Effect of Facial Hair on Respirator Performance

Hyatt, E. C.; Pritchard, Jack A.; Richards, C.P.; Geoffrion, L.A.

doi:10.1080/0002889738506822

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…The results obtained in the present study are strongly supported by those reported in the literature [11,15,16,17,18,19,26]. The importance of having a beard in the Saudi population, due to either cultural or religious reasons, makes us recall Stobbe’s opinion that for a negative pressure respirator, facial hair is a health hazard and no beards should be permitted.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Hair that interferes with the sealing of a respirator places it in question as a protective device, and the individual wearing the respirator cannot expect the same kind of performance as someone who is clean shaven. For instance, Hyatt, et al [15] studied facial hair and respirator performance in which subjects with beards were investigated. They found that wearers with different amounts of hair, whether from stubble, sideburns, or beards, had an effect on the performance of the respirator.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of Full-Facepiece Respirator Fit on Fire Fighters in the Municipality of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Balkhyour

2013

IJERPH

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The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of personal variables on the fit of the respirators used by firefighters and workers in highly polluted environments. However, resistance from many plants managers was met to conduct the study on their workers. Therefore, we were forced to limit the study on firefighters who were found very cooperative. Forty volunteer firefighters from different departments participated in the study. They were subjected to a daily leak rate measurement using a Control Negative Pressure (CNP) fit tester for five consecutive days. Two types of respirators were used for each volunteer: the Drager type and the MSA. At the end of the study, the association between face shape and presence of beard with the respirator leak rates was investigated. A significant difference in the leak rate was detected between the two types of respirators used, with the Drager respirator having higher leak rates. The presence of a beard increased dramatically the leak rate whatever the face shape was. The oval shape was the best fitting to the respirators, followed by the rounded and finally the rectangular face. The study recommends that personal variables like face shape must be taken into consideration and fit testing must be carried out periodically, to specify the respirator that best fits each firefighter. Having beard must be absolutely prohibited, since it can be life threatening in environmental dangerous conditions such those encountered during extinguishing fires and overhaul situations.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Full-Facepiece Respirator Fit on Fire Fighters in the Municipality of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Balkhyour

2013

IJERPH

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“…This condition severely reduces the efficiency of the respirators since facial hair interferes with proper sea1. 17 The presence of facial hair was not as common during the followup visit.…”

Section: B Arsenicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-80-234-1196, Master Metals, Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio.

1982

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“…Only four (7%} of the 54 specimens exceeded 20 ug/g creatinine. The highest urine arsenic concentration, 52 ug/g creatinine (not the worker with the split sample noted above), was in a parter who was sampled only one day. He had no detectable airborne arsenic exposure.…”

Section: Arsenicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-84-041-1592, Johnson Controls, Inc., Owosso, Michigan.

Singal¹,

Zey²,

Arnold³

1985

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Effect of Facial Hair on Respirator Performance

Cited by 10 publications

References 1 publication

Evaluation of Full-Facepiece Respirator Fit on Fire Fighters in the Municipality of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Evaluation of Full-Facepiece Respirator Fit on Fire Fighters in the Municipality of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-80-234-1196, Master Metals, Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio.

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-84-041-1592, Johnson Controls, Inc., Owosso, Michigan.

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