Face masks are indispensable in many areas of work. They protect the health of employees, customers and patients.
In medical facilities, it minimises the transmission of diseases, in laboratories it protects against harmful aerosols. In industry, face masks ensure the safety of employees and the cleanliness of products, thus helping to maintain the highest standards of hygiene.
Content: 2 piece (€0.49* / 1 piece)
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Content: 5 piece (€1.00* / 1 piece)
Content: 50 piece (€0.17* / 1 piece)
Face masks are used in a variety of professional environments where it is necessary to protect staff as well as customers, patients or products from health risks or contamination. In the medical field, doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers wear face masks to minimise the transmission of disease in clinical environments such as operating theatres or direct patient care. Laboratory staff working with infectious samples or hazardous chemicals also use face masks to protect themselves from inhaling harmful aerosols or vapours.
In industry, especially in chemical and pharmaceutical production, face masks are essential both to protect employees from toxic substances and to ensure product safety by preventing contamination. In all these areas, the correct use of face masks is crucial for compliance with hygiene standards and health and safety regulations. A distinction is made between different types, depending on their bacterial filter performance.
As a general rule, face masks are not reusable and must be removed or replaced if they become wet in order to ensure reliable protection.
Type I face masks are primarily intended for people who are patients in a medical environment (hospitals or care facilities) or in epidemic or pandemic situations: these masks primarily protect the wearer's surroundings and not the wearer themselves against bacteria and have a bacterial filtration efficiency of at least 95%. They are particularly breathable, which makes them more comfortable to wear over longer periods of time, but do not offer a high level of protection against the penetration of microorganisms.
Type I R face masks are an extended version of Type I and offer additional protection against splashes and droplets. These masks are particularly suitable for environments where exposure to liquids is likely, but still offer a bacterial filtration efficiency of at least 95%. They combine the comfort and breathability of Type I with additional protection against liquids.
Type II face masks are worn by both medical staff and patients in situations where contact with infectious droplets is likely but no severe fluid exposure is expected. These masks offer a higher bacterial filtration efficiency of at least 98% and are therefore safer against the transmission of bacteria and viruses.
Type IIR face masks differ from the other two types in their resistance to liquids, making them ideal for applications where blood or other body fluids may be splashed. With a bacterial filtration efficiency of at least 98%, they not only offer protection against microbial droplets, but also against the penetration of liquids. Type IIR masks are therefore particularly in demand in high-risk medical areas where the highest hygiene requirements apply.
A medical face mask, also known as a surgical mask, is specially designed for use in the healthcare sector to protect both the wearer and the patient from the transmission of infections. These masks are usually intended for single use and must comply with the EN 14683 standard, which sets certain requirements for bacterial filtration, breathability and splash resistance.
Medical masks usually consist of three layers: a waterproof outer layer, a highly filtering middle layer and a skin-friendly inner layer. They are designed to capture droplets and particles produced when speaking, coughing or sneezing and are fitted with straps or loops that fasten behind the ears or around the head to ensure a secure fit.
EN 14683 specifies detailed requirements for the performance of medical face masks, also known as surgical masks. This standard is known in Germany as EN 14683:2019+AC:2019 and regulates the following aspects:
These requirements ensure that medical face masks not only provide sufficient filtration performance, but can also be used safely in sensitive environments such as operating theatres or other medical facilities. Compliance with this standard ensures that the masks provide effective protection against the transmission of infections and are comfortable to wear at the same time.
Medical masks are used to reduce the spread of bacteria and virus particles from the wearer's mouth and nose, especially in sterile environments such as hospitals. Thanks to their filtering effect, they can minimise the release of microorganisms when speaking, coughing or sneezing.
They also offer some protection against large droplets and liquid splashes. However, they are not as effective as respirators (e.g. FFP masks) when it comes to protecting the wearer from inhaling smaller particles suspended in the air, as they do not fit snugly around the face. They are therefore primarily intended as protective equipment in medical facilities to protect both patients and medical staff from cross-contamination.
Cotton face mask: A cotton face mask is a makeshift mask that is generally neither a medical device nor a PPE product. The advantage of simple cotton face masks is that they can be reused - the masks can usually be washed in the washing machine at 60° degrees.
3-layer face mask: A 3-layer face mask is often used in the medical sector and protects people from smear and droplet infections. Our 3-layer face mask is tested and certified in accordance with EN 14683:2019. A 3-layer face mask does not protect the wearer from viruses and infections.
FFP2 mask: FFP2 respirators have above-average filter performance. 94 % of the particles contained in the air are filtered down to a size of 0.6 nanometres. They protect against solid and liquid aerosols. This protects the wearer and other people. Our FPP2 respirators are tested and certified in accordance with the EN 149:2001 + A1:2009 standard. Naturally, all of our FFP2 masks carry a CE mark.