There are significant health risks associated with breathing air contaminated by dust or fumes. If your work activities have the potential to result in harmful substances contaminating the air in the form of dust, mist, gas or other fumes, you'll want to make sure that you are suitably protected with the right respiratory equipment.
Face masks are used at work in many industries, which means that there are various different types to choose from. This may become confusing when trying to decide which one is most suited for you. There are three main types of mask, which should all be used for different degrees of protection.
Disposable masks help to filter out large droplets from the air around you. They are unable to filter smaller particles such as aerosols because they don’t fit tightly to the face. Disposable masks are best used in medical environments to prevent bacteria.
Filtration masks offer a tighter fit than disposable masks and are designed to protect you from the inhalation of larger droplets and fine aerosol particles. However, in order for these types of masks to work effectively, they must be properly fitted to your face.
FFP2 masks are the European equivalent of the N95 respirator masks that are used in the US. FFP2 masks filter 94% of airborne particles, at 0.3 microns and above, and offer the wearer excellent protection.
FFP3 masks offer more protection than FFP2. There are different types, sizes and models available with the latest FFP3 filtration technology. FFP3 masks filter 98% of airborne particles, at 0.3 microns and above, and offer the wearer the highest level of protection.
We stock a range of both half face reusable respirator masks and full-face reusable respirator masks, providing a high level of protection. Respiratory protection including FFP3 masks, filters and fit testing kits available at Work & Wear Direct to buy online or call us on 01702 553698.
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