What I know about FFP3 fit tests

All masks should abide by 2016/ 425 RSSS regulations, meaning essentially it will do what it is meant to do. As far as I know, masks are about 98-99% efficient, subject to fit testing and filtration.

For the Hairies

Bearded men and women rejoice: you can have facial hair with disposable/ reusable FFP3 masks however, this must fit inside the face shield (AKA teeny tiny moustaches) .

Human hair awareness: Interestingly, human hair=70μm; PM10= 10μm; Coronavirus= 0.1μm. So hairy's beware! Heads must be covered.

Anything with PM 2.5μm can get into the lungs and cause lots pf problems ;[!

[There is a type of mask called Powered Air Respirator, which is great for beards, specs, contact lenses, and abnormal faces but there are problems cleaning this.]

So anyway...Fit Testing.

You can get qualitative or quantitative testing.

Qual= Subject to pass/fail. This tests the adequacy of the respirator, reliant on the individuals response to the test agent (a bitter eww or sweet taste). 7 exercises are done to test the seal. This is usually for a half mask.

Quant= Assesses the respirator adequacy by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the respirator, compared to outside the mask, resulting in a fit factor...not that kind of fit factor ;). The fit factor is how good the mask is compared to a simple fit or no fit. This is the kind of mask you'd wear if you're dealing with asbestos. It's done with a full face and half mask.

So with both masks, you should only really wear them 1 hour at a time. Before either test, you shouldn't eat or drink anything for 30mins prior (I guess this might mess with your taste buds). Problems as far as I am aware is that sometimes people can put them on too tight, leading to contact dermatitis. You also have to repeat the test if you gain or lose weight.

Although reusable masks may be more expensive, at least you can use them for the future once you get fit tested. You can not wash them, but should clean them with Milton (for 2 mins) or Clinell wipes. If they're soiled, you have to get rid of them.

Information sought from JSP (they seriously know their stuff): https://www.jspsafety.com/easyorder/index

For more reliable information, please ask the professionals.