CPCSupport:Generic Mask Tips

With the rise of people masking in 2024 on their own volition, probably owing to nasty, longer-lasting COVID variants, I thought it would be worth reiterating what we've learned about masking over the last few years. Some are still masking with surgicals, which, as we've covered, is not adequate. For those not in the know (or those not wanting to learn about qualitative fit testing, which you should definitely learn, by the way), well, let's put it this way:

OSHA requires a passing fit factor of 100 for respiratory protection.
Surgical masks, which leak air, have a fit factor of 2.

Is 2/100 a passing grade?

Okay, okay, I get it, you get it, surgical masks are bad. At this point, you might be asking for mask recommendations, but I'm not going to give you any, because honestly, your face is different, you ought to do fit testing, and I'm not one to encourage brand loyalty (with one patented exception). So instead, I'm going to cast broad strokes on things learned over the past years with different mask designs from thousands of CPC tests. With that being said, if you do want a list of masks for some reason...

The NPPTL

NIOSH maintains a list of certified N95-N100 masks on their certified equipment list website. Just go to 'Quick Searches,' then either 'Respirators of Current Interest' or 'Filtering Facepiece respirators,' then choose a certification.

NIOSH is one of the few government entities with a public list, as far as I can tell. (And by few, I mean the only one, unfortunately.)

N95 (among others markings, like P100 and the word "NIOSH") are protected markings under federal law (42 CFR), so don't go slapping it on your next mask. If it's not on the NPPTL, it's illegal. And it would super illegal if you accidentally killed a coal miner or something, so don't do that.

(Note: This does not mean it will necessarily fit you well: see this note!)

Well, with one legal exception: The N95-Companion from TSI. But unless you want to read CPCSupport, you don't need to worry about that.

But wait: Before you choose a certification, there have been reports that certain newer Chinese masks, that are about as cheap as the oldest NIOSH masks, may be better than the cheapest NIOSH approved masks?? So you might want to read on...

But let's say despite this, you don't care about upgrading your mask, and you don't want to waste your collection of surgical masks you've collected. Though N95s have fallen in price steeply to as low as 25 cents each, maybe I don't know, you've bankrupted yourself in 2020 being paying a scalper $100+ for a box of surgical masks? If... if this is you, take a look at this:

Mask Fitters

Back in 2020, when actually good PPE was hard to come by, it was discovered by some that a surgical mask could be made to fit, and even pass OSHA's 100 fit factor requirement, simply with some rubber. They're called mask braces. You can see an example of one in action here. So if you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to use one of the crappy masks described below, it may be worthwhile spending a little more to get substantially more protection out of your existing crappy masks. You can even make them yourself with a few clicks on your favorite search engine.

"One of the crappy masks described below"

Things may make you wonder: "Does that certification (N95, KN95, KF94, FFP2, whatever) even mean anything?"

Cloth Masks

Never use a cloth mask.

There is one exception to the mask fitter rule. If you're wearing a cloth mask, or some other mask that doesn't have meltblown in it, you can forget about the mask fitter. They let pretty much any problematic particle in, and especially when wet (contrary to popular belief). On top of that, they're hard to breathe in too! Fortunately, these masks purport to be 'reusable,' so hopefully you haven't wasted too much money on these.

Earloop KF94/KN95 Masks

A person on Reddit (I can't find the source, unfortunately) pointed out that earloop masks fit one position and one position only, compared to headband masks, which effectively have infinite positions (within constraints.) This means if your earloops don't fit perfectly, you likely won't get a good fit with them at all. With headband masks, you can at least attempt to adjust the headband.

Masks in this category notoriously include:

Most KN95 masks (more on this later).
Pretty much all KF94 masks.
Some P1/FFP1 or P2/FFP2 European masks?

Yes, despite the fact KF94 masks being regulated by the KFDA, they appear to only regulate the filter.

NO NIOSH-approved N95 masks have any earloops. Theoretically, they could be approved, but that hasn't happened yet, as far as we know.

