Health & Safety
Quantifit respirator fit tester MEPCA caught up with Shawcity to ask them a few questions about their Quantifit Respirator Fit Tester. Can you tell us about Shawcity? As one of the pioneers in detection instrument technology for over 40 years, we at Shawcity have always focused on introducing the latest monitoring technology to the UK and Ireland. Our customers work in Health and Safety, Occupational Hygiene and Environmental applications. We provide monitoring instrumentation for: Personal and Area Gas Detection, Ground Gas, Contaminated Land, Noise, Sound, Vibration, Air Quality and Dust, Heat Stress, Fit Testing and Audiometry.
What is the Quantifit Respirator Fit Tester? Quantifit, a well-established product in the USA already used by hundreds of companies and organisations including industrial manufacturers, fire departments, law enforcement, has just become available in the UK and Ireland, exclusively through Shawcity Ltd. It is widely recognised as the industry breakthrough in portable mask-fit technology as it uses Controlled Negative Pressure (CNP) technology instead of traditional aerosol particle counting. Its simpler testing technology means it’s ready to test after just a one-minute daily calibration in virtually any environment – even out in the field - so long as air and a power supply is present, a unique benefit over its competitors. It is suitable for use in any industry where respirator fit testing is applicable – including hazardous or explosive environments - and as it requires no set-up or special conditions, it also speeds up the process of fit-testing.
So how does Quantifit work? Face mask fit is measured by simulating movements approximating real life and the easy-to-use, simple operation means many users self-test once trained. During a fit test the respirator inlets are capped with test adapters and the inhalation valves are propped open or removed from
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the mask. With the test subject holding his or her breath for no more than ten seconds, the Quantifit then establishes and maintains a slight vacuum, or controlled negative pressure, inside the mask. Since the respirator inlets are sealed, all sources of leakage into the mask are through the face-to-facepiece seal or due to integrity issues. The volume of air drawn out of the mask by the Quantifit during this short period of time is equal to the leak rate into the mask through the face-to-facepiece seal. Offering very quiet operational noise, Quantifit is a standalone unit weighing less than 3.5kg. It also stores up to 500 fit tests on the unit and can retain this data without power for two years.
Is Quantifit more efficient? Quantifit’s design and technology help to make it a more time- and cost-efficient system compared to other technologies. As an example, it contains no internal optics, which can become contaminated during aerosol testing. Sometimes this contamination, which is specific to aerosol technology, means the unit must be sent back to the manufacturer for cleaning. Quantifit also doesn’t need time to create aerosol testing conditions or any need for replacement consumables.
If customers have a limited number of employees to test, Quantifit can also be hired instead of purchased, removing the cost of ownership altogether. www.shawcity.co.uk