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Aucun autre testeur ne peut tester quantitativement tous les types de respirateurs : masques anti-gaz, ARI, respirateurs, même les masques jetables N95. Le testeur PORTACOUNT® Pro+ élimine les hypothèses liées aux méthodes de test d'ajustement qualitatif laborieuses et incertaines. Si le masque nécessite un test d'ajustement, vous pouvez compter sur le testeur d'ajustement PORTACOUNT Pro+ pour offrir la méthode de test homologuée par l'OSHA la plus rapide, la plus conviviale et la plus sûre.
Caractéristiques et avantages
• Teste TOUS les types de respirateurs ajustés, y compris les respirateurs jetables N95, P2 et P1
• Test d'ajustement du N95 plus rapide, passant de 10,24 à 7,15 secondes
• Simplicité accrue avec la technologie intégrée N95 Companion™
• Fonctionnement autonome, sans ordinateur externe*
• Utilisation d'un ordinateur externe pour générer des rapports et imprimer des cartes de test d'ajustement
• Générateur de particules externe moins nécessaire
• Peut effectuer des tests d'ajustement du N95 avec des concentrations plus faibles de particules dans l'air ambiant
• Écran tactile couleur
• Conforme aux directives de l'OSHA pour tous les respirateurs, y compris le N95
• Mesure les facteurs d'ajustement supérieurs à 10 000
• Bascule entre les types de respirateur en moins d'une minute
• Test d'ajustement automatisé avec le logiciel de test FitPro™
• L'imprimante de cartes en option vous permet d'imprimer les cartes individuelles de test d'ajustement
Applications
• Test d'ajustement quantitatif du respirateur (QNFT)
• Test d'ajustement des masques filtrants jetables pour les masques de série 100, 99, 93 et HEPA et masques filtrants jetables (série 95, P1, P2)
• Test d'ajustement des demi-masques
• Test d'ajustement des masques intégraux
• Test d'ajustement des masques anti-gaz
• Test d’ajustement des respirateurs à purification d'air (PAPR)
• Test d’ajustement des ARI
Contenu
• Mallette de transport
• Adaptateur secteur
• Réserve d'alcool (suffisante pour fonctionner environ 240 heures)
• Logiciel de test d'ajustement FitPro™ sur CD
• Câble USB d'interface avec un ordinateur
• Manuel d'utilisation et d'entretien
There are currently no items for this section. There are currently no items for this section. BROCHURESFICHES TECHNIQUESINFORMATIONS SUR LE SERVICE
NOTES D'APPLICATIONETUDES DE CASMANUELSMSDSLOGICIELFOIRE AUX QUESTIONSshow/hide all answers
- Are there any cleanroom applications for the PORTACOUNT?
The PORTACOUNT can be used as a particle "sniffer" to find particle sources or leaks in HEPA filters. It cannot be used to monitor clean room particle levels because it cannot measure concentrations low enough. 1.0 particle per cc is equivalent to over 28,000 particles per cubic foot. Many clean rooms maintain particle concentrations below 100 particles per cubic foot.
- Can I fit test with a respirator using chemical vapor cartridges?
NO. Chemical cartridges do not stop ambient air particles. Even though your employees use chemical cartridges in the work place you will have to do your fit testing with Class 99 or Class 100 HEPA cartridges. Combination chemical/HEPA cartridges usually will work fine. However, some chemical/vapor cartridges may release particles of sorbent material which will be interpreted as leakage by the PORTACOUNT. Use plain HEPA cartridges to be safe.
- Can I lengthen the sampling hoses on the PORTACOUNT?
No. Do not lengthen the hose more that a foot or so. The purge time that is programmed into the PORTACOUNT firmware is calculated based on the flow rate of the pump and the volume of the sample tube. An increase in tube length could cause the PORTACOUNT not to purge sufficiently between mask and ambient samples. It is all right to increase the tube length by a few inches (for an adapter) or to shorten the tube. If you elect to lengthen the sampling tubes check to make sure the PORTACOUNT purges completely. Also make sure both tubes are the same length.
