PFT’S, WHAT ARE THEY?
What Are Pulmonary Function Tests?
Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are lung tests. They show how well your lungs work. This is a
non-invasive test, which means that there is no break in the skin and there is no contact with
the mucosa, or skin break, or internal body cavity beyond a natural or artificial body orifice. It is
completed by blowing into a device that will measure the amount of air that you exhale (blow
out).
Does OHSA Require Pulmonary Function Tests if I wear a respirator?
The PFT is the most commonly misunderstood component of OSHA’s respirator use regulations.
Many employers think that all employees subject to respirator use must have a pulmonary function test. Some employers take it further by conducting annual pulmonary function tests.
The facts, however, are clear: OSHA does not require a PFT for respirator certification.
Why Are Pulmonary Function Tests Done?
Testing your lungs can help diagnose issues with your lungs such as:
- Asthma
- Allergies
- Chronic bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Damaged or scarred lung tissue
- Disease caused by breathing in asbestos fibers
- Sarcoidosis, a collection of inflammatory cells around organs
- Lung cancer
- Infections
- Thickened, stretched, or enlarged airways
- Thickening or hardening of your connective tissues, known as scleroderma
- Weakness of the muscles in the wall of the chest
How does a Pulmonary Function Test work?
Using spirometry is one way the test can be conducted it is one of the most common pulmonary function tests. Spirometry measures how much air you can breathe in and out. It also measures how fast you can empty the air out of your lungs. During the test, you’ll breathe in as much air as you can. Then you’ll quickly blow as much air out as you can through a tube connected to a machine called a spirometer.
PFT’S, WHAT ARE THEY ?
The test measures two things:
1. The most air you can breathe out after inhaling deeply. The results will let you know if you
have a reduced ability to breathe normally.
2. How much air you can exhale in 1 second. The score tells your doctor how severe your
breathing problem is.
The test is painless and takes less than 10 minutes.
Below is a basic diagram of the human respiratory system.
