Is my mask safe? New law will force the use of certificates in companies and offices

In the new life in a pandemic, if one thing is clear, it is that the masks are here to stay . It has been shown that its use significantly reduces the risk of contagion of coronavirus.

There is consensus that they are necessary. But ensuring that they are certified, a minimum requirement to have good protection , in Chile is something that has been delayed. This has been highlighted since the first days of the pandemic by the specialists of the Laboratory for Research and Quality Control in Leather and Textiles (LICTEX-UdeSantiago) of the University of Santiago.

Since March 19, 2020, at the beginning of the crisis and in the face of unclear information, the technical manager of LICTEX-UdeSantiago, María Neira, points out that they began to guide clients who wanted to make cloth masks. They also collaborated with the Navy to select the most appropriate fabrics to make protective masks. At that time, access to the surgical type was complex. “But we warn that not all fabrics work, not all have high coverage, it was something that was done to get out of the way due to the scarcity of the moment ”, she clarifies.

But that work continues. LICTEX-UdeSantiago responded to the national call from the Institute of Public Health in April 2020 to implement international regulations to certify surgical masks by European Union standard (UNE-EN14683 and EU standard UNE-065 for social masks made of common fabrics) , normative points of standard 168 that certifies social screens, AAMI 70PB for level 4, that is, surgical level that does not allow virus transfer through fabrics for surgical gowns. And it was chosen by the Ministry of Science as the certifying entity for face masks and screens and surgical clothing.

A work that now has greater support due to the recent publication (June 1) in the Official Gazette of Law 21,342 that establishes occupational health safety protocols for the gradual and safe return in a pandemic, which requires requesting the certification of masks . A process that LICTEX-UdeSantiago has been carrying out since last year with international certification regulations at the national level.

The new law in its article 4 of the Covid-19 Occupational Health Safety Protocol, indicates that each company must contain at least “means of protection made available to workers, including certified masks for multiple use and with reduced environmental impact , and, when the activity requires it, gloves, glasses and work clothes ”.

“This law establishes a regulatory framework of protocols for safety in the work context during the period in which the health alert for the Covid-19 disease is in force,” explains the LICTEX-UdeSantiago researcher Karina Bravo, establishing that the masks to be used in the labor context they have to be certified and it is also at the employer's expense.

“As a university, we are extremely proud that our LICTEX-UdeSantiago laboratory has implemented the international regulations for the certification of masks at the national level ”, highlights the rector of the University of Santiago, Juan Manuel Zolezzi. Through this certification of masks, says Zolezzi, "the University of Santiago once again realizes its high standards of excellence, accredited for seven years, and the social contribution that state and public schools have made in this complex. health context for the country.

Covid-19 Certification

Neira acknowledges that it has not been easy to raise awareness of the need for certification . "We have insisted that certified masks must be used, because it is the only way to know for sure how much it filters and that they must be certified in the aspects that are required today by the pandemic, because if it says 'antibacterial activity', for example, that it does not work, it is not its main function” he clarifies.

The new regulation indicates that, for a gradual and safe return to activities, certified masks must be available, and specifically requires that they be certified, "but it does not say what type of certification," says Neira. That aspect can lead to it being manipulated, he warns, and indicating, for example, "that it is certified in water repellent, which has nothing to do with it," he indicates.

Until before this law, certification was not mandatory, therefore, says Bravo, some responsible and ethical suppliers have come forward voluntarily, but they are barely 3% of those currently operating in the market.

What requirements does a certified mask meet? The first thing it should indicate, says Neira, is the percentage of filtration it has and the regulations by which it was certified. That must be the EU regulation UNE-065 of April 2020 (date on which the regulation was made public), explains the specialist, regarding the specific European regulation for reusable masks for daily use. The other regulation for surgical masks is UNE-EN14683, which is for some environments such as health centers and also for other contexts that require a better fit.

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“A certified surgical mask filters 95% upwards, it is sanitized, the breathability and the impact of blood are evaluated so that if someone who uses them puts an intravenous and blood spurts into their face, that blood does not have to go through the mask, that is why they must be certified”, Neira details about a regulation that comes to support and ensure that the workers who will be most exposed will be protected.

More about Coronavirus

A self-filtering mask or with respirators, surgical masks or social masks (made of common fabrics), says Bravo, meets certification criteria, that is, it works and is also categorized according to its results around: filtration of aerosols and droplets through the fabric, fit or seal to the face and finally the breathability, that is, if it is comfortable to inhale and exhale . "This also determines the maximum wear time in which the mask is effective at around four hours," she clarifies.

This type of certification will ensure real protection because to date, Neira says, "many companies ask us to certify the masks they bought and they did not filter ."

From the first months, in addition, the Ministry of Health encouraged the manufacture of homemade masks in case of not having surgical ones, which for many people implied an opportunity for entrepreneurship. For this reason, Neira clarifies “we do not want the entrepreneur to not be able to sell her masks with this”, and adds that “we are open to them approaching us and guiding them on what fabric to use and we can, given the test , issue a validation certificate” .

This new law should be accompanied by a correct use campaign. “Today it is said in the campaigns 'take care of yourself and wear a mask', but what masks? how often do i use it? how often is it discarded? How should the adjustment to the face be? This information is pending to be done in a massive way, since misuse eliminates all certification. What is the point of wearing a certified mask if you go to a fair and people lower their masks to shout, or on television you see that they are not wearing them, ”says Neira.

avoid contagion

The mask by consensus of international research and results already obtained at LICTEX-UdeSantiago, says Bravo, contribute significantly to being the main tool for preventing infections.

If they meet the definition of covering the mouth and nose and are within a range of filtration and breathability, adds the researcher, they are elements of personal protection that, together with the facial screen that protects the mucosa of the eyes, physical distance, prevention of agglomerations, quality ventilation that allows the greatest air flow to be renewed, “contributes to reducing the probability of contagion of SARS-CoV-2 , which is transmitted mainly through the air from people infected with or without symptoms.”

Only the joint strategy of preventive measures allows for a greater range of protection. That is why the certified mask is essential as it guarantees protection .

“Now, it is the responsibility of decision makers from private and public spaces to buy, promote and guarantee the proper use of certified masks and also that large producers such as importers certify national and imported masks, so that they verify that they work by certifying quality over time, that is, the production batches, which is what is currently most in tune”, details Bravo.

That is why from LICTEX-UdeSantiago they call mask providers, public and private institutions to contact them to obtain information on certified masks and other elements , “through our website www.lictex.usach.cl and email lictex @usach.cl ”, says Bravo.

Access to certified masks should be massive. Bravo indicates that "we should not be with masks that do not meet international criteria, that is, that do not work, or that indicate false certificates or that do not comply with the guidelines provided by the ISP ."

The Law establishes mandatory within labor contexts, but they hope that, in the regulation, the masks will remain under a regulation of personal protection elements articulated to what already exists and that the Ministry of Health will make international regulations official so that they remain in force in Chile from the guidelines indicated by the ISP, "where LICTEX-UdeSantiago is already testing, that is, it is an installed capacity from a collaborative work", says Bravo

If the market has certified masks, together with the rest of the infection prevention strategies, Bravo highlights, it would be an effective measure to cut the chain of infections and reduce the entire viral transmission of SARS-CoV-2, " It is the strategy that has worked the most at the international level to finally get out of the pandemic situation caused by Covid-19 and thus save the greatest number of lives ”.

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