SafetyQuestion 676 of 700
A worker with a full beard is assigned to wear a tight-fitting half-face respirator. What is the MAIN problem?
a.The beard makes the cartridges clog faster
b.Facial hair increases the assigned protection factor
c.Facial hair along the sealing surface prevents a reliable face-to-facepiece seal, so the respirator cannot be relied upon
d.A beard only matters for full-face respirators, not half-face
Explanation
Correct: any facial hair that crosses the sealing surface of a tight-fitting respirator breaks the seal and lets contaminated air leak in, so the respirator cannot be relied upon and the worker cannot pass a fit test. Options addressing cartridge clogging or a higher protection factor are false. The seal problem applies to any tight-fitting respirator, half-face or full-face; a loose-fitting PAPR/hood is the usual alternative for bearded workers.
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