If your tight-fitting RPE doesn't seal, it isn't protecting anyone.
On-site quantitative and qualitative face-fit testing for half-masks, full-face respirators and FFP disposables, delivered by Fit2Fit-accredited testers. Pass/fail certification, photographic record and a written re-test recommendation in line with HSG53 and INDG479.
- UK-wide since 2013
- Independent assessments
- ISO 9001 accredited
- Practical control advice
What this means for you
Evidence you can act on and defend.
Measured exposure evidence
Data suitable for HSE, insurers and audits.
Independent assessment
Occupational hygiene review of real exposure risk.
Practical control recommendations
Prioritised actions based on risk and operational practicality.
Compliance support
Evidence to support COSHH and internal governance.
Speak with a face-fit testing specialist
0800 433 7914
sales@sysco-env.co.ukMon–Fri · 08:00–18:00 · Independent advice · Fixed-price scope
Typical response: same working day
What happens next
We'll book a date that suits your shift pattern.
Send us a wearer count and the RPE makes/models in use. We'll quote a fixed price per wearer and a clear day-rate, agree a mobilisation date with you, and return certificates shortly after testing.
No unnecessary disruption. No generic paperwork. No unnecessary complexity.
Whether exposure is controlled
A clear yes or no, backed by measurement.
Where the highest risks are
Locations, tasks and roles ranked by exposure.
What actions matter most
A prioritised plan you can budget and schedule.
What you get
Four answers. One clear plan.
You need to know what your workforce is exposed to, whether your controls are effective, what actions matter most, and how to demonstrate control confidently.
That is exactly what we deliver.
Statutory requirement under COSHH
Regulation 7 of COSHH and the COSHH ACoP require that tight-fitting RPE is fit-tested for each wearer at first issue and whenever the facial fit could be affected.
Quantitative fit factors
Portacount Pro+ measures the actual fit factor numerically — the most defensible test method for half-masks, full-face and reusable RPE.
Fit2Fit accredited testers
All Sysco face-fit testers are Fit2Fit accredited and operate to the published HSE INDG479 protocol — the recognised competence scheme.
Mobile, on-site, low-disruption
We come to you. A typical session tests 12–16 wearers per day per tester; multi-tester teams cover larger workforces in a single visit.
Why clients call
If any of this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
- 01
An auditor is asking
HSE, your insurer or a client wants evidence — not assurances
We provide measured face-fit testing data and a clear technical report that resolves the issue quickly.
- 02
Your team is worried
Operatives are reporting concerns or symptoms
We attend site, quantify workforce exposure and provide clear evidence of current risk levels.
- 03
You suspect a problem
You know there's a risk and you want measured data before it becomes a crisis
We quantify exposure, assess it against current limits and provide a prioritised corrective action plan.
What we answer for you
Three questions, settled.
- Where your people are exposed
- We map the tasks, areas and shifts where face-fit testing matters, then sample what your team actually breathes — not a generic site average.
- Whether your controls are working
- An independent review of your LEV, ventilation, PPE and work practices — what is effective and what requires improvement.
- What you need to fix first
- A prioritised, costed action list — the smallest set of changes that gets you compliant and measurably safer.
How we work with you
From your first call to your action plan.
- 1
We listen first — your site, your concerns, your deadline.
- 2
We walk the workplace with your team to see exposure as it actually happens.
- 3
We sample on the people most at risk, using validated occupational hygiene methods for face-fit testing.
- 4
We assess your existing controls honestly — what's working, what isn't.
- 5
You receive a clear technical report suitable for operational, compliance and regulatory readers.
- 6
We hand you a prioritised action plan you can budget, schedule and defend.
Typical survey outputs
What you receive at the end of the engagement.
- Quantitative or qualitative fit testing per INDG479
- Per-wearer pass/fail certificate
- Photographic record per wearer (optional)
- Make / model / size of RPE recorded
- Fit2Fit tester reference on certificate
- Re-test recommendation register
- Group summary report for compliance file
- Recommendations for failed wearers
Client testimony
“Sysco's team came in for two days, tested 47 of our welders and gave us a fully documented fit-test register. Fast, professional, and the certificates went straight into our compliance file.”
— Health & Safety lead
UK steel fabrication group
Typical environments we assess
Wherever face-fit testing risk affects your people.
- Construction sites
- Manufacturing plants
- Welding & fabrication
- Healthcare estates
- Stoneworks & masonry
- Pharmaceutical & lab
Background
Face-fit testing, in detail.
- Why face-fit testing is mandatory
- Quantitative testing — Portacount
- Qualitative testing — bitter taste /…
- When face-fit retesting is required
- How a face-fit visit runs
- Pre-test guidance for wearers
Why face-fit testing is mandatory
Tight-fitting respiratory protective equipment only protects the wearer if it forms a complete seal against the face. Beard growth, facial scars, weight change, dental work and the simple variation in human face shape all affect that seal — often invisibly.
