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Disposable mask how to choose the right single-use mask
| How to protect yourself? Guideline | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| FFP1 | FFP2 | FFP3 | |
| Protection | Protects against dust and/or water-based aerosols. | Protects against aerosols and/or slightly toxic or irritating solid liquids. | Protects against aerosols and/or liquids listed as solid toxic. |
| Application Examples | Handling of stone, rubble, cellulose, concrete drilling | Sanding soft wood, composite materials, rust, putty, plaster, plastic / cutting, milling, grinding, drilling metal | Sanding of hard wood (beech, oak), wood treatment using copper, chrome or arsenic products, paint stripping impact , cement sanding. |
| Substances | Flour, calcium carbonate (chalk), graphite, cotton, concrete dust. | Untreated softwood, grinding, cutting, welding, milling, coal, fiberglass, mineral fiber, pesticide powder, dust grains. | Asbestos (without handling), powdered pesticides, biological, pharmaceutical, powder, treated wood, hardwood (exotic), chrome, lime, lead. |
| % Min Filtration | 80% | 94% | 99% |
| Total Inward Leakage (TIL) | 22% | 8% | 2% |
| Nominal Protection Factor (NPF) | 4.5xTLV | 12.5xTLV | 50xTLV |
| Assigned Protection Value (APV) | 4xTLV | 10xTLV | 20xTLV |
Use of disposable respiratory protection masks
Covid-19 is not the only reason for wearing a disposable respirator. Oxwork specialist in professional PPE ensures exceptional quality and performance in the selection of disposable masks offered to its customers. Our wide range offers a high level of protection for users against many workplace hazards, from dry particles such as dust, to liquid or invisible particles such as bacteria that need to be excluded in operating theatres. For a complete protective outfit, you will find a set of disposable equipment on our website. For work in a space where the air quality is poor, the employee must necessarily wear a PPE respiratory protection mask. But not all goggles are the same, and the choice of model will have to be made according to the specific conditions encountered. The employer is required by law to equip its employees, but wearing a mask can also be recommended for simple DIY.
What is the difference between surgical masks and type 1 (FFP1) and type 2 (FFP2) masks?
As its name suggests, a respiratory protection mask is a device consisting of protecting the respiratory tract of the user against inhalation of dusts, pathogens, fumes, vapors or gases. It is usually made up of multiple layers of filter materials. Thus, wearing this type of personal protective equipment is essential in order to guarantee the safety of workers and to limit the major risks that can affect their health, especially if they work in a dusty environment or in the presence of fire smoke, gas, vapour, viruses or even toxic substances. However, there are several types of disposable protective mask. We will now see the differences:
- The surgical mask is a medical device governed by the ISO EN 146 standard. Its role prevents the projection of droplets emitted by the person wearing the mask. It also protects the wearer against the projection of droplets emitted by another person. On the other hand, it does not protect against the inhalation of very small particles in suspension in the air such as dust for example.
- A mask with valve is intended to protect in addition to droplets against airborne particles (dust) a device governed by the ISO EN 149 standard at European level. But this standard is further divided into three categories (FFP) according to the level of protection offered. A mask is therefore classified FFP1, FFP2 orFFP3. FFP stands for Filtering Facepiece Particles. The categorization will be based on the total leak rate and the ability to filter the different particles in the air of each mask. A mask is considered FFP1 if its leak rate is limited to 25% or less, with an 80% particle filtration provision. In the case of the FFP2 class that interests us, the rate must be less than or equal to 11% and its ability to filter 94%. Finally, for FFP3, it is 5% total leak rate and 99% filtration competence. The particle size is fixed at 0.6 �m for each class.
Washing: Can surgical masks be washed?
Are you wondering if we can reuse a single-use mask? The answer is no!
As the words "single use and disposable" indicate, this one cannot be washed. Here is the lifespan of a mask:
- Mask for medical use (surgical): do not exceed a maximum of four hours for wearing the same surgical mask according to the manufacturer's instructions for use.
- FFP mask: do not exceed a maximum of eight hours for wearing the same FFP-type respiratory protection device according to the manufacturer's instructions for use.
Where should I throw away single-use masks?
The global covid-19 pandemic has increased the number of waste related to disposable masks, a number which in normal times was already high due to their use in many sectors, in particular health establishments (hospitals, EPAD , etc.) or the agri-food industries. This strong increase in masks pollutes the earth, especially when they are negligently thrown away in nature or in the streets, bacterial contamination such as covid-19 proliferates. For reasons of hygiene and ecology, they must be disposed of in a suitable waste bin after use. The masks should rather not be put in the recycling bin or yellow bin.
Purchase: Where to buy cheap disposable masks? (surgical or with valve not)
All masks are packaged in a box with fitting instructions. They are packaged in a PP bag which keeps the masks hygienically clean and allows for better storage and easier distribution in the workplace. We offer on Oxwork, various disposable protective masks corresponding to the various categories of disposable protective mask (surgical, FFP1, FFP2).
