Guide to Planning Fit Testing Across Multiple Sites and Shifts

Fit testing an entire workforce is both a safety responsibility and an operational project.

The right plan needs to account for employee numbers, locations, shifts, mask or respirator types, site conditions and how long employees can realistically leave their duties.

There is no useful one-size-fits-all calculation.

Start with Your Workforce

Before scheduling, identify:

• how many employees require testing
• where they work
• which shifts they work
• which masks or respirators they use
• which testing method is required, and
• how much time employees can realistically leave their duties

A standard daytime schedule may work well for an office.

Healthcare, manufacturing, home care, municipal operations and other workplaces may require morning, evening, overnight or weekend planning.

Testing around shift changes can sometimes reduce disruption.

Capacity Only Works When People are Prepared

For standard group sessions, one MaskFit+ instructor can accommodate up to eight participants per session and up to seven sessions during an 8-hour day.

That creates a planning capacity of up to 56 participants per instructor per day when employees are prepared, masks or respirators are available and site conditions allow the sessions to operate efficiently.

Actual capacity can fluctuate due to mask or respirator types, accessibility needs, unsuccessful fits, late arrivals or other onsite conditions.

Larger Does Not Always Mean Faster

Large projects can be divided across several days or supported through additional qualified instructors.

Smaller testing blocks may actually work better for organizations that cannot release large portions of a workforce simultaneously.

For example, MaskFit+ completed a project involving approximately 200 home healthcare workers within one week using one instructor, as well as multi-day projects at individual client locations.

As a family-owned and operated business, MaskFit+ plans around the reality that your operation cannot simply stop for fit testing. The schedule has to work for the people running the workplace, not only for the person performing the test.

Information to Have Ready Before Requesting a Quote

Decision makers can make planning substantially easier by providing:

• employee numbers by location and shift
• mask or respirator manufacturers, models and sizes in use
• required testing method if already established
• available alternative models or sizes
• preferred dates
• site operating restrictions
• parking, security or access requirements
• accessibility or infection-control requirements, and
• an onsite coordinator

Assign On-site Ownership

An onsite contact should be able to manage attendance, address absences and respond when an employee arrives without the required preparation or equipment.

For multi-site projects, employers may choose between consolidating smaller groups at one location or testing employees at their normal worksites.

Neither is automatically better.

The answer depends on travel, staffing, operating requirements and the cost of taking employees away from their duties.

Finish the Project After Testing Day

Once testing is complete, reconcile attendance against the employee list.

Identify anyone who missed testing, needs reassessment or requires an alternative mask or respirator.

Then distribute records and establish how future renewal dates will be monitored.

That closes the gap between employees who were scheduled and employees who were actually fit tested.

Call a MaskFit+ specialist now at 289-643-6222 to meet this part of your Ministry of Labour requirements by scheduling your company’s testing.