FIT Test & Facial Hair

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Larry Lasich on December 20, 2008 at 8:56am

Grow a 'stash. No hair on the mask seal.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on December 20, 2008 at 10:34am

This is a very hot topic at my FD primarily because I am a Muslim and my religion requires men to grow their facial hair. I have requested to be allowed to grow a beard and then be fit tested. I agree to grow it to a length determined by myself and the FD administration(1/4 inch in length). I also agree to keep it neat, clean, and trimmed. I understand the safety debate even with the positive pressure SCBA's and I understand the issue of loosing air through a compromised mask seal. I understand the hazard that this may present the individual and his/her team members. I also understand how this may be perceived as jeapordizing the public's safety as well. Their is no documented proof that a light beard has ever been the causitive factor of an on scene injury, mayday, or distress situation. I am requesting only that I be allowed to grow a beard, be fit tested and abide by the findings of the test. I am asking a for an ammendment to the facial hair policy or a religious exemption. As far as the other members, if one can pass a fit test, then I have no problem with facial hair. For whatever reason, it is a part of ingrained culture to be clean shaven and we as FF's have managed to turn this into a requirement. I cherish the Fire service and the history and traditions that we honor and respect as much as any FF but can't I practice my faith and still be your brother? These are changing times and if we believe in diversity and the American melting pot, we have to be open minded. How do we know for sure that a beard will cause a FF to fail a fit test, if we never fit test a FF who has a beard?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by J Brooks on December 21, 2008 at 8:47am

Who cares? If you keep it neatly groomed and pass your fit test, what is the big deal? We have a policy about how long your mustache can be. If it is neat and trimmed, who cares? Will the micro-managing ever end? If your religious beliefs require a beard, your are not the only one Shareef, then you should be able to keep a beard if you can pass the test. I do have a problem with the guys that let the facial hair look like a wet dog though. How many vollie firefighters on a day off or vacation, do not shave regularly? I shave when I have to work. I shave when I am at work. But, the two days in between, unless we have something to do, probably not. I can still get a seal.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bobby Halton on December 21, 2008 at 7:05pm

Todd, It is not a matter of how one feels about it, in America it is federal law specifically the Regulations (Standards - 29 CFR) Respiratory Protection. - 1910.134 specifically

Use of respirators. This paragraph requires employers to establish and implement procedures for the proper use of respirators. These requirements include prohibiting conditions that may result in facepiece seal leakage, preventing employees from removing respirators in hazardous environments, taking actions to ensure continued effective respirator operation throughout the work shift, and establishing procedures for the use of respirators in IDLH atmospheres or in interior structural firefighting situations.
1910.134(g)(1)
Facepiece seal protection.
1910.134(g)(1)(i)
The employer shall not permit respirators with tight-fitting facepieces to be worn by employees who have:
1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A)
Facial hair that comes between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interferes with valve function; or
1910.134(g)(1)(i)(B)
Any condition that interferes with the face-to-facepiece seal or valve function.

This means you can not regardless of the results of a fit test means either to qualitatively or quantitatively evaluate the fit of a respirator on an individual if the individual has hair within the mask they cannot participate in any occupational activity which requires wearing an SCBA.
I know other countries have different rules as I ran FDIC Bahrain for the last three years. However due to the highly toxic smoke created in quantitavive decompostion of plastics even there they are starting to demand clean shaven faces. The issue is very complicated for the religious, but to be better informed go to the OSHA site and read the entire document.
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?
p_id=12716&a...


Also from Eckstein M, Maniscalco PM:Focus on smoke inhalation—The most common cause of acute cyanide poisoning. Prehosp Disast Med 2005;21(2):s49–s55.
"The contribution of smoke inhalation to cyanide-attributed morbidity andmortality arguably surpasses all other sources of acute cyanide poisoning.Research establishes that cyanide exposure is: (1) to be expected in those
exposed to smoke in closed-space fires; (2) cyanide poisoning is an importantcause of incapacitation and death in smoke-inhalation victims; and (3) that cyanide can act independently of, and perhaps synergistically with, carbon
monoxide to cause morbidity and mortality. Effective prehospital managementof smoke inhalation-associated cyanide poisoning is inhibited by: (1) alack of awareness of fire smoke as an important cause of cyanide toxicity; (2) the
absence of a rapidly returnable diagnostic test to facilitate its recognition; and (3) in the United States, the current unavailability of a cyanide antidote that can be used empirically with confidence outside of hospitals. Addressing the
challenges of the prehospital management of smoke inhalation-associated cyanide poisoning entails: (1) enhancing the awareness of the problem amongprehospital responders; (2) improving the ability to recognize cyanide poisoning
on the basis of signs and symptoms; and (3) expanding the treatmentoptions that are useful in the prehospital setting."