Regulation 7 of COSHH (and equivalent regulations under CLAW, CAR and the Ionising Radiations Regulations) requires that any tight-fitting RPE is fit-tested for each wearer before first use and re-tested whenever facial fit could be affected. The HSE position is set out in INDG479 and HSG53.
Quantitative testing — Portacount
Quantitative testing measures the actual ratio of ambient particles outside the mask to those inside it. The result is a numerical 'fit factor' — for example, 200 means there are 200 times as many particles outside the mask as inside.
Sysco uses the TSI Portacount Pro+ 8038, which is the recognised reference instrument for quantitative testing in the UK. Pass thresholds are 100 for half-masks and FFP3 disposables, and 500 for full-face respirators.
Qualitative testing — bitter taste / saccharin
Qualitative testing relies on the wearer detecting a test agent (typically Bitrex bitter-taste solution or saccharin) introduced into a hood. It is acceptable for half-masks and disposable FFP respirators only — not for full-face respirators, where quantitative testing is required.
Sysco offers qualitative testing as a lower-cost option for FFP3 programmes where this is appropriate, with full record-keeping in line with INDG479.
When face-fit retesting is required
The HSE recommends re-testing whenever there is a change to the wearer's facial appearance that could affect the seal — significant weight gain or loss, dental work, facial scarring, or significant facial hair growth. Many duty-holders also adopt a routine re-test interval of every two years for half-masks and annually for full-face RPE; high-risk operations (asbestos, isocyanate spray) often re-test annually as standard.
A change of RPE make, model or size always requires a fresh fit test on the new device.
How a face-fit visit runs
We attend with calibrated Portacount kit, a stock of standard test exercises and the documentation pack. Each wearer goes through a 7-exercise INDG479 protocol: normal breathing, deep breathing, head side-to-side, head up-down, talking, bending, and normal breathing again. Total time per wearer is typically 8–12 minutes including paperwork.
Each tested wearer receives a certificate showing the fit factor achieved, the make/model/size of RPE, the date and the tester's Fit2Fit accreditation reference. Photographic records are kept where the client requests.
Pre-test guidance for wearers
Wearers must be clean-shaven on the seal area for the 24 hours preceding the test (a stubble day's growth invalidates the seal). They must avoid eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum for 30 minutes before the test. Normal corrective spectacles are accommodated; specialist mask-spectacle adapters are tested as worn.
Sysco supplies a pre-test briefing sheet for distribution to all attending wearers ahead of the visit.
Related services
Often assessed alongside face-fit testing.
Welding fume monitoring
Mn, Cr(VI), Ni and total particulate sampling for fabrication and steelwork.
Explore 02Biological monitoring
Confirm in urine that your RPE programme is working — for isocyanates, benzene, styrene and welding fume.
Explore 03Respirable crystalline silica
RCS exposure measurement for stoneworks, construction and quarrying.
Explore 04Hazardous substances (COSHH)
Full COSHH exposure assessments across solvents, dusts, fumes and bio-aerosols.
ExploreCommon questions
Face-Fit Testing — FAQs.
Quick answers to the questions we hear most from operations, HSE and procurement teams.
- Is face-fit testing legally required?
- Yes. Regulation 7 of COSHH (and equivalent regulations under CLAW, CAR 2012 and IRR 2017) requires that any tight-fitting RPE is fit-tested for each wearer. The HSE expectation is set out in INDG479 and HSG53.
- What's the difference between quantitative and qualitative testing?
- Quantitative testing (Portacount) gives a numerical fit factor and is required for full-face respirators. Qualitative testing (bitter taste / saccharin) is a pass/fail subjective method acceptable only for half-masks and disposable FFP respirators.
- Can a wearer with a beard be fit-tested?
- No. Any facial hair on the seal area prevents a reliable seal and invalidates the test. Wearers must be clean-shaven on the seal area for the 24 hours preceding the test.
- How often should face-fit tests be repeated?
- Whenever facial fit could be affected (weight change, dental work, scars, facial hair) and on any change of RPE. Many duty-holders adopt a routine 1–2 year cycle, with annual re-testing for high-risk operations.
- How many wearers can you test in a day?
- A single Fit2Fit-accredited tester typically completes 12–16 wearers per day. We mobilise multi-tester teams for larger workforces.
- Are your testers Fit2Fit accredited?
- Yes — every Sysco face-fit tester holds current Fit2Fit accreditation, the BSIF-recognised competence scheme endorsed by the HSE.
- Will you fit-test RPE we already own?
- Yes. We test the RPE the wearer will actually use. Where a wearer fails on their issued RPE, we can offer a small range of alternative makes/sizes to find a model that seals.
Speak with a face-fit testing specialist
Need a face-fit register — fully documented, fast?
Tell us
- wearer count by RPE type,
- site location and access,
- shift patterns to work around,
- and any deadline driving the visit.
We will provide
- a clear scope,
- fixed quotation,
- proposed attendance strategy,
- and expected reporting timeframe.
Send us a brief
Outline the sites, tasks and timelines of concern — we'll reply with a clear scope and fixed quotation.