PPE Alerts

After the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) issued alerts about KN95 face masks, the BPMA is investigating the news.

About 90% of the PPE concerns and queries currently being received by HSE involve KN95 masks which are often accompanied by fake or fraudulent paperwork.

HSE has quarantined around 1.5 million KN95 masks, prevented 25 million items claiming to be FFP3 respirators entering the supply chain and prevented a further four lines consisting of many millions of items entering the supply chain. The HSE currently advise against purchase of these masks.

KN95 is a performance rating that is broadly equivalent to the EU standard for FFP2 face masks. With the NHS already rejecting these masks in their supply chain, the HSE has advised that many may not realise these masks are non-compliant.

This safety alert does not apply to N95 masks which are manufactured to a US standard and have been given permission for use in healthcare settings.

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