Filtering out Confusion: Frequently Asked Questions about Respiratory Protection, User Seal Check

Over 3 million United States employees in approximately 1.3 million workplaces are required to wear respiratory protection. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (29 CFR 1910.134) requires an annual fit test to confirm the fit of any respirator that forms a tight seal on the wearer’s face before it is used in the workplace. Once a fit test has been done to determine the best respirator model and size for a particular user, a user seal check should be done every time the respirator is to be worn to ensure an adequate seal is achieved.

Filtering out Confusion: Frequently Asked Questions about Respiratory Protection, User Seal Check pdf icon[PDF – 504 KB]

Suggested Citation

NIOSH [2018]. Filtering out Confusion: Frequently Asked Questions about Respiratory Protection, User Seal Check. By Krah J., Shamblin M., and Shaffer R. Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 2018–130, https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2018130external icon