HSE Safety Alert on KN95 Masks
A message from our colleagues at The British Safety Industry Federation;
In June this year, during the height of the flood of non – compliant PPE coming into the UK, we wrote highlighting the safety alert from the HSE on face masks designated as KN95. These are not to be bought or sold as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
After a period where the problem appeared to settle down, we are now seeing an ever increasing amount of the potentially unsafe KN95 product again being offered for sale.
We are taking the opportunity to re send the bulletin information and ask you to be vigilant ensuring that only safe and appropriately conformity assessed product is offered for sale.
Please continue to feedback any examples you have where PPE offered for sale does not comply with the regulations. We will share this information with the Market Surveillance Authorities.
Please feel free to share this with your customers.
Below is the text and links from the June Bulletin.
Best wishes and stay safe
Alan Murray
Please find below an HSE Safety Alert, warning against the use and supply of KN95 for use at work, as personal protective equipment.
HSE state that “this respirator has been identified as suspect by HSE experts and locally arranged testing has confirmed they would not meet requirements, including to protect against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.” 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.
Rick Brunt, HSE’s director of operational strategy said: “The KN95 facemask should not be purchased or used.
Sincerely
Alan Murray
HSE Bulletin: Use of face masks designated KN95
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