WHY DO YOU NEED A GAS MASK?

You need to know what you will need a gas mask for in order to choose the right one. If you are a professional in law enforcement, military, a first responder, or in industry, chances are you have a pretty good idea of what you need.

If you are an individual looking to prepare for the worst, you need to think carefully about what you want to protect yourself from. Is your biggest concern a pandemic for which you only need a P100 level of filtration, or are you also looking to prep for chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) threats, which would require something more advanced?

Many preppers with a knack for civil defense gear up for the possibility of a dirty bomb. A dirty bomb is designed with a mix of explosive material and radioactive material. This will spread radioactive particles throughout the immediate area, contaminating the air people breathe. When it comes to a dirty bomb, civilians, law enforcement, first responders, and the military will all benefit from having CBRN-rated personal protective equipment (PPE).

Fortunately, there are gas masks out there that can protect an individual from a myriad of threats. For general preparedness, you should look for masks that can protect from CBRN contaminants:

Chemical

Toxic chemicals, gases, and nerve agents

Biological

All microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi

Radiological

Radioactive particles dispersed by a dirty bomb

Nuclear

Radioactive fallout from a nuclear device, weapon, or reactor

When it comes to protecting you against these contaminants, it’s not the mask itself that will protect you. Instead, it is the combination of the mask and the filter you use. Let’s take a look at both respirators and filters.

TYPES OF RESPIRATORS

Respirators are used to make sure you have clean air to breathe. The two main categories of respirators are:

Air-purifying respirators (APR)

These use filters to clean contaminants from the air.

EXAMPLES

• Escape respirators – Designed for short-term use to escape a dangerous area, this respirator will last only 15 minutes to an hour.
• Particulate respirators – This is the most inexpensive respirator you can buy. It is a simple mask (like a surgical mask) that is designed to protect against airborne particles ONLY. This includes infectious agents, for which you need a P-100 rating on your mask. It does not protect against chemicals, vapors, or gases.
• Full-face gas mask respirator – This is an APR that uses a filter cartridge to cleanse the air of particulates and chemical gases and vapors from the air. It relies on a mask that covers the entire face and a cartridge with a filter that filters the air as the wearer inhales. This gas mask respirator is the focus of this guide.
• Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) – This respirator is essentially a regular gas mask that uses a fan to blow air through the filter. This makes it easier to breathe.

THE MSA M7 FIREHAWK SCBA SYSTEM

Atmosphere-supplying respirators

These supply uncontaminated air from a separate source.

EXAMPLES

• Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) – This is a respirator that comes with its own supply of compressed clean air. This gets rid of the need for filters. This device is similar to a scuba tank and is typically used by professionals where the type of gas and concentration is unknown to the wearer.
• Air-supplied – This uses an airline hose to provide air from a clean source. This is typically used in situations where workers need to be in a dangerous area for an extended period of time

You can also choose between tight-fitting and loose-fitting respirators. A tight-fitting respirator consists of a mask with a rubber barrier that creates a seal with the face and neck. This is the foundation of the gas mask. A loose-fitting respirator does not rely on a tight seal. Instead, it comes in the form of a hood that is worn over the head and neck.

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GAS MASK RATING SYSTEM

Ratings systems are set up by government agencies to ensure that manufacturers maintain standards for their gas masks and other respirators. The primary ratings that you need to be aware of are as follows:

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Sets the standards for approved gas masks for professionals in the U.S. NIOSH has a set of standards for protection against CBRN agents, along with other contaminants you may encounter in the field. The approval rating for gas masks applies to the combination of mask and filter.

There are many jobs for which the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires NIOSH approval. If you do not wear your NIOSH-approved PPE, insurance coverage may not apply if you are injured or become ill as a result.

CE

All products in the European Economic Area (EEA), including PPE and respirators must be marked with the symbol CE, which stands for Conformité Européenne, or European Conformity. This is a mark that the manufacturer uses to show that its product meets all the health, safety, and environmental protection requirements as set out by the EEA.

EN 136:1998
When it comes to PPE, the European Standard (EN) for full-face gas masks is EN 136:1998. If a mask is marked with this, it indicates that the mask meets the requirements to be used as part of a respiratory protective device in negative pressure systems.

Keep in mind, there are other standards set out by governments around the world for certifying full-face respirators. Having or not having a certain certification doesn’t determine the quality or usefulness of a respirator, but only shows that this usefulness has been proven with independent testing by a trusted third party.

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