New fit test guidelines

Published May 5, 2009
By Senior Airman William Coleman
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- That piece of protective equipment every Airman loves, the MCU-2A/P gas mask, has new fitting guidelines that will make you drool. Actually, sleeping in the gas mask tends to make you drool, right? Anyway, Air Force Occupational Safety and Health Standard 48-137 has changed over the past month, establishing new requirements for the quantitative fit test.

The quantitative fit test will be provided for each military member upon arrival at their first duty assignment. This will be the only fit test you'll get unless: a new type of mask is issued, the member gas gained or lost 10 percent or more body weight, or the member has had extensive dental work or facial surgery. So make sure you pay attention to the process.

"We provide three copies of the fit test according to the AFOSH standard because the individual must give one to their Unit Deployment Manager, stow one in their gas mask carrier and have one to keep in their personal records", said Senior Airman Earl Barnes, bioenvironmental journeyman from the 20th Aerospace Medicine Squadron's Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight. "It is important to maintain a serviceable copy of the fit test certificate, especially since there will only be one test."

Members can call 895-6196 to schedule a fit test. Members participating in the upcoming Operational Readiness Exercise and Operational Readiness Inspection are reminded to keep a copy of the fit test certificate inside their gas mask carrier.