Comparison of Two Respirator User Training Methods: Video and One-On-One Training

Lung disease is one of the leading causes of occupation-related illness (Blanc et al., 2019; Sirajuddin & Kanne, 2009). To protect themselves, millions of workers rely on respiratory devices (Syamlal et al., 2006; Wizner et al., 2016). However, for these devices to be protective, workers must be trained to consistently don and doff a mask correctly. Currently, there are only a few documented training strategies employed and their effectiveness for respiratory protection has largely been unchallenged. Therefore, this study aims to compare the efficacy of two popular training strategies: one-on-one training and video training. Twenty subjects were recruited for this study and stratified into two groups based on the type of training they received. One group received training by a pre-recorded video, and the second group received one-on-one training by the lead investigator. All participants underwent unassisted quantitative fit tests before and after training, to assess their ability to achieve respiratory protection. Those that were trained by video had statistically insignificant improvements in fit test results after training (P = 0.07). In contrast, those trained in person by a professional were able to significantly improve their pass rates post-training (P = 0.01). These findings are consistent with the literature, suggesting that in-person strategies can better serve to enhance the learning experience.