Fit Testing for Small Faces: Getting a Secure P2 Seal
If you have a small face, you can be fit tested and you can get a secure seal. It usually takes a different size or model than the one the store room happens to stock. A tight-fitting respirator only protects you if it seals to your face. Safe Work Australia’s silica guide says there is no one-size-fits-all tight-fitting respirator, because faces differ in size and shape. A fit test is how you find the make, model and size that suits yours.
This guide is for workers with smaller faces, and for the safety managers, supervisors and HR teams who organise testing for them. It covers what a fit test checks, why small faces often need extra attention, what to do if you fail, and how often to retest.
TL;DR
Respirators are not standardised across models, so a small-faced worker needs to be tested on the specific make, model and size they will actually wear.
A failed first test is a normal part of finding the right respirator. It is not a reason to skip testing or wear a loose mask.
Fit testing is expected under AS/NZS 1715 before first use, when a new make or model is issued, and after significant facial changes. Repeat it regularly, with many workplaces using a yearly cycle.
A daily user seal check is a quick check you do yourself. It does not replace a fit test.
If no tight-fitting option seals, talk to your employer about alternatives such as a loose-fitting powered respirator.
Table of Contents
Why small faces struggle to get a seal
A P2 (N95-equivalent) respirator works by forcing the air you breathe to pass through the filter material. If air leaks around the edge, particles take the easy path in through the gap. The filter rating on the packet then tells you very little about the protection you actually receive.
The WorkSafe WA information sheet on fit testing states that if a respirator does not fit properly because of different facial shapes, the worker will not be protected. That is the core problem for smaller faces. A respirator designed around an average-sized face can gap at the chin, the sides of the nose or the cheeks on a narrower or shorter face.
Safe Work Australia’s guidance adds that respirators come in several size configurations, and that sizing is not standardised between models. A “small” in one brand can sit differently from a “small” in another. That is why you can’t pick a size by label alone, and why a person who fails in one model may pass easily in the next.
Common trouble spots for smaller faces include:
The chin and jaw: a mask that is too long can lift off the chin when you talk or turn your head.
The nose bridge: a narrow nose bridge can leave channels at each side of the nose clip.
The cheeks: a wide mask can bow outwards and leak when you move.
Head straps: straps that sit too loose or too high pull the edge away from the skin.
None of these are your fault, and none of them mean you are unsuited to the work. They mean the first respirator tried was the wrong shape.
What a fit test actually checks
A fit test measures how well the seal between a particular respirator and your face holds. WorkSafe WA says it is the only way to assure both employer and employee that the respirator gives the intended level of protection.
It helps to separate it from the check you do every day. We cover the difference in more depth in our guide to the fit test and daily fit check, but in short:
Fit test | User seal check (fit check) | |
Who does it | A competent person, with you as the wearer | You, by yourself |
When | Before first use, new model, facial changes, then regularly | Every time you put the respirator on |
What it tells you | Whether this make, model and size seals on your face | Whether this particular donning is sealed |
Method | Qualitative (taste or smell) or quantitative (measured) | Positive or negative pressure check |
The user seal check is useful, but it can’t tell you that the respirator is the right one for your face. A respirator can feel fine on a quick check and still leak during talking or movement.
Qualitative and quantitative tests
There are two types of test, and the type matters if you have a small face.
Qualitative fit testing
A qualitative test relies on your senses. You wear the respirator under a hood while a test agent is introduced, and you report whether you can taste or smell it. Safe Work Australia’s guide notes that this method suits half-face respirators only. WorkSafe WA points out that qualitative tests can produce false passes, because they rely on the wearer’s own sensory perception, which may be impaired.
If you want the step-by-step detail, our article on qualitative fit test protocols explains how testers avoid failed fits.
Quantitative fit testing
A quantitative test uses specialised equipment to measure actual leakage and gives a numerical result. Per Safe Work Australia, it can be used for all respirator types. The UK Health and Safety Executive guidance describes it as an objective measure of how well the facepiece seals. For small faces, a number can help a tester compare two or three close candidates and pick the better one, rather than relying on a pass or fail alone.
Which method suits your site depends on the respirator and the level of protection needed. Our guide on qualitative versus quantitative fit testing sets out how safety officers choose.
What happens during the test
The test should be conducted by a competent person. The HSE guidance says it should include exercises such as talking and moving the head. In practice, a session with a smaller-faced worker tends to run like this:
Preparation. You are shaved where the sealing surface sits, and you have no gum or food in your mouth. If you wear glasses, hearing protection or a hard hat with the respirator, bring them, as they can affect the seal. Facial hair is a separate issue, covered in our article on respirators and facial hair.
Sizing and donning. The tester helps you choose a respirator and shows you how to position it, set the nose clip and adjust the straps.
User seal check. You do a positive or negative pressure check before the test begins.
The exercises. Typically normal breathing, deep breathing, turning the head from side to side, and nodding up and down, plus talking. These movements reveal leaks that standing still would hide.
Result. You pass, or you try another size or model.
Good testers use the session as training. You see what a poor seal feels like, and you learn how to position the respirator correctly each time.
Tips for getting a pass with a small face
A few habits make a real difference:
Ask for a range. Request small and extra-small options and several shapes, such as folding flat-fold styles and cup-shaped styles. Because sizing varies between models, trying a few is the sensible approach.
Set the nose clip with both hands. Pinching with one hand tends to leave a gap at one side.
