Protection des professionnels de santé : moyens de protection faciale

Protecting healthcare workers exposed to toxic or infectious substances via inhalation, ingestion, or skin and mucous membrane penetration necessitates the use of proper facial protection. Exposure to chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) risks imposes the use of filtering respirators: a face mask with broad spectrum cartridges or a hood with a blower connected to cartridges. Broad spectrum cartridges provide level 3 particle filtration for R and B risks. The COVID-19 crisis has led to much discussion about the role and use of masks to protect healthcare workers from inhaling airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus particles: wearing face masks with or without visors and goggles. Two types of masks are most commonly used in healthcare settings: FFP2 respirators and the so-called surgical masks. The latter provides barrier protection against droplets, including large respiratory particles. Most surgical masks do not effectively filter small airborne particles (5 < μm) and do not prevent leakage around the mask. However, and depending on the type of care, healthcare professionals must have their masks tightly covering the face with a level of filtration that protects the user from exposure to aerosols, i.e. use FFP2 and FFP3. Strict testing procedures should evaluate this professional equipment. The current pandemic is leading us to question the best practices and the right protection materials to put in place. Why, how and which of these facial protections fit the purpose for health care providers tasks?