Masks vs viruses

[Jerry-B-WI]

I'm still trying to figure out who would fit test a paper mask?

Do you mean who would do the test or who would have it done?

We used to get fit tested at work, but they eventually stopped doing it. I have no idea why it was stopped.

An outside company would come in once a year and do a pulmonary test, you had to take a deep breath and exhale as hard as possible in to a machine hooked to a computer. I think it measured your lung capacity.

After that test they would fit you with a N95 mask, instruct you how to fit it properly and then spray a saccharine mist. If you could smell the nasty sweet smell you didn't have a good seal, and they would instruct you how to readjust the mask.

I have no idea why they used saccharine other than the nasty smell and I have no idea what size the particles/molecules of saccharine.

Of course if you had facial hair or gross facial deformities you would never get a proper seal. And yes you could get a seal good enough to not smell the saccharine.

 

[Bill Loser]

Do you mean who would do the test or who would have it done?

We used to get fit tested at work, but they eventually stopped doing it. I have no idea why it was stopped.

An outside company would come in once a year and do a pulmonary test, you had to take a deep breath and exhale as hard as possible in to a machine hooked to a computer. I think it measured your lung capacity.

After that test they would fit you with a N95 mask, instruct you how to fit it properly and then spray a saccharine mist. If you could smell the nasty sweet smell you didn't have a good seal, and they would instruct you how to readjust the mask.

I have no idea why they used saccharine other than the nasty smell and I have no idea what size the particles/molecules of saccharine.

Of course if you had facial hair or gross facial deformities you would never get a proper seal. And yes you could get a seal good enough to not smell the saccharine.

I have worn respirators of all types for me entire career. Never have I seen or heard of anyone fit testing for a paper test. For a molded half face or full face respirator yes but for a n95 paper mask, no never. It would be utterly pointless as other than the 2 inch piece of metal over the bridge of your nose there is nothing to adjust.
As far as the mist, it's used to locate leaks in the mask between your face and the body of the mask. If you can smell/taste it the mask doesn't fit right, if you can't smell/taste it you are good.
I am the guy who performed those tests for my company. Fairly well versed in the uses of all types of respirators.

 

[Bill Loser]

As far as a pulmonary test, those are needed only to wear a respirator. Not to wear a paper n95 mask

 

[omicron1792]

I have worn respirators of all types for me entire career. Never have I seen or heard of anyone fit testing for a paper test. For a molded half face or full face respirator yes but for a n95 paper mask, no never. It would be utterly pointless as other than the 2 inch piece of metal over the bridge of your nose there is nothing to adjust.
As far as the mist, it's used to locate leaks in the mask between your face and the body of the mask. If you can smell/taste it the mask doesn't fit right, if you can't smell/taste it you are good.
I am the guy who performed those tests for my company. Fairly well versed in the uses of all types of respirators.

It’s been standard of care in every major medical center, lab, etc for years. Millions are fit tested yearly in the US.

Again, goes back to pathogen load. Unless working in a negative pressure environment with Ebola like pathogen, healthcare is about minimizing exposure not eliminating it. Cost is too prohibitive.

This isn’t a guess or magic or something weird. Trying to give insight into something many don’t know anything about.

 

[Bill Loser]

It’s been standard of care in every major medical center, lab, etc for years. Millions are fit tested yearly in the US.

Again, goes back to pathogen load. Unless working in a negative pressure environment with Ebola like pathogen, healthcare is about minimizing exposure not eliminating it. Cost is too prohibitive.

This isn’t a guess or magic or something weird. Trying to give insight into something many don’t know anything about.

You are just wrong. The whole idea of fit testing is to adjust the fit and or size of the respirator (key word here is respirator, not mask). An n95 paper mask is not adjustable so it to fit test it would be pointless. Add to that the fact that a n95 paper mask will not filter out the test solution so to use it would also be pointless . Sometimes you are just wrong.
Look at the pic and tell me where that is adjustable?

