Respirator Fit Testing

About Fit Testing

***REMINDER: Fit testing and medical clearance is an annual requirement. ***

Respirators are pieces of personal protective equipment that provide respiratory protection against airborne contaminants.  Respirators will either filter the ambient air (for example, N-95, PAPR, or half-mask air purifying respirators) or they will provide clean breathing air for the employee (for example, SCBA and air-line respirators).  

N-95 respirator OSHAEvery person's face is different, and respirators are NOT one size fits all.  A respirator that does not fit provides no protection and can actually be more dangerous than not wearing a respirator.  To make sure your respirator fits correctly to provide you with adequate protection, all employees wearing a respirator must be fit tested on an annual basis.  Fit testing is a service provided by the Radiation & Occupational Safety Program.

Because a respirator is being placed on a person's face and can make breathing more difficult, UTMB must make sure that employees are healthy enough to wear a respirator.  Medical conditions such as severe asthma, COPD, and emphysema can make the wearing of a respirator unsafe for an employee.  Before any employee can be fit tested and wear a respirator, they must first be medically evaluated by a licensed healthcare professional.  Respirator medical evaluations of UTMB employees is a service provided by the Employee Health Clinic.

Scheduling a Fit Test

INDIVIDUAL FIT TESTS

Before scheduling an individual fit test, verify with Employee Health that you have a previous medical clearance for a respirator: https://hr.utmb.edu/ehc/

  • Medical questionnaire forms for N-95 and PAPR can be completed here (if you are a healthcare worker only wearing an N95 or a PAPR, this is the form you need to complete).
  • Respiratory questionnaire form for other types of respirators (half-face or full-face respirators) can be downloaded here.

Individual Respirator fit tests can be scheduled by clicking the button to the right or clicking this link.  Individual fit tests are scheduled Monday through Friday 8 AM-4 PM.  Individual fit tests on the Galveston Campus are conducted in John Sealy Annex, 1.136 (the old Faculty Lounge across from Sub Connection in Cafe on the Court) by scheduled appointment.  

Although we will try to accommodate urgent fit test requests, we request at least three day's notice for scheduling fit tests. Same-day fit test requests are not guaranteed.  

NON-GALVESTON OR DEPARTMENTAL FIT TESTS

If you are located at one of the regional campuses (LCC, ADC, CLC), please contact your supervisor to see about scheduling an on-campus fit test event.  A 20 employee minimum is required for us to perform fit tests at one of the regional hospital campuses. Supervisors can contact Environmental Health & Safety once the minimum number of people have been confirmed.

Departmental fit tests can be scheduled (10 employee minimum) by having your department contact submit our Departmental Fit Test Request Form.

Employees must be clean shaven wherever the respirator will seal against their face in order to be fit tested and to wear a tight-fitting respirator!  Anyone with visible stubble or a beard/mustache where the respirator will seal against the skin will not be fit tested.  This CDC/NIOSH Blog post provides a good illustration of acceptable and unacceptable facial hair.

Click a button below to schedule a fit test at Galveston Campus.

Schedule GAL Fit-Test

Click a button below to schedule a fit test at Regional Hospital Locations (upon request).

Schedule ADC Fit-Test

Schedule CLC Fit-Test

Schedule LCC Fit-Test