How do you know if your face mask is fake?

We’ve seen a surge in demand for respiratory protection (aka face masks) in response to Covid-19. Rightly so, these face masks are being prioritised for our amazing health care teams in the thick of our Covid-19 response. Outside of health care though, many other industries use respiratory protection as one way (of many) to reduce exposure to hazardous substances. In construction, respiratory protection is used for protection against silica dust which is known to cause silicosis (amongst other hazards). The increased demand on these products is proving challenging for the construction industry as supplies of typical brands that were previously used are now restricted. This has placed pressure on many of us to find suitable alternatives to keep workers safe.

Respiratory protection in Australia is subject to certain standards. For example, those that provide protection against particulates (like silica dust) are classified as P1, P2, or P3 in accordance with AS/NZS 1716:2012. There is also an additional standard for using respiratory protection which is covered in AS/NZS 1715:2009.

Around the world respiratory protection is subject to various other regulatory standards. Some of these could be seen as similar or equivalent to what we have here in Australia. But there are a few catches to this.

You may have seen products being sold on the Australian market as “P2 equivalent” or those that are “better than Australian Standards”. In the past few weeks I have reviewed more than 50 products being sold that make these claims. In 90% of cases, the products were counterfeit.

Here are some tips on how you can start to verify whether the product you’re buying meets Australian Standards or an international equivalent...or if it is indeed counterfeit:

1.    Check the certification and verify that it’s been sourced from an authorised organisation or accredited testing facility. 

2.    Verify if the product supplied matches the accompanying documentation. 

3.    Verify if the product has the relevant required markings (stamps) as per the Standard.

4.    Verify that the product is of a suitable size & fit for the individual who needs to wear it. Fit testing is required by AS/NZS 1715 before its worn in the workplace for protection, even if the product is certified to an international standard.

So for example, for products being sold as a P1, P2, or P3 respirator / face mask, then it should meet the requirements of AS/NZS1716:2012. You can verify this through looking up the product from authorised organisations such as SAI Global or BSI Group for example. The product markings required under AS/NZS 1716:2012 include items such as the manufacturer’s name, trade name, or mark, the filter classification, and the Australian Standard. These should match what’s on the accreditation. 

For products being sold as N95 respirators / face masks, then they need to meet the requirements of NIOSH-42CFR84. You can easily verify the product as an “Approved N95 Particulate Filtering Facepiece Respirator” from NIOSH. You can also check if the product is currently listed as counterfeit. NIOSH outlines the required labelling of NIOSH-Approved N95 filtering facepiece respirators here.

Some suppliers are providing certificates from the Australian Government Department of Health Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) which list a product as a “Public N95 respirator”. But note that this does not mean that the product is indeed an N95 respirator. Buyers should be aware that the TGA has been operating under an Exemption for coronavirus medical devices since March 22nd, which negates the need for these products to undergo certain checks and balances to verify certification. TGA certificates should not be relied on alone to verify if products met the required standard. NIOSH is the best place to look for accreditation.

For products being sold as “FFP2” or “FFP3” they need to meet the requirements of EN-149. You can verify testing in accordance with that standard by a laboratory accredited with European Accreditation. Product markings include items such as the Standard number, filter type and European conformance CE mark (not to be confused with China Export “CE” markings) for example.

I recommend being very wary of products being sold as “KN95” respirators / face masks in Australia. In all the products I have reviewed, I have yet to source one that is accompanied by certification documents that meet GB2626, that have the required product markings as per that Standard, and that pass a respirator fit test. Note that only certain laboratories in China are accredited to perform testing of products in accordance with the Standard GB2626. You can find them here. Product markings required under GB2626 include items such as the name, trademark or other means of identification of the manufacturer or supplier, the Standard GB2626 and the year of publication, and the filter classification.

The other important aspects of all of this though is that the respirator must be suitable for the type of work being performed, it must protect against the hazard, and it must fit the worker. It therefore must pass a fit test prior to being used. Workers should also be consulted on the type of PPE being used to protect them. It's their health after all!

After many months of checking countless fake masks entering our workplaces in Australia, I worked with fellow super-sleuth Jane Whitelaw and we authored the first purchasing guide here. Unfortunately there’s still no easy way to tell if your mask is fake in Australia…so best get up to speed as much as you can - buyer beware!