Respirator fit factor performance while sweating

The extent to which sweat accumulation inside respirators affects respirato r fit has not been quantified. This study represents an attempt to measure facial sweating and to quantify its effects on fit factors of negative pres sure, full-facepiece respirators. Respirator fit factor (FF) data were obta ined while 14 subjects completed 30 minutes of treadmill walking at an inte nsity of 75% of age-predicted maximal heart rate in an aerosol test chamber under ambient environmental conditions. Subject facial and whole body swea t production were also measured. Statistical analysis of the treadmill FF r esults showed that respirator fit was significantly (p<0.05) degraded after 14 minutes of exercise. Sweat accumulation inside the respirator facepiece averaged 30.9+/-15.5 g. However, no significant correlation of subject fac ial sweat production with overall FF Values measured during exercise was fo und. The results of this study indicate that respirator FFs degrade signifi cantly over time under moderate exercise and environmental conditions and s uggest that facial sweat accumulation alone does not account for the reduce d FF levels.