I've had someone fail a fit test, this means that had we not done the test and just allowed him to wear the RPE he would not have been protected. So yes I agree with it!

mmm??? Disposable masks, half face masks, not quite reasonable for disposable as there are instructions in the box training in house by H&S team and then off they go (refresher every 6 mths ) but half face plus full, ok there is a bit more to just wearing and throwing away ,...Training a must

The simple fact is if RPE is not correctly fitted it is worthless. Remember if you are relying on RPE as a control it is the only thing protecting your staff from exposure to airborne hazardous substances. So yes you must test the RPE to make sure it is working, except when you are relying on a positive pressure type face hood. In that case, obviously there is no ‘face fit’ to test. The HSE expect you carry out face fit testing as part of your duty to ensure that the RPE is being worn correctly and actually working.

Yes agree with face fit testing but what about "weekend stubble", can we ban it? Make them shave, Stop them growing beards? And as has already been said what about the weight we all put on after Christmas? Do we have to face fit everyone again?

Re post 4, disposable masks are used in asbestos sampling and a lot of non-licensable asbestos removal works, i think there should still be a requirement for face fit. But that aside, the main point of fit testing is the mask can give protection up to a certain multiplicative factor of the exposure limit, this level of protection is used to ensure adequate control of exposure where there is a reliance on RPE, if this level of protection is not gained due to poor fit, or level of protection is unknown, how could you argue it is protecting the individual sufficiently? Des

I suggest you read paragraphs 150 and 151 of the ACOP to COSHH http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l5.pdf and then look in more detail at the rest of COSHH.

Hi redken, We do it annually to close a gap in competency. When I started at the site I now work at they had never done any fit testing. The majority of the operators had been issued RPE without any induction training, so were not even aware of what the fit check was, let alone know how to do it. The plan is to continue to use the annual fit test as an opportunity for refresher training until the training gap is closed.