- Can I use or test the PORTACOUNT in a corn oil or DOP chamber?
Yes. As long as you turn the aerosol concentration down to below the upper limit of the PORTACOUNT you can use other aerosols. Be aware that this will cause the PORTACOUNT to need cleaning much sooner than it would using ambient air. TSI does not recommend using anything other than ambient air particles.
- Can I use the PORTACOUNT to find leaks in HEPA filters?
Yes, using the PORTACOUNT in count mode allows very precise leak detection. Ambient air particles will not penetrate a good HEPA filter to any significant degree.
- Can I use the PORTACOUNT to measure HEPA filter efficiency?
The PORTACOUNT can be used to measure filter efficiency, but only if a generated aerosol is used such as .12 or .3 micron DOP. Ambient air cannot be used since efficiency is a function of particle size and you don't know the size. Ambient air can be used with the PORTACOUNT to leak check HEPA filters.
- Do exhaled moisture droplets affect the PORTACOUNT?
Exhaled moisture droplets have little effect on the PORTACOUNT for two reasons. One is that there are not enough of them to make a difference and the other is that large droplets either evaporate or impact with the walls of the sample tube before they reach the PORTACOUNT. If a body-generated droplet were to be counted by the PORTACOUNT, the result would be a fit factor that is lower than it should be. There is no possibility of overstating the fit factor.
- Do I have to remove the alcohol cartridge from my PORTACOUNT Plus before I ship or store it? What happens if I forget?
You should always remove the cartridge and replace it with the storage cap whenever you ship or store the PORTACOUNT Plus. If you do not, you risk flooding the instrument. The storage cap keeps dirt out of the PORTACOUNT Plus. A little dirt in the wrong place can cripple the instrument. Discipline yourself to always use the storage cap.
- Do you need a probed mask?
Probed respirators are still a common way to perform quantitative fit testing. However, TSI and many of the U.S. respirator manufacturers have developed fit test adapters that allow you to fit test using the employee's own respirator. Contact your respirator manufacturer or contact TSI for more information.
- Does OSHA give employers a choice of using either qualitative (QLFT) or quantitative (QNFT) fit test methods?
- Does the PORTACOUNT work with half-face and full-face respirators?
Yes. It will work equally well with either type of respirator. Keep in mind that the larger the internal volume of the respirator the longer the test subject should wear it before testing. This allows the ambient air particles that were trapped in the mask during donning to be purged out. Half masks take less than 30 seconds of breathing to purge. Full face masks may take over one minute.
- Does the PORTACOUNT work with powered air purifying respirators (PAPR's)?
Yes. However, just as with SCBAs, fit testing must be done with the mask in negative-pressure mode. This is most often accomplished by using an identical face piece in a negative-pressure version with Class 100 (HEPA) filters. Most respirator manufacturers offer negative-pressure versions of the same face piece used for their PAPRs. OSHA and ANSI are endorsing this method. Testing may be donewith the air supply on. However, this is performance testing, not fit testing. Many PAPRs have blower motors that generate particles. These particles are interpreted as leakage by the PORTACOUNT. If particles are present in the air supply, they must be removed with a HEPA filter before they reach the mask. Refer to Application Note ITI-024 Using The PORTACOUNT To Fit Test Positive Pressure Respirators on this web site for more information on this subject.
- Does the PORTACOUNT work with self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) such as used by fire fighters?
- Does TSI sell PORTACOUNT fit test software for the Apple Macintosh?
No. There are not enough Mac users in this market to justify the creation of Mac software. We have heard that at least one company has been successful running the TSI fit test software using some special Macintosh software that emulates a PC. We do not have details on how this is accomplished.
- Don't ambient air particles get stuck in the person's lungs?
