PPE - 02.07.2020

Substandard face masks on the market

No protection. The HSE has warned that face masks are appearing on the market which claim to be to “KN95” standard and it wants businesses to be aware of what this means and why they are not to be used (see The next step ).

Not up to standard. KN95 denotes a Chinese quality standard for face masks which are broadly equivalent to mid-range disposable face masks under our own standards, which are labelled “FFP2”. (FFP stands for filtering facepiece, and there are three grades from one to three.)

Not good enough. The HSE says that KN95 products must not be used as personal protective equipment (PPE) at work as they are likely to be poor quality products, accompanied by fake or fraudulent paperwork. In any case this standard is not acceptable in the UK.

Tip. Check any PPE you purchase for a CE mark. The only exception is a temporary one applying to NHS-procured PPE which will have been subject to an assessment by the HSE as the Market Surveillance Authority.

Tip. It’s been tricky during the lockdown to ensure that all PPE purchases are made through reputable suppliers, but try to do so from now on, as far as possible. Buying from random internet sellers is one way to get ripped off.

For a link to the HSE Bulletin, visit http://tipsandadvice-healthandsafety.co.uk/download (HS 18.21.08).

Face masks labelled as meeting the KN95 standard have been imported to fill a gap in the market, but the HSE warns you should not use them as they cannot be relied on to provide the protection workers need.

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