Your employee has passed a face-fit test. Then the usual respirator goes out of stock and purchasing orders a different model. The new box still says FFP3, but that does not establish that it fits the same person. Face-fit testing needs to connect with what workers actually receive and wear. For employers, the useful question is not simply ‘have we got certificates?’ It is ‘can we match each wearer to suitable equipment and keep that protection working?’
Start with exposure control, not a box of masks
Under COSHH, exposure to substances hazardous to health must be prevented or adequately controlled. Review the substance, process and actual task first. Enclosure, extraction, different materials and changes to the work method may reduce the need to rely on personal protection. A fit-test appointment does not replace that assessment.
RPE may still be needed for residual exposure, while better controls are introduced, or for certain short-duration and exceptional tasks. Record why it is needed and who makes the selection decision. That gives supervisors a clear starting point when the work changes.
HSE distinguishes equipment that provides enough protection against the hazard from equipment suited to the wearer, task and environment. A particle-filtering mask is not automatically protection against gases or vapours. Filtering respirators also do not supply oxygen; oxygen-deficient atmospheres require specialist arrangements, not a better-fitting disposable mask.
HSE: controlling hazardous substances ↗ · HSE: when RPE can be used ↗ · Related guide: task-specific COSHH assessment →
A fit test is specific to the wearer and facepiece
Tight-fitting RPE depends on a reliable seal against the face. HSE says fit testing should form part of initial selection, with the successfully tested make, model, type and size then supplied to that wearer. Different faces need different options; a single stock item will not necessarily fit everyone.
This applies to disposable and reusable tight-fitting facepieces. Where someone uses more than one, each needs appropriate fit testing. Suitably selected loose-fitting powered hoods or helmets do not depend on the same face seal and do not require face-fit testing.
As a practical example, a Teesside joinery business changes supplier to reduce delays. Before issuing the substitute masks, its manager checks the approved wearer-and-mask list. The purchasing saving is not treated as evidence of an equivalent fit. Put that check into ordering and goods-in arrangements so it does not depend on someone remembering a conversation.
Choose a suitable method and a competent tester
Qualitative testing uses the wearer's detection of a test aerosol and is suitable for disposable or reusable half masks, not full-face masks. Quantitative testing measures leakage numerically; the appropriate method depends on the facepiece. Ask the provider to confirm the method is suitable for your equipment.
HSE expects a competent tester. Fit2Fit accreditation can help demonstrate competence, but the scheme is not compulsory. Attending a training course is not the same as holding accreditation, so check the actual evidence rather than relying on a logo or an ambiguous description.
Before booking, give the tester an accurate equipment list and explain other head-worn PPE. Arrange time away from production, clear joining instructions and access to alternative facepieces. A failed result needs a workable next step; the worker should not be sent back into exposure with the failed mask simply because the appointment has finished.
Close the gap between testing and the equipment cupboard.
HR + SAFETY can help review your RPE arrangements, identify fit-testing needs and connect wearer records with purchasing and supervisor checks.
Discuss your RPE arrangementsManage facial hair and individual needs before the task
Stubble or beard hair in the sealing area prevents a reliable tight seal. A past pass does not make today's facial hair irrelevant. Discuss this before allocating work, including suitable alternatives where a tight-fitting option cannot be used.
Some medical conditions can restrict RPE use. Where suitability is uncertain, arrange appropriate medical assessment. Consider individual needs respectfully and choose protection that works, rather than treating difficulty wearing a particular mask as unwillingness to cooperate.
Keep any health discussion private and give supervisors only the practical information they need. They should know which equipment is authorised, any agreed limitations and who to contact if the arrangement stops working. The objective is reliable protection for the person doing the task, not a uniform appearance across the workforce.
Retest when fit may have changed
HSE identifies changes to RPE type, size, model or material, and changes affecting the wearer's face or other head-worn PPE, as repeat-test triggers. Examples include weight changes, substantial dental work and facial changes around the seal. A scheduled review must not delay action when one of these occurs.
Give employees a simple way to flag changes without asking them to diagnose whether the seal is still adequate. Include an RPE review in equipment substitutions and changes to eye or head protection. If there is doubt about the existing fit, resolve it before relying on that facepiece for hazardous work.
Keep a usable report identifying the wearer, tested facepiece, method, date, tester and result. A document labelled only ‘dust mask passed’ leaves purchasing and supervisors guessing. Make the information available where equipment is issued, with access controlled appropriately.
A daily seal check is not another fit test
The wearer should perform the manufacturer's pre-use seal check each time the facepiece is put on, before entering the contaminated area. It checks correct fitting on that occasion; it does not replace the formal fit test.
Training, supervision, maintenance and storage remain essential. Workers need to recognise damaged straps, valves or seals, know how to report defects and understand when to replace filters or equipment under the relevant instructions. Store clean RPE so it is protected from contamination and damage.
During routine supervision, ask workers to explain what they would do if the mask became uncomfortable or leaked. Make stopping and reporting a problem a usable option. A certificate filed in the office cannot correct a loose strap or an improvised adjustment during a shift.
HSE: using RPE effectively ↗ · HSE HSG53: respiratory protective equipment at work ↗ · Related guide: maintaining effective extraction →
The supervisor's issue-and-use checklist
Legal duties and HSE guidance were checked on 20 September 2026. HSE's INDG479 and HSG53 explain good practice; they are guidance documents, not separate certificates of legal compliance.
- Does the assessment identify the respiratory hazard and required protection?
- Is the issued facepiece the one successfully tested for this wearer?
- Have equipment substitutions or wearer changes been reviewed?
- Are facial hair, other PPE and individual needs addressed?
- Can the worker demonstrate fitting and the pre-use seal check?
- Are maintenance, storage, replacements and defect reporting organised?
- Can the supervisor stop use and arrange a suitable alternative if protection is doubtful?
Connect assessment, selection, testing, purchasing and daily use. A successful fit test is valuable only when the worker receives the right facepiece and the conditions needed for it to protect them.
This guide provides general information for UK employers. It is not legal advice and should not replace advice based on the facts of a specific matter.