Only a small percentage of ambient particles become trapped in the test subject's air passages because they are so small. The safety factor of at least 10 that is used for fit testing eliminates any concern.
- Has the US Department of Energy (DOE) offered an official opinion on the PORTACOUNT?
TSI has an approval letter from the DOE.
- How come the Overall Fit Factor calculated by the PORTACOUNT isn't the arithmetic average of the individual exercise fit factors?
Averaging fit factors does not produce a valid result. The correct way to compute an overall fit factor is to calculate the average penetration and then convert it to a fit factor. This is what the PORTACOUNT does internally and is the method described in OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard 29CFR1910.134. The number you get is exactly the same as you would have obtained with a chamber system. Refer to the PORTACOUNT Operation and Service Manual for more detail.
- How come the PORTACOUNT doesn't use a chamber?
The PORTACOUNT does not use a chamber because the challenge aerosol is ever-present in the air we breathe. There is no need to generate and contain the aerosol. These ambient air particles are very small, averaging about 0.05 microns. The PORTACOUNT is sensitive enough to detect these particles. See Application Note ITI-048 PORTACOUNT Theory of Operation on this web site or refer to the Operation and Service Manual for more details.
- How do you clean masks in between fit tests?
There are several effective ways to clean probed test-respirators in between fit tests. Contact your respirator manufacturer to find out which method they recommend.
- How does fit testing with an aerosol challenge agent relate to protection from gaseous hazards?
A mask that fits well enough to stop aerosol leaks will also fit well enough to protect against gases. One reason that the pass level for a fit test is at least 10 times the protection level that is actually expected is to account for differences between gases and aerosols. If you are not familiar with the relationship between "fit factor", "assigned protection factor", and the safety factor of 10 that is used, refer to TSI Applications Note ITI-023 Fit Factors vs. Protection Factors.
- How does the PORTACOUNT work?
The PORTACOUNT works by measuring the concentration of microscopic dust particles in the ambient air and then measuring the concentration of those dust particles that leak into the respirator. The ratio of these two concentrations is called the fit factor. The HEPA filter cartridges stop essentially all the particles so anything that gets into the mask must have come through the face seal. See Application Note ITI-048 PORTACOUNT Plus Theory of Operation.
- How is the PORTACOUNT affected by fluctuations in ambient particle levels?
The PORTACOUNT takes an ambient particle measurement before and after each mask sample. The average of the two concentrations is used to calculate the fit factor. This eliminates problems with normal ambient fluctuations. Persons using the PORTACOUNT should check the ambient particle count using count mode to make sure that there are no wild fluctuations. If fluctuations vary more than 20 percent in 60 seconds, then they should move to a more suitable location.
- How long does an alcohol wick last in the PORTACOUNT Plus Model 8020?
The life of an alcohol wick varies depending on the ambient conditions where you do your fit testing. Accumulation of moisture is the most common problem and occurs most often in areas of high humidity. If the Service message comes on and adding alcohol does not cause it to go off, changing the wick is often required. Wicks that have been completely dried out can be reused. If the wick looks worn or is severely discolored it should not be reused. Three uses from one wick is typical.
- How long does it take to do a fit test with the PORTACOUNT?
OSHA requires each of 8 exercises to be at least 60 seconds long except for the grimace exercise which can be as short as 15 seconds. When the PORTACOUNT is used with FITPLUS software for compliance with the new OSHA standard 29CFR1910.134, a fit test will take a total of 7-1/4 minutes.
- How often does OSHA require workers to be fit tested?
- How often should the PORTACOUNT be re-calibrated or cleaned?
If the only aerosol you use it with is ambient air, your PORTACOUNT will not need cleaning more than once a year. The unit should zero using the supplied HEPA filter and pass the maximum fit factor test. TSI recommends annual cleaning and re-calibration. TSI will clean, re-calibrate and, if necessary, replace worn parts for a flat fee.
- How often should the Zero Check and Max. Fit Factor Check be performed on the PORTACOUNT?
