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Respiratory Fit Testing and Training

Respiratory Protection

UTHSC personnel wearing a respirator must complete a three-step process prior to wearing a respirator. This is necessary to comply with state law, UTHSC procedures and to ensure your health and safety. Continue reading below for information about respirators and the process that must be completed to use them.

1. Medical Evaluation

Complete the Medical Evaluation Questionnaire and submit to Occupational Health for approval to wear a respirator. This ensures that you are physically capable of wearing a respirator without a risk to your health.

2. Training

Complete respirator training on Blackboard or as directed by your supervisor.  This informs you about the UTHSC Respiratory Protection Program and how to use your respirator. (Required annually)

3. Fit Testing

Email labsafety@uthsc.edu to schedule a fit test.  Confirm your respirator fits properly to provide the necessary protection. (Required annually.) PAPR users do not require fit testing.

A variety of people may require the use of respirators in a variety of situations. Here at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, the most common people requiring the use of respirators are:

  • Medical students
  • Medical residents
  • Postdoctoral researchers
  • Scientific researchers
  • Hazardous materials spill response
  • UTHSC Facilities skilled tradesmen

Whenever possible engineering controls like a fume hood or biosafety cabinet are preferred over respirators as a form of protection. In health care environments, when effective engineering controls are not feasible, or some occasions where engineering controls are being implemented, it may be necessary for researchers to use respiratory protection (i.e. a respirator). A respirator is required when UTHSC students and employees may be exposed to airborne biological materials, high concentrations of particulates, or hazardous chemical vapors and fumes such as the following instances:

  • Contact with patients suspected of producing airborne infectious agents, such as, tuberculosis, influenza, SARS, etc.
  • Using hazardous chemicals or infectious biological agents for scientific laboratory research
  • Using anesthetic gases during surgical procedures involving animals
  • Handling hazardous chemicals used by engineering, maintenance, and custodial operations
  • Melting, grinding, welding a variety of metals

When handling hazardous chemical or biological materials researchers are required to apply the hierarchy of controls to mitigate the risk associated with the materials with which they are working. All UTHSC personnel that are required to where a respirator must comply will all elements of the Tennessee OSHA Respiratory Protection standard and the UTHSC Respiratory Protection policy. Workers that are not required to where a respirator but who choose to do so voluntarily must do so in accordance with the provisions of voluntary respirator use after reading the information provided on the OSHA website.

TOSHA (Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requires the following before an employee may wear a respirator:

  • Medical approval to wear a respirator
  • Annual training
  • Annual fit testing of tight-fitting respirators (such as disposable N-95 face-filtering respirators, half-face respirators, and full-face respirators). (*Note: Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) do not require fit testing, but will still require medical approval and annual training.)


For more information, see the Respiratory Protection Plan or email labsafety@uthsc.edu.

Last Published: Dec 15, 2022