Public Health
“Fit testing is extremely important”
Katina Skylas, NSWNMA Branch President at Concord Hospital, tells The Lamp how fit testing works.
“We put a mask on our face that is connected to software that measures particulate level inside the mask to assess effective mask seal.
“As part of the test we do a range of activities, such as bending up and down, turning your head left and right and saying a phrase that has a mix of all the possible consonant combinations to emulate every shape our face would move in when we are talking.
“There is a threshold number it has to reach for it to be a good fit.
“We need to reduce the risk of potential exposure to any pathogens, so fit testing is extremely important. I need to know that a particular mask fits me, and every time I put that mask on, I need to know it works properly.
“At Concord we had a stock of masks that everyone thought were superior, but on testing they actually failed the fit test for a number of people: it wasn’t the best mask for them, but it did fit others.
“Conversely, there were a lot of P2 masks that we thought were ineffectual: we didn’t think they provided a good seal, but in testing it was actually a very good mask for many staff.
“Staff try a range of masks that are available, and if they don’t fit it is deemed not safe for them to walk into the infectious room, and they aren’t allocated to those patients.
“About nine per cent of tested staff have failed the fit test, which highlights the need to find other solutions.
“We’ve been able to get access to other masks, including reusable battery-powered face masks. They are expensive but important to maintain workplace safety.”