TSI's official recommendation is to always do both checks when you first start fit testing each day. If you want to be more conservative, do both checks each time you turn the PORTACOUNT on. Both checks can be completed in less than 2 minutes.
- How quickly is the test subject supposed to move his/her head from side to side or up and down when performing the fit test exercises?
OSHA's guidance on this subject is to move the head slowly and hold still for 5 seconds at the extreme of each cycle.
- I have an IBM-PC (or compatible) but I don't know if it is equipped with an RS-232 serial port. How can I tell?
Serial ports come in one of two ways on IBM-PC and compatible microcomputers: 25-pin sub-D connectors or 9-pin sub-D connectors. Look on the back of your computer and try to find a 25- or 9-pin D connector with the pins showing (male). D connectors with sockets showing (female) are usually parallel printer ports, not serial ports.
- If I obtain my own reagent grade isopropyl alcohol, can I fill the PORTACOUNT with it instead of buying TSI alcohol?
Yes. Just make sure the words "Reagent Grade" are on the bottle and no other chemicals are present. Reagent grade isopropyl alcohol is usually 99.5% pure or better. There are other grades that are superior to reagent grade that may also be used. TSI uses isopropyl alcohol from J.T. Baker Chemical Company. We request that you use the same product in order to insure proper operation of the PORTACOUNT. J.T. Baker's part number for a 500 ml bottle is 9084-01.
- If the PORTACOUNT does not count all particles in the air, how can it work?
The PORTACOUNT is a ratio measuring instrument. If 10% of the particles are missed during the ambient sample, then 10% are also missed during the mask sample. Since fit factor is a ratio of ambient and mask concentrations, these errors cancel each other out, resulting in the same fit factor regardless of "counting efficiency".
- I'm confused about the use of ambient air as the challenge agent. Please explain.
Actually, the PORTACOUNT uses the minute dust particles that are always in the air, not the air itself.
- Is the PORTACOUNT intrinsically safe or explosion proof?
No. The PORTACOUNT was not designed to be intrinsically safe or explosion proof.
- Is there a way to test each person with their own mask rather than with a test mask?
Many of the U.S. respirator manufacturers have begun offering fit test adapters that allow you to fit test using the employee's own respirator. Contact your respirator manufacturer or TSI for more information.
- My company is having a hard time convincing male employees who wear tight-fitting respirators to shave their beards. Does TSI have any information on the subject?
- My SCBA uses grade-D breathing air. Isn't this particle free?
No. We've measured particle concentrations near 1000 particles per cubic centimeter in grade-D breathing air. The specifications for grade-D air allow for a small amount of particulates measured in milligrams per cubic foot. Ambient particles are so small and light that millions of them add up to almost nothing.
- OSHA requires positive-pressure respirators to be fit tested in negative-pressure mode. What do they mean?
Fit testing a positive-pressure respirator in negative-pressure mode is done in one of two ways. One way is to temporarily convert the mask to use HEPA filters instead of the usual air supply. Respirator manufacturers (and TSI) have special fit test adapters available specifically for this purpose. The other way is to share a permanently-probed, negative-pressure version of the same mask. Refer to Application Note ITI-024 Using the PORTACOUNT to Fit Test Positive-pressure Respirators.
- Should full-face masks be fit tested with the nose cup removed or left in place?
One of the most important things to be concerned with when doing quantitative fit testing is that the mask sample is representative of the air the person is breathing. This usually means sampling from the "breathing zone" near the nose and mouth (a few fit test adapters sample exhaled air instead.) Many full-face masks are probed through the faceplate glass and do not sample breathing zone air when a nose cup is in place. When using such a mask, the nose cup should be removed so there is no barrier between the breathing zone and the sample point. Fit testing with the nose cup in place is OK if the sample is taken from inside the nose cup. Generally speaking, it's best to fit test with the mask configured the same way it is actually used. The bottom line is that as long as the air is being sampled is representative of the air being breathed, do whatever makes you feel comfortable with regard to the nose cup. The nose cup does not contribute to the fit.
