Facial hair is more fashionable than ever, but there are times that it doesn’t mix well with particular occupations. Like many other hands-on workers, electricians should consider their grooming and be aware of any ways that facial hair could interfere with tools or equipment.

When Are Beards Hazardous?

Long beards can sometimes be a danger when working with power tools, such as grinders or drills. Anyone who is working with motorized tools should keep a beard well-trimmed to avoid the chance of it being caught in the equipment and causing serious injuries.

Beards can also be a problem for people who need to wear respirators on the job. Some types of respirators require a tight seal on the facial mask, which means that the mask needs to be touching bare skin to avoid any gaps that could let in contaminated air.

Should You Shave?

Being clean-shaven is the most certain way to make sure that any facial equipment fits perfectly, but shaving isn’t for everyone. Some people feel uncomfortable or dislike the way they look without a beard. Some men have a spouse or partner who appreciates their facial hair. Others have religious restrictions against shaving.

There are options if you don’t want to wear a bare face all the time. Some men only need to wear tight-sealing respirators occasionally, so they keep a razor handy in order to shave for those particular jobs, or just before an annual fit test of the mask. Others shave only in the areas where the mask meets their face. Having a beard isn’t specifically prohibited by OSHA regulations for respirator use, but if a person is wearing a respiratory mask that requires a tight seal, the person should not have facial hair where the mask meets the skin.

OSHA states in their Fit Testing Procedures , 29 CFR 1910.134 Appendix A, Part I, (A)(9) , “Facial hair is allowed as long as it does not protrude through the respirator seal or extend far enough to interfere with the device’s valve function.” However, the guidelines also state, “The test shall not be conducted if there is any hair growth between the skin and the facepiece sealing surface, such as stubble beard growth, beard, mustache or sideburns which cross the respirator sealing surface. Any type of apparel which interferes with a satisfactory fit shall be altered or removed.”

Other Alternatives

For someone who doesn’t want to shave at all - or who has religious restrictions against shaving - there are alternatives to respirators that seal against the face. Powered respirators with loose-fitting hoods or helmets can be used. Another benefit to this type of respirator is that it doesn’t need to be fit-tested, making it useful for people whose facial structure doesn’t work well with the tight-fitting type. They can be used by anyone without a need to be fitted in advance.

Powered respirators use electric fans to force contaminated air through a filter - the air is then circulated within a hood or helmet. Due to the force of the airflow, contaminated air does not enter into the breathing area even without a tight-fitting seal.

Hooded respirators with a seal around the neck rather than on the face can also be useful, but care must be taken to ensure that a beard doesn’t interfere with the neck seal.

Do you sport a beard or stay clean-shaven on the job?

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