What should I pay attention to when using dust masks?

Recently, dust masks have become popular all over the country, and the best personal protective equipment for smog days is dust masks. What's more, you can directly show the dust masks or gas masks worn by chemical companies to the public. For dust masks, you must first understand three things: the environment in which the dust masks are used, the choice of masks, and the way to wear them.
It is not that wearing a dust mask is foolproof. There are many types of masks. You must first understand the use environment and operation requirements of the dust mask, and then choose the corresponding choice. Finally, you need to master the correct way to wear the dust mask to better use it. .

Dust mask use environment
First, we should understand the concentration and toxicity of dust in the environment. According to GB/T18664 "Selection, Use and Maintenance of Respiratory Protective Equipment", as a half-face mask, all dust respirators are suitable for environments where the concentration of harmful substances does not exceed 10 times the occupational exposure limit, otherwise a full face mask or protection level should be used Higher air respirator.
If the particulate matter is highly toxic, carcinogenic and radioactive, the filter material with the highest filtering efficiency should be selected. In addition, it is necessary to confirm whether the particulate matter is oily or non-oily. Since dust masks cannot be washed with water, masks with microfibrils on the face can easily cause facial irritation on the sealing part of the face, and are not suitable for use.
For high temperature and high humidity environments, it will be more comfortable to choose a mask with an exhalation valve. Choosing a mask that can remove ozone for welding can provide additional protection. For environments where there is no particulate matter but only some peculiar smells, choosing a dust mask with an activated carbon layer is lighter than wearing a gas mask, and the price is much lower than that of a gas mask, so it is more suitable for certain laboratory environments.

　　

Dust mask selection
Whether dust masks really play a protective role, in addition to the selection of protective functions, another important selection factor is suitability. No dust mask has an appearance design that can fit everyone's face shape. At present, the certification and testing of dust masks does not guarantee that the masks are suitable for each specific user. If there is a leak, the pollutants in the air will enter the breathing area from the leak.
The method of choosing a suitable dust mask is to use the suitability test. The test method is very simple. After wearing the mask in the correct way, you can still feel the smell (such as car exhaust, oil smoke, etc.), indicating that the dust mask and the user’s face The fit is poor. For details, please refer to the introduction of the suitability test of dust respirators in GB/T18664.
　　

The correct way to wear
Dust masks may seem simple, but they are not. After choosing a suitable dust mask, you must also master the correct wearing method and precautions for use. Dust masks are divided into three types: headband, ear-worn and neckband according to the way they are worn. The wearing methods of different dust masks are also different. In addition, every time after wearing a dust mask, the airtightness of the dust mask must be tested to ensure that the mask is in the correct position (not leaking), the headband is tight and so on.
The dust concentration in the environment, the filter material of the dust mask and the maintenance method will directly affect the service life of the mask. There is no uniform replacement time for the dust mask. When it is found that the parts of the dust mask are damaged or broken (such as nose clip, nose clip pad), and the breathing resistance is obviously increased, the dust mask should be discarded immediately and replaced with a new one.

In summary, consumers cannot blindly pursue the price of dust masks when buying, and it is not that the more expensive masks have better protective performance. As far as possible, choose dust-proof masks with formal packaging and with the "LA" (labor protection) logo on the package or with both "LA" and "QS" logos at the same time. At the same time, the filter materials of dust masks generally have undergone a very complicated process. They are maintenance-free products and should not be reused after washing.