Canadian Occupational Safety

F E A T U R E 20 www.thesafetymag.com/ca SPOTLIGHT ON RESPIRATORY PROTECTION Top respiratory protection companies weigh in on masks, face coverings and respirators and share their expert advice with COS on what key things users need to know and should be looking out for WHAT was already a pretty key bit of PPE has now become one of the most sought-after pieces of equipment due to the ongoing pandemic. Respiratory protection has been an integral part of a number of professions for many years, be it doctors who require surgical masks or construction workers in need of N95 respirators. Since the COVID-19 outbreak last year, however, almost every single worker is required to wear a respirator or face covering of some sort. With almost every retailer, specialized or not, offering an array of masks and coverings, the market can be difficult to navigate. We looked to some of the top companies in the space — some newer and some more established — to share their expert insight with us. First and foremost, though, before delving into more specific product offerings, it is essential to consider standards and product certification. CSA Group CSA Group "develops consensus-based standards and performs testing, inspection and certification services to published standards in Canada, the U.S. and around the world on hundreds of products, including personal protective equipment," says Dana Parmenter, vice president, industrial, CSA Group. For those who don't know, certification and standards development are actually two unique and separate processes. "The need for a standard is usually driven by some type of identified need in the market," says Parmenter, brought up together under the general "face mask" or "respiratory protection" umbrella. We will delve into their differences later on, but different standards may apply to each. With regards to medical or surgical masks, the related standard would be ASTM F2100. With regards to N95 respirators, they are tested to the 42 CFR 84 standard developed by NIOSH, which verifies the filtering efficiency of a respirator. An N95 respirator provides 95-per-cent filtering efficiency of a non-aerosol- based particle that is 0.3 micron in size. 3M First and foremost, users need to know that face coverings and respirators are two different products. Face coverings or masks will cover the user's mouth and nose, and may act as a fluid barrier. In a way, these products are meant to protect others from being potentially infected from the wearer. Respirators, such as the oft-mentioned "whether it be related to safety or a gap where there needs to be some kind of guidance on how a product can be used more safely or effectively." With regards to product certification, that process is performed by specialized teams of certification professionals. Their role is to evaluate and test products supplied by manufacturers against the public safety standards, the goal being for the manufacturer to have their product certified as compliant. "The CSA certification mark is really an easy way for consumers to know that a product has been tested and meets the relevant safety requirements," says Parmenter. Standards are published by a number of bodies, CSA being one of them. In Canada, in some cases, some standards are developed provincially. Products have to conform to the standards of the locality where they will be put on the market. Face masks, face coverings and respirators are all different things often N95, are meant to protect the person that is wearing it. 3M is a global company with a huge presence in Canada, so large in fact that it has expanded its manufacturing site here to product different respirators. Globally, says Stacy Richardson, senior health and safety application professional in 3M's Personal Safety Division, in 2020, 3M produced two billion respirators. This is triple the company's 2019 output, but the demand will continue to exceed the supply for some time. Although the current focus for respiratory protection has been linked to COVID-19, as we mentioned before, respiratory products have in actual fact been widely used in a number of industries for years. "The lack of availability has been frustrating for not only health-care customers but also industrial customers," says Richardson. "Many of those places didn't stop functioning during the pandemic." Shortages aren't the only issue facing respirator manufacturers. Indeed, there is a huge problem with products coming into the U.S. and Canada that are counterfeit. 3M launched a website in 2020 to provide information to combat fraud and price gauging, as well as provide tips and tricks to help determine if the product is authentic. "When you're purchasing, make sure "The lack of availability has been frustrating for not only health- care customers but also industrial customers. Many of those places didn't stop functioning during the pandemic." Stacy Richardson, 3M

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