Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search


Español  Other Languages


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
 Search
		×
			NIOSH
			NIOSH
				All CDC
				Submit
			For a full list of topics:A-Z Index
			Advanced Search
		Advanced Search


The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)








Communicating Science										Related Pages
					How A Popular Government Infographic About Beards Came To Be
“To beard, or not to beard?” Not exactly the question Shakespeare asked, but a worthy question posed by NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL). Fit testing employees with beards is a frustration that NPPTL often hears about from its stakeholders. Using a little bit of creativity, NPPTL’s communications staff came up with a unique way to raise awareness among workers and employers that facial hair that lies along the sealing area of a respirator will cause a respirator to leak.
NIOSH published an infographic, “Facial Hairstyles and Filtering Facepiece Respirators” in 2017 to accompany a NIOSH blog that explains how facial hair can interfere with respirator fit during employee fit testing and use. “We created the infographic as a fun visual to enhance this article,” said Jackie Cichowicz, MA, a health communication specialist who helped craft the blog and infographic. “We wanted to address questions in a way that would offer alternatives for workers who were going to be required to shave, softening the blow a bit.”
How important is your choice of facial hair if you wear a respirator on the job? According to Cichowicz, the presence of facial hair under the sealing surface—think some beards, sideburns, and some mustaches—causes 20 to 1,000 times more leakage compared to clean-shaven individuals. That doesn’t rule out all facial hairstyles and the infographic highlights which styles are still safe to sport.
NIOSH and OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, work in partnership to align with the occupational safety and health regulations and guidelines of the other. NIOSH research and guidance supports OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134, which addresses facial hair and respirator fit.
“We have received inquiries from workers and employers asking if facial hair is permitted with a respirator, and my job is to identify creative ways to respond to questions, translate the science to language respirator users understand, ultimately providing users the information they need to best protect themselves in the workplace,” said Cichowicz. “The regulations state the facts, health communication specialists at NIOSH put the information in terms that spark curiosity, interest, and ultimately safety.”
NPPTL has received great feedback from its stakeholders who have shared that they use the infographic during respiratory protection training. Even some ski patrol members, a workforce known for their beards, have cited the infographic as a go-to resource, reported by the New York Times. The infographic has been downloaded just over 19,000 times since its publication in 2017, with 95% of downloads occurring in 2020. “It’s fantastic to know that our product contributes to practices to keep workers safe,” said Cichowicz.Top of Page
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  January 7, 2021						Source: 	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
					Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate homeNIOSH Newsroom
Features
NIOSH-Funded Research News
NIOSH in the News
NIOSH Video
Press Releases and Updates Follow NIOSH Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube
 NIOSH Homepage NIOSH A-Z
Workplace Safety & Health Topics
Publications and Products
Programs
Contact NIOSH


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
				Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
				You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
				CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue