N95 Respirator Medical Clearance
If your job requires an N95, the medical evaluation comes before the fit test. Complete it online, reviewed by a licensed healthcare professional.
- check_circle OSHA-required questionnaire, completed on your own device
- check_circle $22.00 for a single evaluation — volume pricing available
Required, or just more comfortable?
N95s show up as a voluntary comfort choice more often than almost any other respirator — which makes this the one question worth settling before you start.
If your employer requires an N95 to protect you from an airborne hazard on the job, OSHA requires this medical evaluation before you're fit tested or required to wear it — the same rule that applies to any other respirator. If your employer only permits voluntary use, for comfort and not because the job requires it, the obligations can differ. The regulatory basis, including the exact citation, is below if you want it.
One thing that doesn't change either way: an N95's seal depends on you checking it. Do a self-seal check every time you put one on — not only at your scheduled fit test.
How an evaluation actually works
Four steps, and a licensed clinician makes the decision in every single one.
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1
The questionnaire
The employee completes the OSHA questionnaire on their own device, at any hour, usually in one sitting. No appointment is needed for this step.
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2
Automated screening
The moment it is submitted, the answers are screened automatically. Screening can flag a response for closer review — it never decides that someone is not cleared.
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3
Clinical review
A licensed healthcare professional reviews the submission. Some are decided on the questionnaire alone; others need follow-up information before a decision can be made.
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4
The result is released
When the clinician releases it, the employer sees the outcome and any work restrictions that apply — and nothing else.
We don't publish a turnaround time, because we don't measure one and we won't promise a number we can't stand behind. What we can tell you is that no result reaches an employer until a person has released it.
The regulatory basis, in plain terms
Under 29 CFR 1910.134(e), if your employer requires you to wear a respirator to protect you from a workplace hazard, OSHA requires a medical evaluation before you are fit tested or required to use it. The evaluation is built around the OSHA-required respirator medical evaluation questionnaire and reviewed by a licensed healthcare professional — a PLHCP, meaning a physician or other licensed healthcare professional.
The goal is straightforward: confirm that wearing a tight-fitting respirator will not place an unsafe burden on you, especially during physically demanding work, hot environments, or extended wear time. This applies whether the respirator is a disposable filtering facepiece or a reusable model — what matters is whether the employer requires it, not what it is made of.
If an employer only permits voluntary use of a filtering facepiece respirator for comfort, and not because the job requires it, the obligations can differ. See 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2).
Employers never see health information
Not the questionnaire, not the answers, not the clinical reasoning. You see the status of the evaluation and what to do next.
| What you see as an employer | What stays between the employee and the clinician |
|---|---|
| check_circle Whether they're cleared, cleared with restrictions, or not cleared for the requested respirator use | cancel Every questionnaire answer |
| check_circle Where they are in the process, and whether they need to do something | cancel Any medical condition, symptom or medication |
| check_circle Any work restrictions that apply | cancel Why a restriction was applied |
| check_circle When the next evaluation is due | cancel The clinician's notes and reasoning |
The statuses you'll actually see
There is no single cleared/not-cleared switch. A result only becomes a decision once a clinician releases it; until then you see progress, so you always know whether the ball is in your court, the employee's, or ours.
Decided — released by a clinician
- check_circle Cleared
- check_circle Cleared with restrictions
- check_circle Not cleared for the requested respirator use
In progress
- check_circle Not started
- check_circle Invitation sent
- check_circle Invitation expired — resend
- check_circle In progress
- check_circle Additional employee action required
- check_circle Clinical review pending
- check_circle Follow-up required
Needs attention
- check_circle Result being finalized
- check_circle Result withdrawn
- check_circle Ordering requires attention
- check_circle Evaluation cancelled
A released result can be withdrawn, and a re-issued one supersedes the old version rather than overwriting it — so your records show what was true at the time, not just what is true now.
N95 medical clearance FAQs
Do I need this if my respirator use is voluntary?
If your employer requires you to wear a respirator to protect you from a workplace hazard, OSHA requires a medical evaluation before you're fit tested or required to use it. If an employer only permits voluntary use of a filtering facepiece respirator for comfort — not because the job requires it — the obligations can differ. When in doubt, check with your program administrator.
Is a ProTrain evaluation the same as a respirator fit test?
No. A medical evaluation determines whether you can safely wear a respirator. Fit testing confirms that a specific make, model, and size seals to your face. The medical evaluation comes first — QuickCare performs fit testing separately, in person.
Does ProTrain use the OSHA-required questionnaire, and who reviews it?
Yes. The evaluation is built around the OSHA-required respirator medical evaluation questionnaire. Automated screening runs the moment you submit, but it can only flag a response for closer review — it never decides that someone is not cleared. A licensed healthcare professional makes every clearance decision.
What does my employer see after I complete the evaluation?
Employers never see your health information — not the questionnaire, not your answers, not the clinical reasoning. They see the status of the evaluation, any work restrictions that apply, and what to do next.
How often do I need to redo the evaluation?
OSHA doesn't set one universal expiration date for every case. Your program's interval determines when you're re-evaluated — commonly every 12 months — and we track the date and flag it before it comes due.
Can I complete the evaluation on my phone?
Yes. You complete the questionnaire on your own device — phone, tablet, or computer — at any hour, usually in one sitting. No appointment is needed for this step.
Does this cover more than N95s?
Yes. The questionnaire supports multiple respirator types — filtering facepiece (N95 and similar), half mask, full facepiece, PAPR, supplied air, and SCBA. If your respirator type or job changes, a re-evaluation may be appropriate depending on the situation.
Respirator guidance
Voluntary respirator use
OSHA rules for voluntary N95 and reusable respirator use.
Read more arrow_forwardOSHA respirator medical questionnaire
How employees complete the questionnaire online.
Read more arrow_forwardRespirator medical clearance guide
The full OSHA medical-clearance walkthrough.
Read more arrow_forwardPricing
What an evaluation costs, with volume pricing.
Read more arrow_forwardGet your N95 clearance started
Start the OSHA-aligned medical evaluation step now.