Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health

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Positive 

Check

Negative 

Check

HOW TO WEAR YOUR FILTERING FACEPIECE RESPIRATOR

For your filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) to work as effectively as possible, you must wear 

it correctly. This includes the process of putting it on (donning) and taking it off (doffing). FFRs 

must form a seal to the face. Fit testing is the best way to confirm that a respirator fits you.

Donning Your FFR

Before Donning

• Always use a new FFR.

• Clean and thoroughly dry your hands.

• Inspect your FFR. If it appears damaged, dirty, damp, or the

straps are stretched, do not use it. Replace it with a new one.

Donning Step by Step

1.Hold the FFR in your hand with the nose piece bar (or foam) at

your fingertips. (If you don’t see a nose piece, check that the text

is right side up.)

2.Place the FFR under your chin with the nose piece bar at the top.

3.Pull the top strap over your head, placing it near the crown and

just above your ears. Then, pull the bottom strap over and place

it at the back of your neck, below your ears. Make sure to lay the

straps flat and that they are not twisted.

4.Place your fingertips from both hands at the top of the nose

piece. Press down on both sides of the nose piece bar to mold it

to the shape of your nose.

5.Perform a user seal check.

User Seal Check*

For a good seal, your breath must pass through your FFR and not around its edges. 

Doing a user seal check every time you wear an FFR tells you if gaps exist between 

your FFR and your face, which would allow contaminated air in. A user seal check 

can be a positive or negative pressure check.

Positive User Seal Check

To check for gaps with a positive pressure user seal check, gently place your hands 

over the FFR, covering as much as possible, then breathe out. If you feel air leaking 

out from the edges, or if you are wearing glasses and they fog up, the FFR is not 

snug. Adjust the FFR and try again.

Negative User Seal Check

To check for gaps with a negative pressure user seal check, gently place your hands 

over the FFR. Breathe in sharply and use the bottoms of your hands to block the 

paths where air could enter the facepiece. If the FFR is sealed tightly, the facepiece 

will slightly collapse under the negative pressure. If the facepiece does not collapse, 

or you feel air leaking beneath, the FFR is not snug. Adjust the FFR and try again.

Doffing Your FFR

1.Do not touch the front of your FFR.

It may be contaminated.

2.Remove by first pulling the bottom

strap over the back of your head,

followed by the top strap—all

without touching the respirator.

3.Discard the used respirator in a

waste basket.

4.Thoroughly wash your hands.

Tips for a Good Fit 

• Fit testing provides the best way to ensure proper

respirator fit. Find out more from the person in charge

of your workplace respiratory protection program.

• Jewelry, glasses, and facial hair can cause gaps

between your face and the edge of an FFR. Your FFR will

fit better if you are clean shaven. Gaps can also exist if

the FFR is too big or too small.

• Your FFR may look different than shown. If your FFR has

two head straps, basic donning instructions apply.

• You can find manufacturer’s instructions for your

respirator model on the manufacturer’s website.

*Not every respirator can be checked using positive or negative

pressure. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for conducting

a user seal check on any specific respirator.

Need more information? Email us at PPEConcerns@cdc.gov

Resources

NIOSH [2010]. How to properly put on and take off your disposable respirator. Pittsburgh, PA: 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-133, 

https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2010133.

NIOSH [2018]. Filtering out confusion: frequently asked questions about respiratory protection, 

fit testing. Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) 

Publication No. 2018-129, https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2018129.

NIOSH [2018]. Filtering out confusion: frequently asked questions about respiratory protection, 

user seal check. Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS 

(NIOSH) Publication No. 2018-130, https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2018130.

Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health