Dust mask

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about paper dust masks. For respirators worn over the nose and mouth, see N95 respirator.
A half-face dust mask

A dust mask is a flexible paper pad held over the nose and mouth by elastic or rubber straps for personal comfort against non-toxic nuisance

mechanical filter respirator
available in the jurisdiction, is also used as a dust mask.

Dust masks are used in environments with

allergens such as tree and grass pollen. A dust mask is also used to prevent the wearer from inhaling dust or sand in a dust storm.[3]

Description

A dust mask is worn in the same fashion as a filtering facepiece

chemicals such as vapors
and mists. For this reason, it is dangerous to confuse dust masks with respirators used as paint masks.

Dust masks are a cheaper, lighter, and possibly more comfortable alternative to respirators, but do not provide certified respiratory protection, and may be more susceptible to misuse or poor fit. Dust masks and respirators usually do not contact the mouth, and therefore interfere less with speech than cloth masks that do contact the mouth.

Some dust masks include improvements such as having two straps behind the head (one upper and one lower), having a strip of aluminum on the outside across the bridge of the nose that can be bent for a custom fit, and having a strip of foam rubber on the inside across the bridge of the nose to ensure a better seal even if the aluminum on the outside does not fit.

Any mask that consistently covers the nose and mouth will reduce the transmission of contagious respiratory diseases. Snugly fitting dust masks generally provide more protection than loose cloth masks, but less protection than respirators.[4]

Regulation

Some Asian countries have regulations for dust-grade masks intended for everyday civilian use as opposed to occupational use. These include:

Dust masks

N95 mask is a filtering facepiece, too.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Do you know the difference between a dust mask and a respirator?" (PDF). University of Alabama at Birmingham. 2016-10-28. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-03-29.
  2. ^ "Dust Mask vs. Respirator". Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 2018-02-15.
  3. ^ "All you need to know about disposable dust masks". www.hse.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  4. ^ "COVID-19: Types of Masks and Respirators". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  5. ^ Harris, William B. (1957). "Personnel Protection and Personal Hygiene". In Sax, N. Irving (ed.). Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials. p. 58.
  6. PMID 32572305
    .
  7. ^ "NIOSH-Approved Particulate Filtering Facepiece Respirators". Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  8. ^ "Numerous questions on filtering facepiece/dusk mask respirators". Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 2011-11-22.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dust_mask&oldid=1208400082"