- The expense of quantitative fit testing instrumentation seems high compared to the cost of qualitative fit testing supplies. How can I justify this expense to my managers?
If you take the time to calculate how much money is spent per year doing qualitative fit testing, including the time employees spend being fit tested, the test operator's time, facilities expenses, benefits and overhead, you will discover that the cost of the QNFT instrumentation is not so significant compared to the enormous improvement in your respiratory protection program. And the instrumentation expense is only one time, not each year. The benefit to your respiratory protection program is that you will be certain that employees have been trained properly. You will be certain that they know how to properly wear a respirator and you will be certain that they have been issued a mask that is the right size. If your company finds itself involved in some litigation, you will have a much stronger case if you can show the results of a quantitative fit test measured by an unbiased instrument, rather than the questionable result of a qualitative test.
- We always use a clean mask for each fit test to avoid spreading germs from person to person, but what about the moisture that collects in the PORTACOUNT sample tube. Can someone be exposed to moisture from a previous test subject?
- We use chemical vapor cartridges in the factory. How does respirator fit using Class 100 (HEPA) cartridges relate to respirator fit with chemical cartridges?
A fit test is a test of the face seal only, not the cartridges. You must fit test with cartridges that prevent passage of the test aerosol (ambient particles) or the test will not work. Since the face seal is not affected by the type of cartridge used, this should not be a concern.
- What about the ambient air particles that are trapped in the mask when it is donned?
These particles are purged out as the person breathes. Half masks purge in a few breaths. Full face respirators can take over one minute. If you are following the regulations, you will be insisting that the test subject wear the respirator for at least five or ten minutes before the test begins anyway.
- What do you do if the test subject finishes reading the Rainbow Passage before the exercise is over?
Have him/her start over at the beginning and keep talking until the exercise is complete.
- What does NIOSH think of the PORTACOUNT?
NIOSH does not certify quantitative fit testing instruments. No one else does either.
- What does OSHA think of the PORTACOUNT?
- What does the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) think of the PORTACOUNT?
TSI has a letter from the NRC approving the PORTACOUNT.
- What is a fit factor?
A fit factor is a measure of how well a particular face piece seals against a person's face. It is expressed as a ratio of the concentration of challenge aerosol outside a respirator to the concentration of aerosol that leaks into the respirator through the face seal. A fit factor of 100 means the air inside the mask is 100 times cleaner than the air outside.
- What is a suitable substitute for the Rainbow Passage if the test subject cannot read or doesn't speak English?
The reason for the talking exercise is to test the fit of the respirator while the person's mouth and jaw are moving, just like will occur in the work place. It is not really important that the exact language in the Rainbow Passage be used. What is important is that the person speaks loud enough so that others can hear and understand. If the Rainbow Passage cannot be used, have the individual count out loud, or sing, or say almost anything. As long as you simulate talking out loud just like will be done in the work place, you will be achieving the intent of this exercise.
- What is respirator fit testing?
- What is the particle size range in ambient air?
The mean diameter of ambient air particles is typically about 0.08 microns. There are usually almost no particles larger than 0.3 micron.
- What is the reason for fit testing respirators?
There are two primary reasons for performing fit tests on respirator wearers:
a) Verification of training
After the individual has received respirator training, a fit test is performed to make certain that he/she has truly learned how to properly put on and wear a respirator without assistance.
b) Sizing
It is important to make sure that the respirator issued to the individual is capable of providing protection when worn properly-- i.e., it is the right size.
Refer to TSI Applications Note ITI-031 Training is the Key to a Good Fit Test Program for some insight on this issue.
- What is the typical range of ambient particle concentrations?
Our experience shows that offices range from 3,000 to 30,000 particles per cubic centimeter. Areas that are near industrial processes are much higher.
