With many types of respirators, masks, and face coverings in use and on the market, it is important to understand how to identify a genuine and conforming respirator. In applications where respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is required, it must be tested and certified to the relevant regulations and performance standards.
In the UK this means certification to the PPE Regulation with CE marking or UKCA marking and conformity with EN 149, the European standard for disposable dust masks.
Masks that meet this criteria display markings that detail performance and usage:
- Conformity marking – CE / UKCA
- Notified / approved body number – Four digit number below conformity marking
- Standard reference – EN 149
- Performance level – FFP3 (/FFP2/FFP1)
- Usage type – NR (non-reusable) or R (reusable)
British Safety Industry Federation
"The British Safety Industry Federation is urging buyers and end users of PPE and safety equipment to follow a simple process when specifying products to ensure that they are fit for purpose. Under PPE Regulations, buyers of PPE and safety equipment have a responsibility to ensure that the products they buy are compliant, but many buyers don’t have the knowledge and resources to validate suppliers’ claims."-BSIF
We are proud to be a Registered Safety Supplier giving our customers the reassurance that they are buying genuine safety products from a manufacturer that correctly tests and certifies products to the appropriate market standards.
To find out how to check if your vendor is committed to high standards of operation and is compliant with relevant regulations, click here
Respirators in other regions
Respirators in different regions conform to different regional standards. In the US, comparable NIOSH respirators are classified as N95 or N99. Australia and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1716 classifies particulate respirators as P1, P2, or P3.
What about KN95 masks?
KN95 masks are sometimes marketed as equivalent to EN 149 ‘FFP’ masks which is misleading due to differences in assessment requirements. The HSE issued a safety alert about the important differences between these types of masks.
Medical / surgical masks and face coverings
During the pandemic, use of medical masks and face coverings has been extensive. These products, while able to capture droplets exhaled by the wearer, do not provide respiratory protection.
The HSE have stated that medical masks are not classed as PPE outside of healthcare settings.
Medical masks and face coverings do not create a seal with the face to prevent inward leakage, as EN 149 masks.
Fit testing
Making sure that your dust mask is genuine and properly certified, with the required protection level, confirms that the respirator is adequate. To ensure the respirator is suitable, fit testing must be carried out.
As tight-fitting RPE, disposable respirators create a tight seal with the face to offer protection. Fit testing assesses respirator seal to ensure an individual can achieve a good fit with a specific model of mask.
Learn how to conduct face fit testing from our competent Fit2Fit accredited assessors on ourTrain the Tester Training Course at our manufacturing headquarters in Oxfordshire. Have any more respiratory protection questions? Take a look at our respiratory protection faq! Find out more about our range of respiratory protection. Take a look at our new respiratory guide.