I often work in dusty conditions and need to wear breathing protection. I have tried numerous masks over the years and have come to several conclusions.

Disposables suit me best as I am not confident that I can get non-disposable masks completely clean after use and make sure nothing horrible grows on it in the moisture from my breath. Good disposable masks are individually packaged in clean conditions so this isn’t an issue. The masks need valves in order to let heat and moisture out and make breathing easier.

I was noticeably less tired after a day wearing a valved mask rather than a sealed one and I guess that it is down to not having to force air in and out, but being able to breathe normally. The 3M Cool Flow valve seems to be the most free-flowing to me.

If you need to wear a mask you might as well wear one with good protection. FFP1, FFP2 or FFP3, indicate the protection level that you can get if the respirator is a good fit and you use it correctly. The higher the number, the better the protection. FFP1, FFP2, and FFP3 respirators can reduce the amount of dust you breathe by factors of 4, 10 and 20 respectively. (3M color codes the straps, yellow – 4, blue – 10, or red -2 0 for easy identification.)

To provide a good level of protection, a mask must fit your face properly to stop leaks. Your glasses steaming up is a bad sign! If you don’t shave you will need a powered mask as the disposable ones rely on a seal against your skin rather than positive pressure to keep the dust out. I find it very difficult to get the hard cup type disposable masks to keep a good seal. The origami style fold-out ones work much better for me and the people I work with. The only true way to know if the seal is good enough is to carry out a proper respirator fit test. This basically consists of putting the chosen mask on then putting a special large plastic bag over your head, down to your shoulders, introducing a noxious smelling substance into the bag, then exercising with the bag and mask still in place and seeing if the smell gets through the mask.

Fold flat masks are easier to store as they are flat and there are no issues of crushing the hard cup. Masks should be individually wrapped to stop contamination in storage. There is no point in using a mask that starts out dirt on the inside.

Given the above, the masks that work best for me are the 3M 9300 series. They seem to get a great fit on everyone I know due to the fold-out design. The series covers the three levels of protection, so if you only wanted or needed low protection you can still have the same design. I prefer the best protection even though that is more expensive. They are not cheap but I value my health and buying personal protective equipment on price rather than function seems false economy to me.

-- Graham Simpson 01/23/19