Employees with beards are not new however with modern-day safety level requirements, everyday masks used to try and protect have been shown not to provide adequate protection due to the inability to create a tight seal.
The HSE requirement for bearded personnel that require FFP2 or FFP3 protection is that they should use PAPR units.
Therefore, for those with beards looking for FFP3 masks or powered respirators, there are several options available from leading brands such as Sundström, JSP, Gentex, and 3M. To provide an FFP3 level of protection the PAPR must provide a minimum APF 20 protection level (TH2) or above with TH3 (APF 40) providing the highest level of protection.
These brands offer a variety of powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) designed to provide maximum protection, comfort, and effectiveness. These masks also do not require face fitting and will work out far more cost-effective in the long run than using disposable masks (For clean-shaven personnel).
Sundstrom Powered Respirators:
Sundström Safety offers a range of PAPRs, including the SR 500 powered air unit, which is used alongside various facepieces like hoods, helmets, and visors. These are designed for protection against particulates, gases, and vapors.
If FFP3 protection is required alongside hard hat protection then the Sundström PAPR SR 500/ SR 580 Powered Air Ready Pack is the Sundstrom mask unit required: This system offers hard hat protection and impact-resistant face shields. It's suitable for use with a range of Sundström filters for additional fume protection and is specifically noted to be suitable for people with beards.
A full range of alternative Sundstrom-powered respirators with different headtops can be found in our powered respirator section.
Another main brand providing a solution for FFP3 protection for bearded personnel is the JSP-powered respirator range.
JSP Powered Respirators:
JSP offers a range of powered air respirators. One notable product is the JSP Powercap® Infinity® PAPR, which provides comprehensive protection, combining respiratory, head, eye, and face protection. It's designed to offer respiratory protection to TH3, the highest APF 40 level of protection.
The hard hat helmet and impact-resistant visor make this suitable respiratory protection for construction sites. This is an all-in-one unit PAPR and does not require any power packs etc to be worn around the waist so would be suitable for any work where limited potential snagging is required.
The Jetstream dust constructor kit is also an option. This is a waist-mounted unit providing FFP3 (APF 20) protection as well as a hard hat and impact-resistant protection.
A full range of JSP-powered respirators including hoods and fume protection can be found in our powered mask section.
Gentex Powered Respirators:
Gentex Corporation specializes in advanced respiratory systems, offering a range of powered air-purifying respirators, tactical respirators, and oxygen masks. Their products are designed to offer high-level particulate filtration and are manufactured to provide the highest level of protection for the industrial and defense industry.
Gentex manufactures the all-in-one head unit PF3000 PAPR which provides APF 40 protection alongside a hard hat and impact-resistant visor for those requiring this level of protection on site.
Pureflo Powered Respirators
Among the products suitable for beards, the Pureflo Purelite Xstream Powered Respirator is the lightest head unit other than a hood available with bump cap protection and APF 20-level protection.
Gentex also manufactures a hood version suitable to for FFP3 protection against viruses and biohazards for the pharmaceutical and healthcare marketplaces.
Each of the above options offers different features and levels of protection, so it would be beneficial to consider the specific requirements of your working environment and personal comfort when making a choice.
Please visit our section for dust masks for beards for the full range of PAPR masks.
