Industrial
hygiene monitoring: workspace assessment and air
sampling
Respiratory
hazards monitoring: ozone, carbon monoxide, asbestos,
dust, volatile organic compounds, gases, vapors
and others.
Occupational
monitoring: noise exposure, temperature extreme,
ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.
Indoor
air quality monitoring
Respirators
fit testing (Quantitative)
QUANTITATIVE
RESPIRATOR FIT TESTING
LUMUR
INTERNATIONAL INC.
has over ten years of experience providing quantitative
respirator fit testing services to industrial, petrochemical
and healthcare companies in Puerto Rico and the
Caribbean. Our technical staff is trained and experienced
in the use of the TSI PORTACOUNT. We are committed
to providing the highest quality fit testing services
available. We are dedicated to ensuring our customers
are in complete compliance with the OSHA Respiratory
Protection Standard.
The Difference between Qualitative and Quantitative
Fit Testing:
We at
LUMUR
prefer to provide our customers with quantitative
fit testing services rather than qualitative. Even
though OSHA permits qualitative methods they are
subjective and are not the best way to determine
adequate respirator fit. Qualitative fit testing
uses a challenge agent like banana oil or saccharin.
The test is subjective and relies on the workers
sense of taste or smell. OSHA regulations only permit
the use of qualitative testing for respirators that
require an Assigned Protection Factor of 10 or less.
This means if you choose to do a qualitative test
on a full face respirator, that respirator can not
be used in concentrations greater than 10 times
the chemical's permissible exposure limit. LUMUR
does not routinely offer
Qualitative
Fit Testing Services.
Quantitative
respirator fit testing uses the TSI PortaCount to
measure exact leakage into the breathing zone of
the respirator face piece. Contrary to popular perception,
it actually takes less time to conduct a quantitative
test then a qualitative test because there is no
taste or odor threshold screening time required.
Requirements
of the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard:
OSHA
requires that fit testing and respirator training
be conducted annually for all persons required to
use respiratory protection. Persons who use respirators
also must be medically cleared. OSHA requires that
full face respirators be fit tested quantitatively
if they are to be used to their full assigned protection
factor. All positive pressure face-pieces must be
fit tested in a negative pressure configuration.
This is a new requirement, previously supplied air
users did not have to fit test.
How
a Fit Test is Conducted:
When
a fit test is performed we follow the exact requirements
set forth in the OSHA regulation. A technician will
review how to put the respirator on, how to inspect
it and adjust it properly. The technician will also
explain the purpose of the test, how the equipment
works and what is expected of the test subject.
During the fit testing process the employee makes
head movements that simulate workplace exercises.
A complete fit test takes approximately 15 minutes
to complete. The PortaCount is used with color laptop
computer. Respirators, mask sampling adapters and
consumable supplies should be provided by the client.
All you need to do is provide us with clean shaven
persons to be tested.
LUMUR's
Strengths and Capabilities:
We are
set up to be extremely mobile. Our equipment is
stored in special cases designed specifically for
travel. We can also provide emergency fit testing
services on short notice. Professionalism and Customer
Service are emphasized. Wanda Enid Rodriguez, our
customer service and marketing manager functions
as a scheduling coordinator and will work with you
in setting up the job to ensure that fit testing
is conducted efficiently and cost effectively.