Bifold Masks

Fit Test the Planet's testing has shown that bifolds, by and large, do not fit very well. Ghhughes points out you have to bend the nose wire quite substantially to get it to get rid of any gaps. Any gaps will substantially reduce your fit factor down to single digits. Since most people don their masks in a rush, it might not be such a good idea to rely on bifolds.

Masks that are too large or small

Avoid "large" and "small" sizes, unless you're underage or fail a fit test. Companies that do fit test panels usually try to ensure that the "medium" size (or the one closest to it) will fit the vast majority of a given population's fit test panel. With that said, these fit test panels often come from biased datasets, so you should do a fit test anyway. There's a reason why fit testing still exists.

Experimental Masks

Unless you do fit testing, don't. If they haven't gone through the effort to certify or even self-certify, have they even gone through the effort to create a protective mask?

Pre-2015 Non-Cup Non-Duckbill Non-Trifold Respirators

Use extreme caution if you've chosen a respirator, listed as pre-2015 in the CEL, that's not a Duckbill, cup, or a tri-fold respirator. Respirators not based on these designs before 2015 were likely designed that way due to Kimberly-Clark's hold on the Duckbill patent. This means that you will have to use a mask fitter, unfortunately.

And now, a word on surgical masks...

In the US, did you know there are actually two Department of Health and Human Services agencies responsible for certifying masks? NIOSH certifies the particulate and face seal, but the the FDA certifies masks from liquid penetration.

A legitimate surgical mask can be searched here, for FDA registration. Also, if your mask purports to be a surgical N95, you will find it listed on both the NPPTL and the FDA registration site.

That's not to say any of these mask are good by themselves in terms of fit factor. You will still need a mask fitter if you decide to continue donning a surgical mask.

Masks that aren't crappy?

Elastomerics

These are rubber and plastic respirators, some half-face, some full-face, designed for occupational or industrial use. They also work for preventing infection, and as a bonus, you can opt for the cheapest N95/P95 filter and potentially gain thousands of times more protection than a surgical mask.

I say potentially, because you still need to fit test these respirators. A user seal check is not enough, and if you're not careful, you could end up wearing an expensive plastic mask that protects you little better than a surgical.

For emphasis

Duckbills

Been around since the 1990s. No huge issues here, but there are two manufacturers we know of that are selling N95, certified, no less, with fragile head bands and below spec filtration for under 25 cents.

Other than that, these seem to be pretty comfortable and somewhat reliable, though you have to be a little more careful with the nose wire to make sure it isn't out of shape and leaking.

On the plus side: no significant amount of counterfeit versions of these masks, as far as we can tell.

Tri-Folds

Slightly newer, being released in the 2000s, or thereabouts.

This is perhaps the most popular type of mask worn by people who want to avoid the spread of SARS 2, especially one by a certain manufacturer, with blue headbands, due to its propensity towards high fit factors and just fitting everybody well in general. Though, due to it's popularity, you should be aware that there are a lot of fakes. Your best bet, if you are not willing to do fit testing, is to go with one of the vendors listed on the manufacturer's website.

Fun fact: After the H1N1 scare, the US used to have a stockpile of red version from the same manufacturer, to be distributed in case of another flu pandemic. Sadly, once they expired, they thrown away and never used for the SARS 2 pandemic, even though they likely still would have worked, and would have been a heck of a lot better than having everyone DIY their own face mask or resort to surgical.

That (Formerly) Patented Stick-On Mask from Global Safety First LLC

This is an N95-approved respirator without headbands, made by either Avery Denison Medical or GSF. Naturally, it's the only one available because it's patented. It's supposed to be expired, but no one else has submitted one for NIOSH approval.

It's supposedly a good mask to wear during dental appointments or haircuts, but it's not so great if you have a beard.

Cup-Style

A classic style that's been around since forever, and which everybody hates for pinching their noses and being uncomfortable to wear in general. Though in a pinch, they could work, usually being able to score the minimum fit factor of 100 on most people, but not as much as a newer tri-fold. These were also stockpiled after H1N1 incidentally, but I would look for other options first.

