This resource does not replace the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations and should not be used as or considered legal advice. Health and safety inspectors apply and enforce these laws based upon the facts they find in a workplace.

Overview

Some workers need to wear a mask or respirator to be safe at work. If they have a beard or facial hair, they may still be able to properly and safely wear a mask or respirator. Employers can keep these workers safe while complying with their duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

Occupational health and safety and personal protective equipment

Under the OHSA, employers must ensure that the required personal protective equipment (PPE) that they provide is both:

  • maintained in good condition
  • used as required by either the employer or regulations

Workers have a legal responsibility to use the protective clothing, equipment or devices required by their employer.

Using respirators to reduce respiratory hazards

Employers have different measures available under the hierarchy of controls to reduce exposure to respiratory hazards, including:

  • elimination or substitution
  • engineering controls
  • administrative controls
  • personal protective equipment (PPE)

PPE, such as respirators, are an important safety measure, but are considered least effective in the hierarchy of controls. Where PPE is required by the OHSA and its regulations, employers must still consider using other protective measures first, to protect workers.

Types of respirators

The type of respirator or mask workers should use depends on the task itself, including the form and concentration of the hazardous substance to which a worker is exposed. It does not depend on whether the worker has a beard or not. For example:

  • some tasks require no PPE for the nose and mouth
  • other tasks may only need a medical mask
  • certain tasks may require wearing a respirator

If respirators are required

Workers must wear the right type of respirator for the specific hazard. Different respirators protect workers from different hazards. Some respirators offer protection from chemicals, vapours or gases, while other respirators — such as, the tight-fitting N95 respirator — are designed to protect workers from particulate or aerosolized hazards.

Tight-fitting respirators must have an uninterrupted seal between the worker’s face and the respirator and be fit-tested.

Workers who are required to use a tight-fitting respirator must be clean shaven where the respirator meets the skin to ensure a tight fit and to pass a fit test.. This uninterrupted seal between the worker's face and the respirator must be maintained every time a worker wears a tight-fitting respirator.

Where required, employers must train workers and provide instructions on the care and use of the respirator before the worker first uses it. The training shall include, but is not limited to:

  • its limitations
  • proper fit
  • how to inspect, maintain, clean and disinfect it

Workers with facial hair and tight-fitting respirators

PPE, such as N95 respirators, are considered a last resort when other protective measures in the hierarchy of controls are not reasonable or practical to adopt.

The type of respirator used depends on the task itself, not on whether the worker has a beard or not.

Using other methods to meet safety requirements

The OHSA and its regulations do not always require tight-fitting respirators to be used to meet requirements related to exposure to hazardous substances.

In some cases, where tight-fitting respirators are required, workers with facial hair and beards can wear other types of respiratory equipment, such as a loose-fitting powered air purifying respirator (PAPR). These respirators may achieve the same or greater levels of protection, and do not require fit testing.

When required, employers must provide respiratory protective equipment that protects the worker. Where a worker has facial hair, when choosing appropriate alternative protective equipment, they may consider:

  • asking the worker to be clean shaven
  • providing respiratory protective equipment that can be used with facial hair
  • assigning them to other tasks that do not require the use of fit-tested, tight-fitting respirators

Reasons workers object to being clean shaven

Employers should consider the reasons why a person objects to being clean shaven and remember they have obligations under Ontario human rights legislation to accommodate workers seeking accommodation under a protected ground when setting job requirements.

Singh Thattha technique

The ministry is currently funding research into the Singh Thattha technique with experts and other stakeholders to evaluate evidence on the safety and effectiveness of the method. We will have more information to share in the coming months.

Contact us

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Always call 911 in an emergency.

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