• Project number: F 2581
• Institution: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)
• Status: Ongoing Project
• Planned end: 2027-12-31

Description:

The project deals with issues that have arisen in the course of the use of FFP masks in public life during the coronavirus pandemic. Never before has personal protective equipment (PPE), which is actually intended for occupational safety and health, been used to this extent.

Unlike employees, who are usually trained in the correct use of PPE, members of the public had to take the initiative to find out about the selection, application and duration of use of the products.

The fact that the advertised protective effect of FFP masks can only be achieved if they fit accurately and seal tightly to the face was often not fully considered or adequately communicated. Particularly for people with small or narrow faces, the protective effect was not always optimal as suitable sizes or masks with additional seals and adjustable straps were not available.

The research project will address these and other problems and develop solutions. To this end, the faces of test subjects of different sexes and ages, as well as particle-filtering half-masks, will be digitally measured to demonstrate the need for a sizing system. It will also be investigated whether sizing systems developed in other countries can be adapted for the German market.

In addition, easy-to-understand instructions for the selection and use of particle-filtering half-masks will be developed to enable untrained users outside the work context to achieve optimum protection. The results of the research will be used in standardisation projects to ensure that all manufacturers use the same specifications for mask sizes and that test houses can test the fit of the masks for the relevant target groups.