Facial Hair and Mask Fit Testing: What Participants Need to Know

MaskFit+ instructor, Mario, demonstrating where hair cannot be as the bottom flap of the mask must come down and must be tight to the skin.

MaskFit+ instructor demonstrating where the bottom of the mask must be folded down and there cannot be any facial hair interrupting the seal.

Did you really cancel my test because of my beard?

Facial hair does not automatically prevent a fit test, provided it stays completely outside or completely inside the respirator’s sealing area and does not interfere with movement. 

If facial hair does interfere with the sealing area, the fit test cannot be performed. No test is attempted, so the participant has not failed a fit test. 

Refunds will not be given for those arriving with unacceptable facial hair.

The sealing area is the edge that must rest against the face so contaminated air cannot leak around the filter. 

Facial hair is therefore a fit and safety issue, not an appearance rule.

A mustache or a small patch of hair beneath the lower lip may be acceptable when it stays completely inside the respirator and does not touch its sealing edge or affect movement.

The exact acceptable area depends on the shape of the respirator. 

Facial hair that works with one model may interfere with another because each model sits differently on the face.

Where facial hair may be acceptable

MaskFit+ instructors have found that approximately two to three days of hair growth might still allow testing, although arriving clean-shaven is recommended.

If the facial hair presents as a beard, the fit test will not proceed. Facial hair and respirator shapes vary, the sealing area of the exact model must guide the decision.

MaskFit+ provides diagrams in advance and carries razors and shaving cream only as a last resort. 

You should arrive ready to test.

What the fit tester checks

During the appointment, the fit tester checks the entire area where the respirator meets the face. 

This includes the position of the respirator, the straps, the nose area, the sealing edge, and anything that could interrupt contact with the skin.

The tester then confirms that the selected make, model, and size can maintain its seal while the participant breathes, speaks, and moves.

Check before your appointment

  • Review the facial hair diagram provided with your appointment instructions.
  • Check whether any hair, sideburns, or mustache growth touches the sealing edge of the exact respirator.
  • Contact MaskFit+ before the session if you are unsure whether your facial hair will interfere.

This can prevent a participant from arriving unable to be tested and help protect the schedule for everyone attending. 

At public sessions, a participant who cannot be tested because of unacceptable facial hair forfeits their reserved spot and fee. 

During corporate sessions, arriving unprepared can also create unnecessary delays for the employer and other participants.

The simplest rule is also the most important: nothing should sit between the respirator seal and the skin. 

Preparing accordingly gives the participant the best chance of completing the test successfully and, more importantly, using the respirator safely at work.

How employers can prevent delays

Employers can make compliance easier by sending participants a simple facial hair diagram with the appointment confirmation and repeating the requirement shortly before the session.

CDC/NIOSH: Facial Hairstyles and Filtering Facepiece Respirators.

CDC/NIOSH infographic showing a clean shaven face and multiple beard and mustache styles in relation to a respirator sealing surface. Green check marks indicate facial hair styles that may remain outside the sealing area, while red X marks identify styles that may interfere with the respirator seal.

For tight-fitting respirators, Ontario guidance requires workers to be clean shaven where the respirator meets the skin. 

CCOHS also advises that workers be free from hair that may interfere with the respirator seal and notes that CSA Standard Z94.4-18 (R2023) recommends shaving 12 to 24 hours before wearing a respirator. 

Supervisors should avoid telling workers that a certain beard length is always acceptable. 

Where a worker cannot remove facial hair for medical, religious, or other protected reasons, the employer should assess suitable alternatives through its respiratory protection program. 

The fit tester does not choose workplace accommodation. 

Early discussion gives the employer time to evaluate options without placing the worker or the testing schedule in a last-minute conflict.

Thank you for learning about this important and often forgotten aspect of mask fit testing. 

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