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wayne Benner Jr on December 22, 2008 at 8:21pm

Thanks for the facts Mr Halton.
It is also law in Ontario Canada (OSHA)
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/ppe/respslct.html?oe
Anyone who will don a SCBA or any other style of respirator must be cleaned shaven (Beard).
Yes we see many Volunteer firefighters with beards, I can only assume they are not masking up. If something as to go wrong I wouldnt want to be the Chief who allowed its ,members to wear a beard.
And Fit testing is also mandatory.
My department has certfied testers and we are tested yearly.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on December 24, 2008 at 12:23pm

Thank you all for your responses and positive input. It is so refreshing to finally get some outside support in this issue. This is what brotherhood is about. Thanks again

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bobby Halton on December 24, 2008 at 12:47pm

Shareef,
I hope that always "respectful and dignified" is how all our discussions in Fire Engineering are described. One direction this issue could go not yet discussed, is how the current face pieces are being designed or perhaps we should have multiple designs. There are growing populations of religious firefighters from several different religions which require their followers to refrain from shaving. These bravest could be well served by some innovative manufacturer who could design a seal which somehow avoids the perimeter of the face.

This is going to require some investment and research but given the returns maybe the time has come for some one to get creative and responsive. The greater good could be recognized by improving respiratory protection for all firefighters. Some of us Irish can have a clean shaven face at 0800 and a full beard at 1900!

Innovation always needs inspiration please feel free to forward this link to every SCBA manufacturer in the world. The smart one should be the first to figure this issue out. Better respiratory protection will always have my unconditional support, lower cancer rates, fewer heart attacks, longer life expectancies those would be truly gifts all firefighters should being praying for.

I always enjoy speaking with you, As-Salaam-Alaikum, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah and peace to all this holiday season and new year!
Your Brother Bobby

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tim Zehnder on January 21, 2009 at 12:12am

I agree, no hair on the seal Rules are rules.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by robert sollberger on January 23, 2009 at 11:06am

IT IS NOT JUST THE FIT TEST THAT IS THE PROBLEM - POSSIBLITY OF BURNS - AND JUST BECAUSE THE PASS THE FIT TEST DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL ALWAYS SEAL - NOT WORTH THE RISK

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tim Zehnder on January 23, 2009 at 11:17am

I respect your religon, but in all walks of life there are rules we need to follow and no facial hair touching the seal is what the standard says. So that said, we must follows rules.

Shareef Abdu Nur said:

This is a very hot topic at my FD primarily because I am a Muslim and my religion requires men to grow their facial hair. I have requested to be allowed to grow a beard and then be fit tested. I agree to grow it to a length determined by myself and the FD administration(1/4 inch in length). I also agree to keep it neat, clean, and trimmed. I understand the safety debate even with the positive pressure SCBA's and I understand the issue of loosing air through a compromised mask seal. I understand the hazard that this may present the individual and his/her team members. I also understand how this may be perceived as jeapordizing the public's safety as well. Their is no documented proof that a light beard has ever been the causitive factor of an on scene injury, mayday, or distress situation. I am requesting only that I be allowed to grow a beard, be fit tested and abide by the findings of the test. I am asking a for an ammendment to the facial hair policy or a religious exemption. As far as the other members, if one can pass a fit test, then I have no problem with facial hair. For whatever reason, it is a part of ingrained culture to be clean shaven and we as FF's have managed to turn this into a requirement. I cherish the Fire service and the history and traditions that we honor and respect as much as any FF but can't I practice my faith and still be your brother? These are changing times and if we believe in diversity and the American melting pot, we have to be open minded. How do we know for sure that a beard will cause a FF to fail a fit test, if we never fit test a FF who has a beard?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tim Zehnder on January 23, 2009 at 11:25am

I am not impressed with a "How Cares" attitude, rules are put in for safety reasons and saying what you just said is why we have problems in what we do. Grow up this is not 3rd grade if you don't like the rules please go find a different job. This is the greatest job in the world please don't try and give it a bad name because you not like the rules.
J Brooks said:

Who cares? If you keep it neatly groomed and pass your fit test, what is the big deal? We have a policy about how long your mustache can be. If it is neat and trimmed, who cares? Will the micro-managing ever end? If your religious beliefs require a beard, your are not the only one Shareef, then you should be able to keep a beard if you can pass the test. I do have a problem with the guys that let the facial hair look like a wet dog though. How many vollie firefighters on a day off or vacation, do not shave regularly? I shave when I have to work. I shave when I am at work. But, the two days in between, unless we have something to do, probably not. I can still get a seal.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chris Whitby on January 23, 2009 at 1:39pm

Todd,
We have some of the same fights; I'm not sure what state you are in but here in NY we are an OSHA adapted state and like Bobby said these requirements are clearly spelled out in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134. We do have a Hasidic Jewish community in the county where I am also a volunteer. They basically have few members that were cleared by the head rabbi to shave. Most of the interior fighting is done by an AMA neighboring department. Now does this always happen; NO; I have video proof; but that is the way it works on paper.
Your basic dilemma is the infighting; this has a real simple solution; it’s an OSHA regulation and a NFPA recommendation which is strictly for the safety if the members. You should emphasize this in your training. Because I would not what it sit in a court room and explain why I ignored OSHA and NFPA. Especially in NY; we already have case law that shows you can be convicted for negligence for not following NFPA 1403.
Hope this helps your problem,
Chris

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page