The onset of autumn has been marked by a sharp rise in cases in all the major European countries, which have responded by strengthening the precautionary measures in place to protect citizens and the most at-risk members of the population. Face masks are, once again, the main tool being used to limit the risk of spreading or catching COVID-19. Countries like France, Italy, the UK and Spain are considering making it obligatory to use masks outdoors as well as indoors, to reduce the spread of the virus as far as possible.To get more news about
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By popular demand, we have gathered together and summarised all the information we could find on high-filtration masks and their various certifications. In this article, we will explain in brief the features of KN95, FFP2 and N95 masks, so you know the differences between them when you come to make your purchase.
As well as the classic blue surgical masks, which are perfectly fine for avoiding infecting others, but less useful for protecting yourself, you can also buy certified filtering face masks. The initials FFP in the name FFP2 stand for ‘Filtering Face Piece’, and these masks provide very effective filtration of dangerous microparticles, which is why they are used in environments that present a high risk of contagion.
When you start looking for filtering masks that have passed scientific tests to confirm their protective characteristics, you soon run into initials like FFP2, KN95 and N95, especially if you’re looking for something to protect you from pollutants or microparticles that carry viruses. The certification of these masks varies depending on their place of origin.
The KN95, N95 and FFP2 masks provide similar levels of filtration: all three have a filtration capacity above 94%, according to the standards that govern their technical characteristics.
KN95, N95 and FFP2 masks differ in the procedure used to calculate their filtration. This procedure changes based on where they are produced, as it follows the certification rules established by the country where the devices’ functioning is tested.
FFP2, FFP1 and FFP3 masks are governed by a piece of European legislation, the famous EN 149: 2001, updated in 2009. This law defines the standards used to certify the effectiveness of ‘respiratory protective devices’, and clearly establishes the requirements, tests and branding for the masks.
N95 masks are covered by American standard NIOSH -42CFR84, drawn up by NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), the American body responsible for certifying the actual effectiveness of filtering facial devices.
KN95 masks are certified in the People’s Republic of China based on the rules set out in standard GB2626-2006. This standard dictates the technical requirements, testing methods and branding for respiratory devices with a protective filter used to purify the air from potentially damaging particles.
Although their overall aim is the same – to certify the devices’ actual capacity to protect people from inhaling potentially damaging substances or particles – each of the three standards that certify filtering face masks is different from the others. The differences lie in the methods adopted to test the devices – depending on the type of test carried out, the requirements and test conditions may therefore vary.
