The entire world has been thrust into the midst of a global pandemic. Covid-19 has affected nearly every aspect of life and how we operate on a daily basis. Although many things have been shut down, medical and dental practices remain a necessary and vital service in all communities.
In order to keep employees safe and allow these practices to continue serving their patients and communities, many are now requiring their employees to wear N95 masks when in the office. N95 masks filter out at least 95% of viral particles, thus significantly reducing the chance of spread of Covid-19 and other viruses.
When a dental practice implements an N95 mask policy for employees, in order to comply with CDC guidance and OSHA regulations, they must have each employee fit tested for this mask. Respirator fit testing for dental offices is required annually and must be done for each manufacturer, model and size of N95 mask. Respirator testing California is a type of testing that requires specific specialized equipment.
Fit testing should be initiated when a new mask is first used and then annually, as mentioned above. A fit test typically takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete. The reason that respirator testing California is done is to ensure that a mask is sealing properly to the users face. A correct seal makes sure that contaminated air and viral particles do not seep in the sides of the mask, thus rendering it useless.
A fit test must be done utilizing the same brand, size and model of mask that a dental employee will be using for their in-office work. Obviously, if a differing mask is used for fit testing, one will not be ensured a correct fit of their work-issued mask. If an N95 respirator is shown to not seal correctly during fit testing, it is imperative to continue testing various masks until one that maintains a correct seal and fit is found.
The process that an employee will undergo during their respirator fit testing for dental offices is relatively simple and can include qualitative or quantitative means. Typically fit testing for dental offices is done qualitatively. This style of testing is simply done as a pass or fail type test and doesn’t quantitatively measure the amount of air leakage of the mask.
Qualitative fit testing is usually used for half mask styles, such as the N95 mask. Half masks only cover the users mouth and nose and do not extend beyond that. A qualitative fit test will rely on the employee’s sense of smell or reaction to an irritant that they are exposed to during the testing period. The fit test will be considered a failure if the mask user is able to detect any smell or irritant during the test, as this is indicative of air leakage.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has approved the following qualitative fit testing methods for N95 mask users:
Smoke: An irritant that will initiate coughing
Saccharin: Will leave a sweet taste in the mouth
Isoamyl Acetate: Has an aroma similar to bananas
Bitrex: Will leave a bitter taste in the mouth
It is important for medical and dental offices to take note that fit testing should be repeated if a mask user has physical changes that could alter the fit of their mask. These changes could include surgical altering or scarring of the facial area or significant weight loss or weight gain. In addition, if a mask user grows facial hair, this can cause the mask’s seal to fail. Therefore, it is recommended that N95 mask users be clean shaven in order to ensure proper sealing.
The implementation of N95 masks is a new addition to the personal protection equipment being required and provided by many dental offices. Fit testing is a requirement for this PPE to be used. A properly fitted N95 mask worn throughout the workday will significantly decrease the wearer’s exposure to dangerous aerosolized particles that could cause a Covid-19 or other infection.
It is clear that wearing an N95 respirator is not as comfortable as utilizing traditional dual layer disposable surgical masks, however, the protection level offered by these masks is far superior. At (company name) we are available to come to your dental office with the latest fit testing equipment to complete this process on all of your employees, so that you can be assured that all of the N95 masks you are using are OSHA compliant. Your safety is paramount to us, and we are here to help.
