p29 WHOLESALER GUIDE:Layout 1 15/12/2020 19:05 Page 29 Wholesaler Guide Face coveringsmyth-busters


The speed of the pandemic has brought new demand for face coverings, with hundreds of products in the market, huge variations in price and quality and a lack of transparency in how face coverings’ performance and safety standards are measured. For wholesalers, this can understandably make protecting staff and customers at the trade counter confusing and stressful. Here, Mike Murray, chief technical officer of The Vita Group, separates truth from fiction when it comes to face coverings.


All face coverings adhere to minimum safety standards FALSE. Unfortunately, there are currently no minimum safety standards for face coverings in the UK. There are a lot of misleading claims made about certain face covering’s performance. Look for Bacterial Filtration Efficiency % (BFE) rating which is an industry-accepted test performed on filtration materials. To be effective, a face covering’s BFE should be at least 70%, and if possible, much higher. The greater the BFE, the better protection a face covering offers from airborne bacteria and viruses.


Breathing valves add extra protection GENERALLY FALSE. Breather valves actually feature a one-way system - they filter air drawn through them but do not stop bacteria and viruses being exhaled. People can often forget to replace the filter, or even fit them incorrectly but continue to believe they are protected. A face covering with a good bacterial filtration efficiency will not only allow satisfactory breathability, it also provides ease of maintenance through washing alone.


One-size-fits-all FALSE. It is always better to choose a mask that is right for your face size and shape, rather than going down the one-size-fits-all route, especially if your staff are going to be wearing them for prolonged periods of time. Most quality, re-usable face coverings come in a variety of sizes, which will ensure they fit snugly over the mouth and nose and therefore minimise the transfer of bacteria and droplets carrying viral load in the air.


Face coverings stop working after a single use TRUE AND FALSE. Single use paper masks should never be re-worn, and should always be replaced as they become damp, which can happen after a few hours, if not sooner. As soon as a mask becomes damp, its filtration


qualities may diminish. Higher quality 3-layer face coverings can be worn for a longer period of time, but protection levels may still vary. In all cases, re-usable face coverings should be washed daily and at a temperature which should be instructed on pack.


Seam or seamless… there’s no difference! FALSE. The use of seams in the centre part of a face covering creates potential for leakage, especially given that it is directly in the middle of the face in line with CWA 17553 Annex A recommendation to not make vertical seams, along the nose, mouth and chin. If the seam is not robust, or begins to breakdown through wear and tear, then the stretch of the face covering could open this up, allowing the passage of airborne bacteria and viruses to bypass the filtering effect.


It’s better to buy cheap and disposable GENERALLY FALSE. The type of face covering you procure for your staff will depend very much on your own business circumstances. For anyone wearing a face covering for more than a few hours a day, a re-usable mask will almost always end up being more cost effective. There is also significant reduction of potential waste by wearing re-usable face coverings compared to single use disposables. Even with the hope of a vaccine on the horizon, face covering usage is


unlikely to go away anytime soon. As we have seen in Asia over the last decade, pandemics can embed face covering wearing into the public consciousness and they become more aware of hygiene and personal care. It is a trend we are likely to see among many more groups for years to come. As such, it is important to get it right, as soon as possible, helping to protect, helping to reduce potential waste and ultimately helping to minimise the spread of coronavirus.


ewnews.co.uk January 2021 electrical wholesaler | 29


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52