PortaCount Quantitative Fit Testing

The PortaCount is an instrument to be used to perform quantitative fit testing. A quantitative Fit Test is an assessment of the adequacy of respirator fit by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the respirator. The PortaCount can be used to fit test the 7000/7800/8000/9000 series and any disposable filtering facepiece respirator.

For 7000/7800 use 7006 (you must use the correct probed cartridge for each model. They are prominently marked). A probed cartridge with P100 filter will be attached to one side of the 7000/7800 facepiece; the other side will have a regular P100 filter (see Appendix A for 7006 Instructions). You must perform the fit test in this configuration even though the user will be using other cartridges in the field. This is accepted practice since you are only testing the face to facepiece seal, and not the efficacy of the filtration. Filtration has already been validated through the NIOSH approval. Once a facepiece is chosen for a particular employee, they can take the facepiece they were tested on to be used in the field, if appropriate. All they will need to do is attach the appropriate cartridges to the facepiece.

To perform a fit test on Moldex disposables, you will have to probe the appropriate respirator. You should perform the fit test on the same model and size that the employee intends to use in the field. After each test, the respirator should be discarded and a new one used for the next employee. These probed respirators may not be used in the work environment. Although this will result in some added cost for the employer, it generally only needs to be done once per year.

A copy is also included with the PortaCount when you order it through our Loan Program. When you wish to use the PortaCount and you will be ordering it from Moldex Technical Services, +1 (800) 421-0668, ext. 512/550. We suggest that you order it to arrive a few days in advance of when you will actually perform fit testing so that you can go through all the instructions and work with the unit, we suggest that you perform fit testing on yourself or someone else with the 7000/7800 and a few models of Moldex disposables to become very familiar with the instruments before you actually use them in the field.

Click here for more information on Probed Cartridge Kit for 7000 & 7800 Series Reusable Respirators

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