However: Be careful about donning old cup masks that only have one headband, which almost certainly means they aren't NIOSH approved, since one headband is nowhere near enough to maintain a good fit. Actually, NIOSH approval might not save you here, because these masks are so old that you can find ones with MSHA/NIOSH approval, which you should also avoid. These masks are dated pre-1995, (42 CFR + new N95 specifications) and a CDC inquiry revealed, that despite the fact that these masks were supposedly approved by two agencies, they performed little better than today's KN95s. Ouch. Speaking of Chinese masks...

KN100 Tri-Fold Masks!?

You might actually want to check these out. Pretty much no one has heard of them, which means there isn't a big market for fakes of this type of respirator. Plus, given that you're looking for respirators with obscure specifications, the manufacturers likely expect you to be more knowledgeable about the workings of a respirator. So they likely aren't going to have the failings of mass-market KN95s, or try and bait and switch you, lest you happen to have a PortaCount (industry, remember?) and start complaining.

As a result, we usually see KN100s with headbands with few exceptions, while KN95s have only recently started to include them as the PPE market has collapsed.

Granted, you risk not having the assurance of government testing on your behalf, but by and large, you may get a respirator that fits a lot better than the cheapest N95s, for the same cost. Which, given everyone's attitude towards the current pandemic, may be worth it to you.

Miscellany

What if I need a drink?

If you can't find a place outside to do a drink, you could get a third party valve to allow you to sip a straw without failing a fit test, theoretically. This isn't approved by NIOSH of course, so if you punch a hole in it, you void the NIOSH certification.

A common misconception is that you won't be able to wear a modified respirator to work. You can, just not in places where a respirator is required, e.g. you're cleaning up sawdust for a living. Then you'd be in trouble...

...But you'd also be in trouble for wearing a surgical, or KN95, or any non-NIOSH approved mask in that situation. The official, NIOSH-approved way to get a drink is to buy an elastomeric with a drink tube, usually an obnoxious full face respirator, which will set you back quite a bit.

More on Nosewires

For disposable masks, the nose wire matters a lot since the filter media is poor means to conform to ones face. Surgical masks have little in terms of nosewire quality. As for bi-folds, well, as we discussed earlier, the sharp bend in the middle is a great way to let air in and ruin your fit factor. But even if your mask isn't a bifold, poor quality nosewires on even approved N95 masks can ruin your fit factor over time as it works itself loose. Don't forget to rebend your nosewire every hour!

Tip: Pay more for an N95 disposable for a more durable nosewire that can last longer between rebends!

Tip 2: If your mask has a bad nosewire, use a mask fitter!

Elastomeric masks don't have nosewires due to their thick rubber face seals that conform to a fit test panel. It may not be representative of the general population, but hey, that's why we fit test.

And of course, the patented stick-on mask doesn't need a nosewire, because it sticks on your face.

Can I use a mask fitter on an elastomeric?

You probably won't be able to fix bad fit that way, given you could just tighten the elastomeric straps, which in either case, will probably not raise your fit factor. The somewhat rigid, deformable wire doesn't really lend itself to being fixed through extra force.

In Summary:

	Cloth	Too Small, Too Large	FDA-Cleared Surgical	Pre-2015 Unspecified N95	Cup	Elastomeric	Tri-Fold	Patented N95	KN100 Tri-Fold
At a glance	Avoid at all costs		Use mask fitter	Double the pain: Use mask fitter AND verify double headband and NIOSH approval!	Verify double headband and NIOSH approval			Probably okay if you follow the directions	???
Drinkable?	What are you doing?	Kinda Pointless	Maybe, with a dubious third-party valve...			Yes, if you're willing to spend $$$ on a CBRN. If DIY, dubious.	Dubious third-party valves again...
Should I do a fit test?	Don't even bother.	YES. (See how bad your surgical mask is!)
Even with a mask fitter..?	Why are you still wearing that cloth mask?	YES.
What should I use to fit test?	Are you seriously going to fit test a cloth mask?	Irritant smoke, or a neutralizer with Bitrex or saccharine solution, maybe?

and...

Loose nosewire?	Leftover FDA surgical masks?	Disposable mask too large? Too small?	Crappy Bifold?	Crappy N95?	Crappy earloop?	Crappy Elastomeric? Elastomeric too large, too small?
Use a mask fitter!						Incompatible!