respirator fit test. The customer service is great, the technicians are very helpful and scheduling a visit is very easy. They provide all paperwork way in advance so your employees have time to complete it before their visit. I have always been very satisfied with their services. I recommend them. 

Ines Restrepo

We have been using Examinetics for four years now to perform our respiratory fit testing and our audiometric testing. Every spring, they send a technician to spend the week with us performing our testing. Each year, we are more impressed than the previous. The technicians are professional, polite and quite familiar with the task at hand. They are highly educated, humble and completely qualified to provide these services. By the end of our week of testing, they actually feel like one of our own employees. 

Todd Atkins

We started using this service a couple of years ago. Before this, I had a hard time getting our employees to the local clinic for hearing and respirator fit testing. Now the van just pulls up for eight hours at a time, and our employees take about 15 minutes out of their time to take the hearing and about that for the respirator. A full report in a nice binder is given to me prior to them leaving. The process and the company could not be any better in my opinion. We even save about 50% on the services compared to sending individuals to the clinic. 

Bill DeLaigle

Qualitative and Quantitative Respiratory Fit Testing

Examinetics offers comprehensive respirator fit testing services to keep your workforce healthy and compliant with OSHA and MSHA regulations. We deliver both qualitative fit testing and quantitative fit testing onsite. Upon completion of passed tests, each eligible employee is issued a card listing the make, model and size of the proper-fitting respirator.

Fit tests across a broad range of devices

  • N95 masks
  • Dust Masks
  • Half-face masks
  • Full-face masks
  • Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
Three firefighters in turnout gear and helmets wear full-face respirators, standing alert at an emergency scene with smoke-stained surroundings.

2 Common Mistakes You’re Making With OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard

A handheld spirometer connected to a touchscreen tablet displays lung function graphs and test data used for respiratory health assessments.

If your services require pulmonary function tests (PFT), we use cutting-edge, NIOSH approved spirometry technology

Easy on-PC diagnostics devices:

  • Instant interpretation of results and quality insights
  • Graphs on screen as results appear in real time
  • Incentive animations to assist the participant during test

FAQs

A respirator fit test determines whether or not a respirator fits over an individual’s nose and mouth and makes a tight seal to protect from hazardous airborne particles. There are two types of fit tests.  A qualitative fit test determines if the person being tested can smell/taste external agents through the mask.  A quantitative fit test uses a machine to assess the adequacy of the seal that is formed around the face by having the person do various exercises and maneuvers to detect potential leakage.

Qualitative fit testing is a subjective pass/fail method used on half-masks that rely on a user’s sense of taste to detect air leakage from the respirator. The test uses Bitrex (a harmless, bitter-tasting chemical) or Saccharin (a sweet-tasting chemical), which will determine whether the mask passes or fails.

Quantitative fit testing measures the precise amount of leakage into any tight-fitting facepieces. Instead of relying on your senses, the test is performed by a machine calculating the measurements. According to OSHA regulations, there are three acceptable quantitative fit test methods: general aerosol, ambient aerosol and controlled negative pressure, which are all available with Examinetics.

All facial hair that may impede a tight seal for a facepiece must be shaven. Neatly trimmed, closely shaved facial hair, such as small goatees or mustaches, may be acceptable while wearing a respirator. Full beards are not acceptable. According to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134: The employer shall not permit respirators with tight-fitting facepieces to be worn by employees who have:

  • Facial hair interfering with the sealing surface or the value function
  • Any condition that interferes with the face-to-facepiece seal or valve function.
  • This requirement applies to both negative and positive pressure respiratory protective devices that rely on the principle of forming a face to facepiece seal.
  • Beard growth at points where the seal with the face and respirator occurs is a condition that has been shown by numerous studies to prevent a good face seal.

A fit test is required for all negative or positive pressure tight-fitting facepiece respirators. This includes both supplied-air respirators and air-purifying respirators, such as filtering facepiece (N95), half mask, full facepiece and powered-air purifying respirators.

In accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134, if it is mandatory to wear an N95 respirator for your work, a fit test is required.

Per the OSHA Standard, fit testing is required prior to initial use, whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, model or make) is used, and at least annually thereafter.

Even though a respirator may not be required for the job you’re doing, you may want to use a respirator for protection while doing certain tasks. Though fit testing is technically not required in this scenario, it is important to ensure that wearing the respirator will not be detrimental to your health. OSHA still requires certain obligations from your employer.

Employees who wear glasses may struggle to wear both their glasses and a respirator. In particular, this affects employees requiring a full-face respirator or SCBA. However, OSHA requires employers to provide employees who wear respirators with an optical corrective lens when necessary.

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