The Value of Anthropometrics
How to Improve and Apply Respirator Fit Testing

Course Level

Intermediate

Prerequisites
 
Attendees should have some respirator background, preferably with knowledge of fit testing.

Who Will Benefit

• OEHS managers, supervisors and directors
• Industrial hygienists
• Consultants
• Fit test operators

Presented By

• Ziqing Zhuang
• William Newcomb

Course Description

Recent trends in the field PPE testing have focused on the need to effectively evaluate PPE systems performance for Total Inward Leakage (TIL) under laboratory conditions. Advances in the number of effective, validated TIL test procedures have made TIL practical as a requirement for respirator certification. It is anticipated the TIL performance requirement will be based on state-of-the-art respirator performance and will account for differences between laboratory test conditions and workplace conditions. The performance requirements will be respirator class specific, and while they may be used by OSHA to establish APFs, the requirements will not be the same as present or proposed APF values. The TIL test will use a panel of subjects from a NIOSH updated Los Alamos panel, in sizes specified by the respirator manufacturer. The revised panel will cover more of the diversity that is found in today's US workforce. This course will provide an overview of fit testing, including the application of fit testing methodology to the NIOSH Certification program.  It will also provide the participants insight into the development of the new respiratory fit test panel, as well as providing an overview of fit testing results using the new panel.

Course Outline

• Overview of fit testing
• NIOSH respirator certification
• New respirator fit test panel
• Results of testing using the new panel

Learning Outcomes

Students will be provided with tools to better able them to:

• Understand the value of fit testing
• Categorize facial characteristics which effect of respirator users
• Identify applicable fit testing methodologies that can be applied within their own organization

Presenter Bios

Ziqing Zhuang Ph.D.

Dr. Ziqing Zhuang is a senior scientist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  He is the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of the International Society for Respiratory Protection.  He is also an advisor for the National Research Counsel (NRC) post-doctoral research associates.  He has more than 15 years of research experience in respiratory protection.  His research topics include: (1) workplace protection factor studies at foundry, paint-spraying, and steel-manufacturing operations; (2) development and evaluation of quantitative and qualitative fit-test methods; (3) probability approach for evaluating the adequacy of the assigned protection factor of 10 for half-masks; (4) simulated workplace performance of N95 respirators; (5) development of respirator fit-test panels representative of today=s U.S. workers; and (6) three-dimensional scanning technology and digital facial models.  He has more than 40 publications.  Two of his publications were selected as the NIOSH nominees for the CDC Charles Shepard Science Award and the Institute outstanding scientific papers in 2004 and 2006.  He received the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) John White Best Paper Award in 1996, 1999, and 2000. Dr. Zhuang received a Ph.D. degree in Industrial Engineering specializing in Ergonomics from West Virginia University in May 1995.  He served as the chairman of the AIHA Respiratory Protection Committee in 2005.  He serves on the ISO TC94 SC15 respiratory protective device standards committee, WG1 (working group 1) and WG2.  He is an adjunct professor at the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, West Virginia University.  He served on various advisory committees for master and doctoral students.

Bill Newcomb

Bill Newcomb is presently a Physical Scientist for NIOSH in the Policy and Standards Development Branch of the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory.  Having a BS from Roger Williams University with graduate studies at Providence College, Newcomb worked for North Safety Products for more than 40 years before his retirement.  There he was instrumental in the development of all types of respirators, SCBA, eye and face protection products, hard hats, hearing protectors, medical devices and instruments.  Bill has taken an active part in the drafting of product and/or use standards for personal protective equipment under the accreditation of ANSI, NFPA, CSA, ULC and ISO, and is presently the Administrator for the US Technical Advisory Group to ISO TC94/SC15 Respiratory Protective Devices.  Mr. Newcomb has also published several articles on the use and limitations of PPE.

Certification

If you submit your final exam within one month of purchasing your CD you can get 0.5 CM points, 0.25 COCs, and 0.25 CEUs.

Simply download the post TeleWeb CD order form  to purchase the original TeleWeb broadcast. You can review the CD on your own or with a group or even share it with your student section, local section, and others.