Inspection Standards and Methods for Masks

Three Categories of Masks

The masks are generally divided into three categories: medical masks, industrial protective masks and civil masks.   Application scenarios, main features, executive standards, and production process thereof are more different.

Medical mask products are generally made of three layers of non-woven fabric, wherein the outer layer is made of spunbonded non-woven fabric. After waterproof treatment, anti-droplet design is adopted to block body fluids, blood and other liquids. The middle layer is made of melt-blown non-woven fabric, usually using polypropylene melt-blown non-woven fabric after electret treatment, and it is the core of the filter layer. The inner layer is mainly made of ES non-woven fabric, which has good moisture absorption function.   

Disposable medical mask

They are applied in general medical environment, without too many requirements for tightness and blood barrier effect. They are commonly used as ear loop type and lace-up type, which are similar to surgical masks in appearance.   

Inspection Items

Appearance, structure and size, nose clip, mask band, bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE), ventilation resistance, microbial indicators, ethylene oxide residue, cytotoxicity, skin irritation, and delayed type hypersensitivity

Medical surgical mask

They are applied in invasive operation of clinical medical staff, capable of blocking blood, body fluids and some particles. They are commonly used as ear loop type and lace-up type.

Inspection Items

Appearance, structure and size, nose clip, mask band, synthetic blood penetration, filtration efficiency (bacteria, particles), pressure difference, flame retardancy, microorganism, ethylene oxide residue, cytotoxicity, skin irritation, and delayed type hypersensitivity

Medical protective masks

They are suitable for medical working environment, filtering particles in the air, blocking droplets, etc., and preventing airborne respiratory infectious diseases. It is a kind of close-fitting self-priming filter disposable medical protective equipment. Common medical protective masks include arched and folded types.

Inspection Items

Basic requirements for masks (appearance), nose clip, mask band, filtration efficiency, airflow resistance, synthetic blood penetration, surface moisture resistance, microorganisms, ethylene oxide residue, flame retardant performance, tightness, and skin irritation

Flame retardant performance: the materials used shall not have flammability, and the after-flame burning time shall not exceed 5s.  

Industrial protective masks

They are generally used in special industrial places, such as painting, cement production, sand lifting, iron and steel processing and other working environments where a large amount of dust, iron and other fine particles are produced. Refer to the masks mandatory for use by the State within the scope of special work.  They can effectively protect fine particles such as inhaled dust. According to the filtration performance, they are divided into KN type and KP type. KN type is only suitable for filtering non-oily particles, and KP type is suitable for filtering oily particles.  

Inspection Items

Appearance, filtration efficiency, exhalation valve, respiratory resistance, dead cavity, field of vision, headband, connections and connecting parts, flammability, marking, leakage, lenses, and air tightness

Civil masks

Daily protective masks

They can filter particles in daily life under the air pollution environment, with good filtration performance.

Inspection Items

Appearance, color fastness to friction (dry/wet), formaldehyde content, pH value, decomposable carcinogenic aromatic amine dye, ethylene oxide residue, inhalation resistance, exhalation resistance, breaking strength of mask band and the connection between mask bank and mask body, fastness of exhalation valve cover, microorganisms, filtration efficiency, protective effect, and field of view under mask

Cotton masks

They are mainly used for warmth or decoration, with good permeability. They can only filter larger particles, without dust-proof and bacteria-proof effect basically.

Inspection Items
pH value, formaldehyde content, marking, peculiar smell, decomposable carcinogenic aromatic amine dye, fiber composition, color fastness (soaping, water, saliva, friction, sweat resistance), permeability, appearance quality + specification size  


Post time: Jan-25-2022