Face and Gas Masks
A face mask is a loose-fitting facial cover that creates a screened barrier between the wearer's mouth and nose and contaminants in the immediate vicinity. When worn correctly, a face mask helps to block splashes, sprays, splatters or droplets that may contain bacteria or viruses from reaching the nose and mouth. Face masks are also worn to protect others from exposure to your respiratory secretions or saliva. Further, wearing a face mask while gardening, cleaning or participating in outdoor sporting activities will reduce your exposure to mold and dust allergens. Because face masks are loose-fitting, they don't provide complete protection. To improve your protection, make sure your mask fits and seals well.
What are some types of face masks?
Contour face masks are helpful for many activities, including sporting activities like motocross, dirt biking and climbing. They're also useful as a cold weather mask and particularly effective when skiing or snowboarding. Contour face masks provide superb allergen filtration and pollution avoidance.
HEPA and pollen-proof face masks are useful for protection against non-toxic dust and airborne particles like cut grass and pollen. From mold removal to general household cleaning, they are suitable for many uses.
What is a respirator?
A respirator is a very close-fitting facial cover equipped with a filtering face piece. It's designed to protect its wearer from breathing in very tiny particles. Respirator gas masks are used for critical air purifying uses, including medical or scientific uses as well as during asbestos removal construction projects. Respiratory protective devices should have a tight, but comfortable, fit.
What's the difference between a face mask and respirator?
A face mask and respirator don't offer the same level of protection. A face mask blocks sprays, splashes, droplets and splashes but doesn't provide protection against very tiny airborne particles from the top, side and bottom of the mask. For that, you need a respirator, which has a much closer fit than a face mask. Further, respirator masks contain a filtration device to protect your mouth and nose from particles as you breathe. Face masks do not have this filtration element. However, neither a face mask nor respirator provides 100 percent protection against disease and illness.
When should a face mask or respirator be worn?
If you have the flu and will be in close contact with others, you should wear a face mask. You should also wear a face mask if someone in your household as the flu. A face mask may also be worn during sporting activities like climbing, dirt biking, motocross, snowboarding and skiing. They are also helpful to wear when cleaning, gardening or cutting the grass to reduce exposure to dust, mold or pollen.
On the other hand, a respirator should be worn if you are not sick but are expected to come in close contact with others who are believed to be sick with a pandemic flu. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, face masks with a minimum of N95 (95 percent particulate filter efficiency level) are recommended for additional protection against the Bird Flu, Swine Flu and Avian Influenza. Doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers typically wear respirators when taking care of patients who have diseases that may spread through the air. Construction workers, particularly those who have a risk of being exposed to asbestos, torch cutting and soldering, should wear a respirator rather than a face mask. A respirator gas mask should be worn when there is a potential exposure to chlorine, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride or hydrogen fluoride, lead and many other vapors, gas and hazardous substances above the advised concentration amount of the permissible exposure limits.
