@PieterPeach
I guess this might depend on the respirator in question, headband tension, etc.
Gerard Hughes has a few Videos on his YouTube channel where he's looking at the effects of stubble on fit factors, I've also seen a presentation by TSI that seems to suggest even little growth can be a problem though I have not done any testing with my own CPC.
@sim it would very much depend on the actual respirator. Tight fitting respirators, especially elastomerics that could overcome some leak with a firmer fit (and pass a negative pressure test) would be one example.
@PieterPeach I was surprised from the start of the pandemic how little people seemed to be able to process this fact. Of course, that was back when at least a handful still seemed to actually care. I'd see people with so much facial hair it just poked right out of the mask and even lifted the mask from the face a bit. At that point the air just goes through the beard rather than the mask. Why did this have to coincide with the yeti look being the in thing?
On long 12hr+ days when I did asbestos abatement monitoring, I had to shave right before entering containment, and later during the early evening. Anything that cropped up made the gaskets on the respirators not stick to your skin as well, and you can feel that when you do your fitment checks.
I also worked alongside people who went in with nothing and smoked so 🤷
@PieterPeach@dalias At the time I was the Project Monitor and Air Tech, so overseeing the construction of the work zones, checking for and enforcing regulatory/safety compliance, verifying work plans vs built, running daily samples inside and outside of every work area... Fun times.
@PieterPeach good to know, was curious about this after being heckled on TwatterX for posting a selfie with my Breathe99 I was trying out (at home). If I had this article handy, I would have taken a microphotograph and documented my stubble was probably only 2mm in length, to my critics lol
@PieterPeach I've never gotten around to measuring my facial hair before, but I think this means I'll be safe shaving once a day, even during those times when it randomly spends a day growing noticeably faster than usual.
@PieterPeach I can defiantly sense a difference after 3-4 days of no shaving, doesn’t make it very comfortable on my Prescientx elastomeric. I don’t have the best facial hair genes but I still try to shave every second day.
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