Position low on the nose bridge, then secure under the chin. A mask pushed up too high loses the chin seal.
Adjust the straps evenly. Overtightening distorts the shape of the mask and can open leaks elsewhere.
Wear your usual kit. Test with the glasses, hard hat or other gear you wear on the job.
Don’t judge comfort alone. A mask that feels comfortable can still leak. The test is the guide.
If your site uses a half-face reusable respirator rather than a disposable one, the same principle applies. Different sizes and models exist, and the test decides.
What to do if you fail
Failing a first test is common, and it just means that respirator is not the one. The sensible response is to:
Try a different size of the same model.
Try a different model with a different shape.
Consider a different type, for example an elastomeric half-face respirator rather than a disposable one.
Re-test with the new option and record the result.
The NSW Health Respiratory Protection Program Manual addresses the harder cases. If a worker can’t be successfully fit tested with a tight-fitting respirator or wear a loose-fitting powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR), they may require redeployment. That is a last step after the options above, and it shows why the testing process starts with finding alternatives. The same manual says prophylactic dressings can be used under a respirator to prevent skin injury, provided the worker first passes a fit test while wearing the dressing.
Powered respirators are tested a little differently. Our article on why PAPR blowers are switched off during fit tests explains it for safety managers.
Never wear a respirator that failed because it is the only one available. The WorkSafe WA sheet is clear that a poorly fitting respirator doesn’t protect you. Raise it with your supervisor or safety manager so a different option can be arranged.
When you need to be tested, and retested
The WorkSafe WA information sheet states that fit testing is mandatory under AS/NZS 1715 for all tight-fitting respirators. It should be done by a competent person:
before you use a tight-fitting respirator for the first time,
each time a new make or model is provided, and
after facial changes that may affect the seal, such as significant weight gain or loss.
Repeat testing should be regular and based on a risk assessment. Safe Work Australia’s silica guide recommends annual repeat testing, with frequency also informed by the risk assessment. Small-faced workers who change brand when the site switches suppliers need a new test each time, because the new model is a new fit.
Other things that can change a seal include dental work, facial surgery, scarring or other changes to the face. If something like that happens, tell your safety manager and ask for a retest rather than waiting for the annual date.
For the employer’s side of this, our five steps for AS/NZS 1715 compliance walks safety officers through the process, and P2 mask fit testing before first use covers the starting point for new starters. Healthcare teams can read fit testing for Australian healthcare.
For managers: running a fair fit-testing program
If you coordinate testing for a team, small faces are a planning issue, not just an individual one. A few points to build in:
Stock a range of sizes and models before test day. If the only respirator on offer is one model in one size, a share of your team will fail for reasons that have nothing to do with their effort.
Allow time for second and third attempts. Booking a tight slot per person leads to rushed tests and poor results.
Record the make, model and size for each person. The result only applies to that exact respirator, so issue the same one on site.
Tell workers why a change of supplier means retesting. It prevents the assumption that a similar-looking mask is equivalent.
Plan for the people who can’t pass a tight-fitting option. Decide in advance how you will consider alternatives such as loose-fitting powered respirators.
These steps keep your program defensible and keep your people protected, and they cost far less than rework after a failed audit.
Our perspective
We see the same pattern on sites across the Pilbara: a worker with a smaller face fails a first test and assumes the problem is theirs. It isn’t. The respirator is the variable, and the job of a fit test is to find the right one. That is why we treat the fit test as a conversation as well as a measurement. We want to put you in the right respirator, show you how to seat it properly, and make sure you understand what a good seal feels like so your daily checks mean something. Our approach is to bring the testing to you. We aim to deliver fit testing on site, including at remote mine and construction locations, and to schedule around your rosters, including outside standard business hours. For smaller-faced workers, that means no long trips and no rushed single-attempt appointments. For managers, it means a team tested against the respirators they will really use. Competency matters here. A tester who knows how sizes and shapes behave will get a small-faced worker to a good result faster, and that protects both the worker and the employer. Vapour
Book fit testing for your team
We deliver respirator and hearing protective device fit testing for industrial, remote and healthcare settings, with testing that can be brought to your site. If you have workers who have struggled to get a seal, tell us when you book so we can plan for a range of sizes and models.
See the full list of services on our courses and fit testing page, or book online. We don’t publish a price for fit testing, so contact us for a quote for your team size and location. If your team also needs hearing protection checked, read about hearing protector fit tests.
FAQ
Can someone with a very small face pass a P2 fit test?
Yes, in many cases. Because respirators are not sized consistently across models, a worker who fails one respirator can often pass another. The tester works through different sizes, models and types until one seals. If none does, your employer should look at alternatives such as a loose-fitting powered respirator.
Is a fit check enough instead of a fit test?
No. A fit check is a quick positive or negative pressure check you do each time you put the respirator on. A fit test is the formal process that confirms the make, model and size suits your face. You need both, and the fit check does not replace the test.
How often should I be fit tested?
Before you use a tight-fitting respirator for the first time, whenever you are issued a new make or model, and after significant changes to your face such as weight gain or loss. Safe Work Australia’s guide recommends repeating the test annually, and your risk assessment may call for it sooner.
What if I can’t pass with any tight-fitting respirator?
Talk to your safety manager. Options include trying other types, using a loose-fitting powered respirator, or in some cases redeployment, as described in the NSW Health respiratory protection manual. Don’t wear a respirator that has failed the test.
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