HSE WARNS AGAINST NUISANCE DUST MASKS

HSE press release E003:03 - 17 January 2003

People who work with harmful dusts should not use nuisance dust masks to protect themselves from exposure, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is today warning.

HSE is encouraging the voluntary withdrawal from sale of nuisance dustmasks, also known as comfort masks or hygiene masks, and is urging the use of approved CE-marked disposable respirators instead.

The warning is in support of the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) campaign to reduce respiratory diseases such as occupational asthma, which is the most frequently diagnosed occupational related respiratory disease in Great Britain. HSE estimates that between 1,500 and 3,000 people develop it every year.

Nuisance dust masks should only be used when dusts are not hazardous to health, but they are often used as cheap alternatives to the correct protective equipment.

Despite resembling the kind of disposable respirators that should be used, nuisance dust masks are not protective devices. They perform badly and do not have to meet basic health and safety requirements.

However they are readily available to industry, DIY enthusiasts and hobbyists, which means that they may be found in a variety of occupational and domestic environments and consequently could be used for purposes that they are not intended for.

They should not be used for protection against fine dusts, welding fumes, asbestos, fine sand, paint spray, gases, vapours or aerosols. In addition, they should not be used for substances with a maximum exposure limit because the law requires that exposures to these be reduced as much as possible. This means they are unsuitable for protection against grain dust, flour dust, ferrous foundry dust, hard or softwood dust, wool process dust or fume from rosin-based solder flux.

Similarly, nuisance dust masks should not be used to give protection from substances that cause occupational asthma but do not have occupational exposure limits. Examples include some dyes, antibiotic dusts, proteolytic enzymes and mould spores.

Dr Bob Rajan, HSE principal specialist inspector, said: "HSE will enforce against employers who issue nuisance dust masks inappropriately when proper respirators should be used, although HSE cannot prohibit their sale. A statutory ban on these masks would require a change in European law. However HSE is committed to ensuring that workers' health is better protected. In particular, HSE has set a target of 30% reduction in new cases of occupational asthma by 2010. If nuisance dust masks have been used because of a lack of proper risk assessment, replacement by appropriate disposable respirators should show health benefits."

Geoff Hooke, secretary general of the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF), said, "BSIF members have expressed concern over the fact that purchasers of respiratory protection buy nuisance dust masks because of the low price. The BSIF supports the current initiative by HSE towards the elimination of nuisance dust masks from the UK market."

The withdrawal of nuisance dust masks from sale has also received the support of HSC's Industry Advisory Committees, which represent companies and trade unions from a broad cross-section of British industry.

Notes for editors

1. Nuisance dust masks may consist of a thin metal plate that holds a piece of gauze over the nose and mouth or a lightweight filter that looks similar to a disposable dust respirator.

2. Nuisance dust masks are not classified as personal protective equipment. They are not CE-marked to show that they comply with European Directive (89/686/EEC) or against a recognised standard for respiratory protection.

3. All disposable respirators must be individually CE-marked. They are also marked to show the European standard, EN 149, and class, FFP1 (low efficiency), FFP2 (medium efficiency) or FFP3 (high efficiency). EN 149 indicates that the respirator conforms to British Standard EN 149:2001Filtering half masks to protect against particles.

4. Geoff Hooke can be contacted at the BSIF by telephone on 01745 585 600.

5. The HSC Industry Advisory Committees, which support the withdrawal of nuisance dust masks from sale are: the Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee (AIAC); the Deep Mined Coal Industry Advisory Committee (DCMCIAC); the Textiles Industry Advisory Committee (TEXIAC); the Rubber Industry Advisory Committee (RUBIAC); the Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC) and the Health and Safety in Bakeries Liaison Committee.

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