Respirator Clearance and Fitting | Use the Authentic Services
Many employees working at Michigan Medicine and on campus are required to wear the appropriate respirator clearance to complete their work. Prior to an employee using respirator protection, they must be medically cleared, fit, and trained on proper use. Employees must not be assigned tasks requiring the use of a respirator until they have successfully completed the following steps.
Obtain Respirator Medical Clearance
OHS manages this for both Michigan Medicine and designated campus employees
Be successfully fit tested or trained and educated on the Powered Air Purifying Respirator OHS completes fit testing and PAPR training for only Michigan Medicine employees and designated campus employees.
Employees are enrolled in the respirator clearance VestMed Services based on the needs and requirements of the department they work. Once an employee is enrolled in the respirator protection program, they will receive an email reminder from the OHS system informing the employee they are due for the annual respirator clearance medical clearance, testing and training.
Respirator Training
Respirator training is completed for new employees once upon hire and annually thereafter through an instructor-led course. There are many different types of respirators available. The primary respiratory used at Michigan Medicine is the N95 respirator mask. Employees unable to utilize the N95, or, are unable to be fit for the N95 will be trained on how to use a PAPR device.
Questions Regarding Fit Testing
If you have questions regarding fit testing or if you need to be enrolled in the respiratory compliance program, please contact and provide your name and UMID number. All required paperwork should be completed prior to your visit at OHS. Do not eat or drink anything 15 minutes prior to the test. The fit testing process takes approximately 20 minutes, but may take longer depending on the medical clearance and other factors.
Verdict
If an employee cannot be successfully fit tested with the N-95, they will be trained on PAPR use. Some reasons an employee may not be able to be fit with the N95 include: facial hair, body composition changes, dental changes, etc. Employees unable to be N95 tested will receive PAPR training. Staff must bring their UMID to their appointment.