Which test is used to determine if a respirator properly fits a user by simulating breathing?

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The idea being tested is how to verify that a respirator forms a proper seal while you breathe. The method that best matches “simulating breathing” is a fit test that uses positive and negative pressure. This approach applies pressure changes inside the facepiece as you inhale and exhale, letting you feel or detect any air escaping around the seal while you perform typical movements. That direct breathing simulation and leak-detection during real-world breathing is what confirms the respirator fits properly.

Qualitative fit tests rely on detecting leakage by taste or odor, which is subjective and doesn’t quantify how the seal holds up during breathing. Quantitative tests measure leakage with instruments and provide a numerical fit factor, but they don’t emphasize the breathing-simulation aspect in the same explicit way as the positive/negative pressure fit test. Seal integrity checks are static and don’t replicate the breathing cycle.