Standards, selection and use of dust masks

2020-05-14

Dust masks are indispensable protective equipment for workers engaged in contact with dust. There are many types of masks on the market, and their uses are also different. There are paper masks, cotton yarn masks, activated carbon masks, and antibacterial common for food processing. Masks include white gauze masks used by doctors for surgery, welding fume masks for electric welders, dust masks for dust operations, self-priming filter anti-particulate respirator, and anti-toxic for anti-toxic and harmful gases Masks, etc. Therefore, when buying masks, it is necessary to address the needs of operators in different operating environments. Improper selection will cause waste, and in severe cases, it will cause injury to the workers' bodies and cause occupational diseases.


In the investigation, we found that in order to save costs, some units are eager to buy cheap dust masks that do not meet the requirements, and even use some white cotton yarn masks or other ordinary masks as dust masks and send them to the workers. Workers who wear these masks that do not provide anti-seating effects for a long time may suffer from pneumoconiosis. Therefore, workers engaged in and exposed to dust must understand the relevant knowledge and protection to prevent occupations.


The Law on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases stipulates that the occupational disease protective equipment provided by the employer for workers must meet the requirements for the prevention and control of occupational diseases. Similarly, the dust masks used by workers engaged in and exposed to dust must also meet the requirements. According to the GB2626-2006 standard of respiratory protection products issued by the National Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Bureau and the National Standardization Management Committee, the unit that produces dust masks must comply with the law Obtain a production and operation license, and the production technical specifications of all dust masks must meet the corresponding standards. The standard stipulates the production and technical specifications of respiratory protection products, and has strict requirements on the material structure, appearance, performance, filtration efficiency (dust resistance), respiratory resistance, detection method, product identification, and packaging of dust masks. The material of the dust mask must be non-irritating and non-allergenic to the skin, and the filter material is harmless to the human body; the structure of the dust mask should be convenient to use and so on.


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