LCH medical products - Choosing the right mask

Function: to protect the wearer from solid or liquid particles.

Who wears it?

Care staff in contact with suspected or diagnosed flu cases.
Recommended for the population in the event of a flu pandemic, such as bird flu,
Employees from different industries: automobile, laboratory, food processing...

Which specifications should it meet?
CE + n° notified organisation.
BS EN 149:2001 standard.
FFP1, FFP2, FFP3 classifications depending on
- their filtration efficiency level,
- their total ‘inward leakage’.
To know:
Different models exist in regards to:
- Shape: shell, duckbill...
- The presence or absence of a valve
- Efficiency level: FFP1, FFP2 or FFP3.
Must be adjusted to the face. (Mask closely fitted against the face).
Training of users is absolutely necessary.

Function: to trap respiratory excretions (saliva, secretions) from the mask carrier, whilst allowing the user to breathe easily.

Who wears it?

Practitioners and nurses to prevent contamination to the patient and to the environment.
The contagious patient to prevent contamination to those around him and to the environment.
Families and visitors in contact with the patient.

What are its characteristics and requirements?

CE mark
EN 14683 : 2006 standard
Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) = quantity of bacteria withheld by the mask.
According to their BFE, classification I,II,IR and IIR.
∆P Differential pressure = mask resistance to air flow.
Resistance to fluid projections = only for type R.

The most common types are I (BFE ≥ 95%) and II (BFE ≥ 98%).

R signifies that the mask is splash resistant.

Test	Type I	Type IR	Type II	Type IIR
(BFE) Bacterial filtration efficiency expressed in %	>95	>95	>98	>98
Differential pressure (∆P) expressed in Pascal	<29,4	<49	<29,4	<49
Resistance pressure to splashes (shown in mm of mercury)	Not required	>120	Not required	>120

Differential pressure shows the mask’s resistance to a gas stream.

The IR and IIR masks are ‘splash resistant’.