What is the daily protective mask?

The National Standard for the Technical Specifications of Daily Protective Masks has been released recently and will be officially implemented on November 1. As the first national standard for civil protective masks in China, what are the considerations for the development of the standard, what is the innovation of the standard, and what is the significance of the introduction of this standard. This publication is specially appointed as the lead drafting unit of the China Industrial Textile Industry Association. Shen, as well as three experts from the Beijing Institute of Labor Protection Science, Yang Wenfen, Donghua University, and Ding Bin, conducted an in-depth interpretation of the standards.

1Q: What kind of index evaluation does the standard use? As a national standard, what is its advanced nature?

A: This standard uses a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the protective effect. The protective effect intuitively reflects the air quality of the inhaled body after wearing the mask properly. The protection level is divided into four levels according to the air pollution condition: D grade, C grade, B grade, A grade, respectively, suitable for moderate and below pollution. , severe and below pollution, serious and below pollution, serious pollution. Consumers can choose the appropriate mask to wear according to the air quality, so that the air quality in the inhaled body reaches a good level.

In addition, the standard adds safety indicators to the assessment. In order to protect the safety of consumers wearing protective masks, the standard requires that the mask should be able to protect the nose and mouth safely and securely. There should be no sharp corners and sharp edges that can be touched. It may cause harm to human body by formaldehyde, dyes, microorganisms, etc. The factors and standards have been detailed. It also stipulates that materials that may be harmful to the human body should not be used. Taking into account the safety of the wearer when walking, the standard stipulates that the field of view under the mask should be no less than 60 degrees, to avoid the influence of the wearer's line of sight due to the high arched arch design.

2Q: Corresponding to different air quality, the mask also has a corresponding degree of protection. What is the theoretical basis for determining the degree of protection?

Answer: The classification of protection level is based on the national mandatory standard GB3095 "Environmental Air Quality Standards" and the supporting HJL33 "AQL Technical Regulations (Trial)". Both standards were implemented on January 1, 2016.

Corresponding to different air quality levels, namely serious pollution, severe and serious pollution, severe and below pollution, moderate and below pollution, the standard according to the protective effect of the mask protection level from low to high is divided into four levels: D, Class C, Class B, Class A; the corresponding protective effects of each level are not less than 65%, 75%, 85%, 90%; in order to meet the protection needs of people who need to go out in the case of serious air pollution, the standard setting A grade of protection is recommended for use at fine particle concentrations of 500-700 μg/m3.

According to the standard, the product logo of the mask should contain the implementation standard, product protection level, recommended use time, etc., especially the protection level, which can effectively guide consumers when purchasing masks.

3Q: The standard takes into consideration the protection and comfort. How do you think about finding a balance between the two in order to standardize the market order and satisfy the interests of consumers?

A: Protection and comfort are mutually restrictive. In general, the higher the protective performance, the greater the impact on comfort performance. When people wear a mask to inhale, the mask has a certain resistance to air flow. When the inspiratory resistance is too large, people may feel dizziness, chest tightness and other discomforts. Different body physiques will have different feelings of comfort. This standard satisfies the relative comfort of the wearer on the premise of ensuring the protective effect.

4Q: What is the significance of the participation of the China Consumers Association in the development of this standard?

A: The test results of the masks published by the media have aroused great concern from consumers and great attention from relevant state departments, and accelerated the formulation of national-level civil mask standards. In order to ensure the rights and interests of consumers, we solicited the opinions of the China Consumers Association at the time of standard setting and issued an invitation to participate in the standard setting work. China Consumers Association participated in the formulation of standards and put forward constructive suggestions.

5Q: How do consumers choose a mask that is suitable for wearing?

A: (1) Purchase through regular channels.

(2) Pay attention to whether the label of the product is clear when purchasing (including manufacturer's name and address, product name, product specification, relevant standard certification, protection effect level, implementation standard number, product use instructions, production date, recommended use time and storage) Period, etc., to check whether the appearance of stains, deformation and other effects.

(3) Select the mask corresponding to the level of protection according to the degree of air pollution.

(4) When using the mask for the first time, please refer to the product instructions for the first try and purchase a product that has a good fit with the face.

(5) Protective masks should be replaced in time according to the recommended time.

(6) If discomfort or adverse reactions occur during wearing, it is recommended to stop using it.

(7) Generally speaking, the higher the protective effect, the higher the relative respiratory resistance. Wearing a high respiratory resistance mask for a long time will have an adverse effect on health. Consumers are not advised to wear protective masks for extended periods of time.

6Q: Is there a standard for children's masks?

A: This standard is not covered for daily protective masks worn by children with social concerns. Mainly because the physical characteristics of children and adolescents in China are quite different at this stage, and the accumulation of experimental data for this special group of children needs to be improved, such as the analysis of medical data on the influence of respiratory resistance on children's growth. The relevant departments are conducting in-depth research and efforts to promote the standardization of daily protective masks suitable for children.