AOHP/OSHA Alliance Creates Respirator Fit Testing Card
The Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare's alliance with OSHA brainstormed the idea during a conference call that included NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Lab.
Health care professionals conflicted or confused about the need to wear N95 protective respirators at work this flu season have a new resources at their disposal that can be a big help to themselves and their facilities’ safety and compliance officers. The Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare’s alliance with OSHA brainstormed a new respirator training and fit testing verification card during a conference call that included NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Lab, which is involved in PPE of all kinds, especially respiratory protection.
The resulting card is a simple way to record the make and model of respirator on which a worker was successfully fit tested so the information can be kept handy and filed. Part of the card lists basic safety tips for correctly donning and removing (doffing) respirators.
Most authorities, including an expert panel convened by the Institute of Medicine, CDC, and the International Safety Equipment Association, have recommended that health workers who are in direct contact with H1N1 patients wear N95 respirators on the job to ensure they are protected. Medical masks are not fit tested and are not considered adequate protection against the virus.