 

[Bill Loser]

Again, if you are being fit tested you are being fit tested for a respirator, not a n95 paper mask.

 

[omicron1792]

Again, if you are being fit tested you are being fit tested for a respirator, not a n95 paper mas

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/respiratory-protection-us/support/center-for-respiratory-protection/fit-testing/

Masks and Respirators

Wear a mask with the best fit, protection, and comfort for you.

www.cdc.gov

 

[omicron1792]

Bill. You ever watch a movie about your profession, and you cringe at how bad Hollywood portrays it?

That’s this thread my man.

 

[omicron1792]

Every hospital worker is fit tested for a n95 mask yearly. Millions a year. Dead fact.

 

[omicron1792]

N95 considered a respirator.

 

[jsasker007]

So what do they change to make it fit? Pinch the nose piece? Adjust the rubber bands?

 

[omicron1792]

Different sizes and fit masks. Proper adjustment.

 

[Bill Loser]

So what do they change to make it fit? Pinch the nose piece? Adjust the rubber bands?

Thats one of the jokes of what he posted, you cant adjust them. And the paper will not filter out the testing mist so its pointless. I was Osha trained for the testing and usage.

 

[omicron1792]

Thats one of the jokes of what he posted, you cant adjust them. And the paper will not filter out the testing mist so its pointless. I was Osha trained for the testing and usage.

Me too my man.

Actually a lab director. And a surgeon. But your mind is made up. Just won’t let untruths be spread.

 

[jsasker007]

Osha wants to know if my employees follow the proper procedure to insert ear plugs too.

 

[jsasker007]

I've been in several hospitals over the years for myself and visiting others and can say that where I live in Minnesota I've never seen anyone wear anything other than the popular face diaper that was used during covid. Maybe it's different depending on location?

 

[omicron1792]

Osha wants to know if my employees follow the proper procedure to insert ear plugs too.

Let’s keep things civil. No reason for that stuff.

We all are here to learn. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot about other things from you.

 

[omicron1792]

I've been in several hospitals over the years for myself and visiting others and can say that where I live in Minnesota I've never seen anyone wear anything other than the popular face diaper that was used during covid. Maybe it's different depending on location?

Before covid there wasn’t a lot of need to wear them. TB patients was main, but sometime other airborne disease. But we all got fit tested annually.

 

[bigbendmarine]

Omicron1792, with so much passion spent on discussing masks I'm very curious to hear your take on actual concern regarding COVID itself now that we're in 2023.

Not asking these questions to pick a fight, not asking to win any points/arguments, just sincerely interested on your take,

1) Are you continuing to social distance from others and wearing masks in public?
2) Are you concerned that enough natural immunity hasn't been developed among the masses (with almost everyone now having had covid) to offer at least relatively decent protection against death for all but those severely immunocompromised ?
3) Do you doubt journal data published showing higher myocarditis risks with shots than the actual virus? Doubt the studies showing elevated clotting/stroke risks with the shots?

Depending on your answers to the above, if you're not overly alarmed at the risk of the actual virus today in its current form, I'm not sure I understand the time and passion being spent devoted to arguing over masking.

I appreciate the thread started with a focus on masks, but if not especially scared of the virus at this time due to numerous factors that have changed with time (shots, natural immunity, virus mutating away from lower respiratory to less critical upper respiratory, etc, etc, etc) is the mask fight even one worth so much debate?

And it's not even like the government has been consistent regarding the masks/ongoing risks in any way, shape, or form. If you're still socially distancing and consistently masked when in public I'll at least give you credit for consistency.

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

So what do they change to make it fit? Pinch the nose piece? Adjust the rubber bands?

You can move the respirator up, down and side to side to adjust the fit. You can adjust the bands and the nose clip for fit. They also make different style N95's if the conventional one we all see doesn't work for you.

You wouldn't believe how many people I've seen put on a N95 and not use the bands correctly, then bitch thay the things don't work.