Can I wear a face covering while on site?

Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) in construction environments

Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is extremely important in construction environments, where dusts such as Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) and other harmful contaminants present a major hazard to health. Inhalation of construction dust can cause lifelong, irreversible illnesses, such as silicosis, COPD, and other lung conditions. Damage can be undetectable until a lung condition has developed, by which point it is too late to reverse. RCS can continue to damage the lungs even after exposure has ended, stressing the importance of using the correct protection to control exposure and prevent dangerous levels of contaminants being inhaled.

Silica containing materials include concrete and cement, stone such as sandstone and granite, as well as brick, tiles, slate, sand, and gravel. Wood dust, fibreglass particles, and asbestos are some other common respiratory hazards encountered on construction sites.

What is RPE?

Respiratory protective devices protect the wearer against hazardous substances by filtering the contaminant to reduce exposure to a safe level. Respirators are independently assessed to ensure they provide effective protection against a contaminant, with rigorous testing for performance and user safety.

Tight-fitting RPE includes disposable respirators, half masks, and full face masks, which rely on creating a tight seal with the wearer’s face to offer protection. These types of respirators must be fit tested to ensure they are suitable for the wearer and able to perform effectively.

Loose-fitting respirators use a powered motor system to deliver filtered air to a head top. This creates an atmosphere of positive pressure which prevents contaminants from leaking in. For this reason, loose-fitting RPE is suitable for wearers with certain styles of facial hair and can also provide higher levels of comfort when worn for long periods time.

RPE for protection against particles is tested for filtration efficiency, making sure that the material is capable of filtering particulates at the correct level to effectively protect the wearer. The filtration efficiency determines the class of the filter. Examples of common particulate filter classes include:

Disposable dust masks – EN 149

FFP1 (80% efficiency min.)
FFP2 (94% efficiency min.)
FFP3 (99% efficiency min.)

Particle filters for half and full face masks (EN 143)

P1 ( 80% efficiency min.)
P2 (94% efficiency min.)
P3 (99.5% efficiency min.)

These classes are also used for combined filters incorporating a particulate element (EN 14387). Combined filters can provide a different APF to particulate only filters with an equivalent efficiency level and it is important to check carefully which type of filter is required for the hazard(s).

Powered air filtering devices with hood or helmet (EN 12941)

TH1P (90% efficiency min.)
TH2P (99% efficiency min.)
TH3P (99.8% efficiency min.)

Each class has requirements for inward leakage, testing the ability of the respirator to prevent harmful contaminants leaking in around the face seal. With powered respirators this is achieved by using a powered system to create an atmosphere of positive pressure, whereas tight-fitting RPE relies on creating a seal with the wearer’s face to prevent inward leakage and provide protection. This is why it is important to ensure that tight-fitting respirators, which include disposable respirators, half masks, and full face masks, are properly fitted and only worn when clean-shaven.

In addition to efficiency and leakage, tight-fitting RPE is also tested for breathing resistance to make sure the mask is safe and comfortable to wear as well as capable of providing adequate protection.

RPE is assessed by independent test houses and certified to the PPE Regulation and relevant EN standards. As a category III product, RPE is subjected to ongoing production monitoring to ensure conformity is maintained. Respirators and their packaging display conformity markings and performance information, enabling users to verify that products are genuine and adequate for the hazard.

Can I wear a face covering or medical mask instead?

With face coverings and medical masks on hand for most of us at the moment, it might be tempting to wear one of these instead of the required RPE, which can be more expensive and less readily available, but these types of products do not provide adequate filtering. Face coverings and medical masks are not intended to provide protection against inhalation of hazardous substances in a construction environment and are therefore not suitable alternatives.

Face coverings

Face coverings are intended to capture droplets exhaled by the wearer in order to protect those around them. They are not intended to protect the wearer and do not provide a tight seal. Face coverings are not considered PPE and there is currently no need for them to conform to EN or ISO standards.

Medical masks

Medical and surgical masks capture droplets exhaled by the wearer, to protect the working environment, and can also provide splash protection to the wearer against liquids that may contact the mask. These products meet the requirements of EN 14683, for medical masks, and the HSE state they are not classed as PPE when worn outside of healthcare settings. While they can offer increased protection against droplets when compared with standard face coverings, they do not create a tight seal with the face to prevent inward leakage and are not tested for particulate filtration at the level required for respiratory protection in a construction environment.

What RPE do I need for construction dust?

Construction dust and silica generally require RPE with a UK assigned protection factor (APF) of 20 with particulate filter for adequate protection. This can be achieved using a half mask with P3 filters, FFP3 disposable dust mask, or TH2P powered respirator. A full risk assessment must be assessed to identify any other respiratory hazards, and to measure concentration levels of contaminants where required.

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