With many different arguments taking place over the types of protection the general public should be wearing, it’s highly likely you have yourself questioned whether a face mask or a face shield is a more appropriate face covering. Face coverings in public spaces are a mandatory measure the government has put in place for the UK, and the definition of face-covering can vary.

Related: Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) | PPE Visors

Which is more effective?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), wearing a mask correctly and consistently can protect you from catching COVID-19 and from spreading the harmful particles around. However, alongside this, CDC also recommends wearing a face shield with a mask to add a further layer of protection. The face shield can enhance protection. It can also provide protection to parts of the face that the mask does not cover – particularly the eyes.

What makes a safe face mask?

A simple search for “face mask” will provide you with numerous options. So what determines a safe and effective face mask? Here are some key aspects to consider:

• Filtration efficiency – the higher the Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) and Particulate Filtration Efficiency (PFE) the safer the face mask. Generally speaking, face masks with at least a dual-layer filter insert in them will provide efficient filtration of particles.
• Comfort – comfort is important as it will ensure you are not needing to adjust your mask and risk contracting or spreading the virus. Stretchy materials which cover your mouth and nose without creating gaps are ideal. The mask should feel comfortable on your skin without pressing hard onto your face. Tight fits over the nose are crucial for mask effectiveness. Masks with a nose clip or wire to bend are ideal. Additionally, adjustable ear loops can protect ears from getting sore after prolonged periods of mask-wearing.

What makes a good face shield?

If you are considering adding an extra layer of protection to your face covering with a plastic face shield, look no further than Stephens Plastics. Made with an anti-fog coating, our disposable face visors are CE marked and fully certified to EN166 standards. They provide wearers with some of the highest levels of protection. Here are some other aspects you should be looking for when buying face shields. Those of which were taken into consideration when designing our own plastic face shields for sale.

• Comfort – face shields should be able to fit around the head with ease, and should offer a universal fit. For those working in hospitality our baseball cap face shields are perfect – simply clip them onto the cap for prolonged protection and comfort all day.
• Full coverage – your face shield should be large enough to cover the entire face in order to give maximum protection.
• Anti-fog coating – an extremely useful feature to ensure optimal visibility for the wearer. This is particularly useful when buying face shields for employees.

Contact us today

If you are looking for more information on face shields or you are looking to buy plastic face visors online, then call today on 0121 544 5808. You will be put through to one of our helpful and friendly team.

Found this blog helpful? Then you may wish to read our previous blogs:

Should you double up and wear face shields too? or A Black Country manufacturer has relocated to new premises after securing a £1.7 million funding deal.

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Related: Face Mask or Face Shield?

Back To Work Safely

The hair and beauty sector is one of the next sectors opening after the national lockdown was put in place. With a proposed reopening date of the 12th of April, it is imperative that your staff have all the equipment needed to keep them and your customers safe. Such businesses are naturally hard to maintain social distancing. This is because employees need to work in close proximity to their clients for an extended period of time. The person who is providing the service should be wearing further protection in addition to the mask which they would usually wear in public places.

Government guidance on “Working Safely During Coronavirus” was updated on the 13th of August last year. It stated that practitioners providing these services should be wearing both a type II face mask and a clear visor. Although these guidelines were put in place last year, it’s likely that they’ll remain the same as the pandemic continues.

PPE Visors

The clear PPE visor needs to be able to cover the face. This will provide a barrier between the wearer and their client. The reasoning behind wearing a visor too is because the wearer’s face will be protected. This can be against respiratory droplets caused by clients who may sneeze, cough, or speak. The visor must fit the user properly and be worn in the correct manner. It should be covering the forehead, going past the chin, and fit around the side of the face. Previous advice was to wear a clear visor only, however, scientific studies have shown wearing both a visor and a face mask offers optimal protection.

Reusable PPE Visors at Stephens Plastic

Here at Stephens Plastic, our PPE visors are perfect for jobs within the beauty industry like hairdressers and can offer your staff the highest levels of protection against respiratory droplets that could be at risk of spreading COVID19. Not only this, our CE marked face visors are fully EN166 certified. They also offer safety, comfort, and unimpaired vision for the wearer at all times. Competitively priced and made from medical grade PET, getting PPE for the hair and beauty sector has never been easier or faster with Stephens Plastic.

Contact Us Today

Looking for a PPE Visors Manufacturer and wish to find out more about our PPE visors? Then make sure to contact us today. Call 0121 544 5808 to speak to a member of our helpful and friendly team.

Also, if you have found this blog helpful, you may wish to read our previous blog on should you double up and wear face shields too?

The post Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) | PPE Visors appeared first on Faceshield Manufacturer UK.

This month, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released their findings regarding the efficiency of masks and face shields. The results indicated that wearing two face masks (one on top of the other) can be a highly effective way of reducing the transmission of the virus. The CDC’s tests have shown that by doubling up on your masks, you can reduce the likelihood of transmission between two people by up to 95% providing that both parties are wearing their masks correctly.

Along with WHO and Public Health England, the CDC also recommends that everyone should wear masks in public settings when around people who are not in your household, especially when social distancing is not possible.

Related: Face Mask or Face Shield?

So, should we be double-masking?

Mask efficiency relies on two major factors: the fit, and the filtration. Double-masking will improve either factor if your mask is lacking one or both. The best mask will seal all around your nose, cheeks and chins, because the goal of a mask is to avoid inwards and outwards emissions. If your mask is a single layer mask or a surgical mask, then theoretically, double-masking should improve its efficiency. However, if your mask already has multiple layers and fits well, is there the need to add another mask on? If the goal of doubling up on a face mask is to enhance the protection of the first one, then perhaps the idea of a face shield should be considered instead.

Face Shield Effectiveness

A recent study led by UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Professor Yifang Zhu in the USA and published in the Aerosol Science and Technology journal determined that combining a face shield and a face mask together enhanced the effectiveness of both face coverings. The use of a face shield by itself was shown to provide minimal protection, but wearing a face shield over a face mask was actually shown to reduce the spread of particles by up to 89%.

With face shields being a much less cumbersome form of face covering, if the need to double-up on face coverings arises, should the additional layer of protection in fact be a face shield instead of another face mask?

Face Shields At Stephens Plastics

As a trusted face shields supplier, here at Stephens Plastics, we are proud to have been supporting the ongoing demand for PPE during the global pandemic by manufacturing face shields. We have supplied CE marked face shields to many organisations and establishments such as the NHS and leading restaurants nationwide.

Want to find out more about plastic face shields at Stephens Plastics? Then check out our shop or make sure to call today on 0121 544 5808. You will speak to a member of our helpful and friendly team.

The post Should you double up and wear face shields too? appeared first on Faceshield Manufacturer UK.