# Respirator Fit Testing in Manitoba: What Employers Need to Know in 2026
If your workers wear tight-fitting respirators — N95s, half-face elastomerics, or full-face masks — fit testing isn’t optional. It’s a legal requirement under Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Regulation, and getting it wrong can mean workers walking around with a false sense of protection.
Here’s a plain-language rundown of what’s required, what’s changing, and how to keep your program compliant.
## The Legal Basis
Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Regulation 217/2006, Part 6 (Section 6.15), covers respiratory protective equipment. It requires that respirators be selected, used, and maintained in accordance with **CSA Standard Z94.4** — currently the 2018 edition (Z94.4-18).
That standard isn’t just a suggestion. It’s written directly into the regulation, which means following it is how you demonstrate due diligence if WCB or a safety officer ever asks.
## How Often Is Fit Testing Required?
The rule employers most often get wrong is timing. Fit testing is required:
– **Before first use** of any tight-fitting respirator
– **At least every two years** after that
– **Any time there’s a change** that could affect the seal — significant weight change, facial surgery, dental work, or a new respirator make/model/size
It’s also worth remembering: fit testing is specific to the **exact make, model, and size** tested. If your worker passes a fit test on one respirator and you switch suppliers or models, that test no longer applies.
## Qualitative vs. Quantitative — Which Do You Need?
Manitoba employers generally have two options:
**Qualitative fit testing (QLFT)** uses a test agent — saccharin, Bitrex, or irritant smoke — and relies on the wearer detecting a taste or smell if the seal fails. It’s fast, affordable, and works well for N95s and other filtering facepiece respirators. Its limitation is that it caps out at a fit factor of 10, so it isn’t suitable for respirators requiring higher protection factors.
**Quantitative fit testing (QNFT)** uses an instrument (like a PortaCount) to measure the actual fit factor numerically. It’s required for higher-hazard applications and gives an objective pass/fail number rather than a subjective response.
Which one you need depends on the hazard, the respirator class, and sometimes your industry’s specific code requirements.
## What’s Coming: CSA Z94.4-25
The consultation period for the next edition of the standard, **Z94.4-25**, has closed, and an update is on the way. Employers should keep an eye on a few anticipated shifts:
– **Healthcare workplaces explicitly included** in the standard’s scope
– **Stronger emphasis** on fit testing, training, and documentation as core, non-negotiable parts of a respiratory protection program
– **Clarification that surgical masks are not respiratory protection** for airborne biohazard exposure
– A push toward **normalizing respirator use** across more industries where airborne hazards exist, not just the traditional ones
None of this takes effect immediately, but it signals where enforcement and best practice are headed. Manitoba’s regulation points to whichever CSA edition is in force, so it’s worth planning ahead rather than waiting for the update to land before reviewing your program.
## What a Compliant Program Looks Like
At minimum, a defensible respiratory protection program in Manitoba includes:
1. A documented hazard assessment identifying where respirators are needed
2. The correct respirator selected for the hazard (not just “whatever’s on hand”)
3. Fit testing before first use and every two years, using the correct method for the respirator class
4. Health assessment prior to fit testing
5. Worker training on proper use, limitations, and seal checks
6. Records retained — make, model, size, test date, and result for every worker
## Get It Done Right
Fit testing isn’t just paperwork — it’s the difference between a respirator that actually protects a worker and one that only feels like it does. If it’s been more than two years since your team’s last fit test, or you’re not sure your current records would hold up to a WCB review, that’s worth fixing now rather than after an incident.
*True Health and Safety provides both qualitative and quantitative respirator fit testing for workplaces across Manitoba. Get in touch to book a session or ask about setting up an ongoing fit testing schedule for your team.*
