Respiratory fit testers accreditation scheme
July 4th 2007 The BSIF has been concerned that the quality of Respiratory Fit Test provision has, on occasions, been below an acceptable standard, risking injury and death.
In conjunction with the manufacturers of Respiratory Protective Equipment, current major Fit Test Provision organisations and the Health & Safety Laboratory (an agency of the HSE), BSIF has been developing a scheme to offer a standard qualification in RPE Fit Test Provision, which will be backed by an accreditation process to ensure correct implementation with RPE users.
The scheme is now well advanced and a launch in early 2008 is envisaged. With the support of the HSE and the safety industry, this new scheme should help ensure the use of Respiratory Protective Equipment becomes safer and more effective for the future.
A recent objectives and mission statement was released by this group and a portion of this is below.
Vision
It has been recognised by a number of sources (HSE / BSIF / RPE Manufacturers), that the competency of some RPE Fit Testers is inadequate to enable them to carry out their function satisfactorily or safely.
This may be because they lack the necessary knowledge and understanding of fit testing and how it should be carried out. Alternatively, they may not have acquired the practical skill or may not have sufficient practical experience in order to carry out fit testing competently. Even if competence has at some time been achieved, skills may have become a little ‘rusty’.
The net result is that RPE Fit Testing is, on occasions, poorly carried out, risking serious respiratory injury to the wearer.
Mission
To introduce into the market a competency scheme which ensures RPE Fit Testers have sufficient knowledge, understanding and practical skill to carry out their function satisfactorily and to assess on a regular basis their competency to continue in this role.
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