- What particle size range can the PORTACOUNT measure?
The 50% cut-off for small particles is 0.02 micrometers (µm). This means that half of the 0.02 µm particles are counted and half are not. As soon as the particle size reaches about 0.04 µm, almost 100% are counted up until a particle size of about 1.0µm. Few particles larger than 1.0 µm are counted by the instrument because they impact and stick inside the switching valve or some other component. Statistically speaking, there are very few particles above 0.1 µm in normal ambient air. The percentage of particles counted is called "counting efficiency". Counting efficiency is also a function of how much alcohol is in the PORTACOUNT.
- What pass/fail level should my company use?
- What respirator types require fit testing according to OSHA?
OSHA requires that all respirators with tight-fitting facepieces be fit tested. This includes positive pressure masks like PAPR and SCBA. It does not matter how the air gets into the mask. If it is a tight-fitting facepiece, i.e. the performance of the respirator depends on a tight seal between the mask and the user's face, then OSHA requires fit testing. This represents a new requirement mandated in OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard that was released on January 8, 1998. Refer to Application Note ITI-056 Respirator Fit Testing Highlights for OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard 29CFR1910.134 for information regarding the fit testing requirements of the new OSHA standard.
- Where do I get probed masks and/or fit test adapters?
Most U.S. respirator manufacturers sell their respirators in "probed" versions for use with quantitative fit testers. Many have begun selling fit test adaptersthat allow you to fit test using the employee's own respirator. Your local respirator supplier should be able to get them easily. Sometimes the supplier may not be aware of this. Get him to inquire directly with the manufacturer. Contact TSI if you have problems obtaining information regarding adapters that are currently available.
- Why do other fit test instruments need an aerosol generator and a chamber?
Because the photometers they use are not sensitive enough to detect ambient air particles. They must generate very high concentrations of large particles in order to have a measurable amount of particles leak into the mask.
- Why does OSHA require fit testing of positive-pressure respirators? Isn't the leakage always in the "out" direction?
Studies have shown that during heavy exertion, it is possible to "over breathe" positive-pressure respirators. Since these types of respirators are more likely to be used in extremely hazardous environments, even brief leaks can cause serious injury.
In addition, the same two reasons for fit testing negative-pressure masks also apply to positive-pressure masks. 1) Does the individual know how to don the mask properly? 2) What size mask is best for this individual (or in the case of one-size-fits-all masks: Does this mask fit this individual? OSHA did a nice job explaining their reasons for this requirement in the Preamble to the Respiratory Protection Standard. Refer to Application Note ITI-056 Respirator Fit Testing Highlights for OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard 29CFR1910.134 for information on where this information is located within the Preamble.
- Why should a person refrain from smoking for 30 minutes before being fit tested with the PORTACOUNT?
We have found that smokers exhale particles for about 30 minutes after smoking. The PORTACOUNT sees these particles as particles that leaked into the mask. The result is that the person being tested will not get as high a fit factor as he/she deserves. However, he/she may still pass. The worst thing that can happen is that the person will fail the test. Also, 30 minutes may not be long enough for very heavy smokers.
- Why won't the PORTACOUNT allow fit testing if the ambient particle count is below 1000 particles per cubic centimeter?
If the ambient particle concentration is below 1000 particles per cm³ the number of particles that leak into the mask may not be sufficient to make an accurate measurement. An ambient particle concentration that low is rare. Usually it indicates that the PORTACOUNT is running low on alcohol.
- Will the PORTACOUNT work in a hazardous atmosphere?
Our advice is not to try it. Don't use the PORTACOUNT in an atmosphere that would require a person to wear a respirator.
- Will the PORTACOUNT work properly with drug store variety isopropyl alcohol?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Ordinary isopropyl alcohol is much too dirty to be used in the PORTACOUNT. It also contains a lot of dissolved water. The alcohol used in the PORTACOUNT must be 99.5% to 100% pure isopropyl.
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