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FFP3 Fit Testing
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| On May 19 2006 9:22AM joe.allan wrote: |
We are receiving conflicting information from various manufacturers of the FFP3 respirators with regards to training requirements/level of fit testing needed. Having spoken to numerous colleagues we understand that some Trusts are not undertaking a full fit test with hood, bitrex etc (as recommended by the HSE) but are performing a face seal test only. What are you doing in your Trust? Your comments are welcomed.
thanks
Carmel Edwards & Joe Allan |
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| On May 22 2006 1:51PM debbie.king wrote: |
| For FFP3 we are doing a full hood test. In some areas we are using FFP1 and here we just do the face fit test and our H&S; officer has been happy with this |
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| On May 24 2006 9:21PM jennie.lawrence wrote: |
| as a PCT we are planning fit testing with Bitrex |
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| On May 25 2006 9:15AM debbiecalver wrote: |
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| On May 25 2006 10:16AM debbiecalver wrote: |
We are having real problems here. The new TB guidance states that if you are caring for a patient with suspected or proven MRD TB whilst they are considered infectious or conducting aerosol generating procedures on patients with sensative TB then staff should wear an FFP3 respirator. This is also the case for staff conducting aerosol generating procedures on patients with pandemic influenza. The PPE regs (updated 2002) state that staff should be fit tested.
We contacted 3M and they informed us that the fit testing should consist of the hood with a solution of either Bitrix or Saccharin. We undertook training in the fit testing procedure taking extreme care with facial seals on a variety of different staff with different shaped faces and had a very high fail rate (of 15 tested only 1 passed!) We recalled the company who returned to fit test a number of staff and after 3 hours managed to pass 3 different staff with 3 different masks.
Since then we contacted Mike Clayton from the Health & Safety Executive Laboratory in Buxton who suggested that he had experinces of significant failure rates and he would be interested in hearing of experiences of fit testing currently being undertaken in the health service. We have also been contacted by a Dr Ben Killingsley from the DOH who is laeding on respiratory protection and is also interested in experiences from the shop floor.
We have since abandoned fit testing until we get advice from either the DOH or HSE. This is because we do not wish staff to loose faith in what we believe to be a good product if it is the actual fit testing procedure itself that is the problem Also it is hugely time consuming and costly to fit test several different types of masks. I am aware of another hospital (a large London Trust) that has also abandoned fit testing for the same reasons and is instead training staff in donning and removal of masks until they hear otherwise from the powers that be. |
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 ICNA Community Network MeetingPlease note the next Community ICNA meeting is on the, Wednesday 6th September 2006 and will be held at Eastman Dental Hospital, London.
To download the agenda go to the CICNN page under 'Business and Special Interest Groups' (Member access required)
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The 36th Annual Infection Control ConferenceSeptember 25th to 27th 2006
The Brighton Centre
Brighton, England
This is THE Infection control conference of the year, focusing on prevention and control of infections in all areas of healthcare. The conference will provide a mixture of lectures, debates, concurrent sessions, workshops and networking.
Leading international Speakers who have already confirmed include Dr Seto Wing Hong and Stuart Emslie.
To be kept up to date with br... More
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