Respiratory protection wearers and beards – What those affected need to know!

Atemschutzgeräteträger und Bart – Was betroffene wissen müssen!

Respiratory protection wearers and beards – What those affected need to know!

According to the most important principle in respiratory protection

“Everyone wearing breathing apparatus is responsible for their own safety.”

So every wearer of respiratory protection with a beard is also responsible for maintaining their health, e.g. B. to start using respiratory protection with a clean-shaven face. But where does related beard growth begin and where does it end? Is a full beard the same as a classic mustache? We will address these and other questions below and explain to you in this Charlemagne blog post what is important as a respiratory protection wearer with a beard! Have fun reading.

The beard is considered a beard

 

Yes! When is the time? When is a beard a beard? wild fluff or rather the flowing beard hair? When it comes to respiratory protection devices, it can be said that every beard hair has its pitfalls. Respiratory protection wearers with beards therefore face a very special problem. The function of the breathing connection is at risk if there is hair in the sealing line of the breathing connection or the mask sealing set. It cannot therefore be assumed that the mask sealing kit is sufficient. Respirator wearers with beards must therefore take action.

Respiratory protection wearers and beards – What those affected need to know!

What is the basis for the situation?

The accident prevention regulation “DGUV R 112-190 - Use of respiratory protective devices” clarifies, among other things, in its “Section 3.2.12.1 – Breathing connection that The sealing fit of the breathing connection is crucial for the protective effect of the respiratory protective device. Basically a matter of common sense, right?

This previously mentioned regulation has a legal character, which means that this regulation states with legal binding force that

“People with beards or sideburns in the area of ​​the sealing lines of full and half masks and filtering breathing connections are unsuitable for wearing respiratory protective devices (with a beard). This also applies to people who, for example, cannot achieve an adequate mask fit due to the shape of their head or deep scars.”

Respiratory protection wearers with beards must not have any hair in the area of ​​the sealing contours of the full masks, as this can lead to a leak in relation to the mask. The respiratory protection device wearer must not have a beard, a stubble or long sideburns.

The reason for this restrictive definition is the results of studies with over 100 test subjects. It was found that people with full beards 

  1. With compressed air breathing apparatus with normal pressure, ambient air is also inhaled as soon as negative pressure occurs in the full mask during inhalation. The full masks did not seal between the skin with beard growth and the sealing lips of the full masks. Air containing respiratory poisons could have been inhaled. 
  2. breathing air flowed out of the full mask in compressed air breathing apparatus with overpressure. Often even in such quantities that exhaust noises were clearly audible and those wearing breathing apparatus felt a clearly unpleasant hypothermia of the skin.

Respiratory protection wearers and beards – What those affected need to know!

Beard or sideburn hair leads to leaks. Even the so-called 3-day beard is no exception to this. On the contrary, the diameter of these beard hairs is larger and their flexibility is less than the hairs of a full beard. This inevitably leads to even larger leaks.

The fire department, a special case?

Unfortunately no, bearded friend! The fire brigade's service regulations are of course based on the DGUV guidelines mentioned above! So here too, those wearing respiratory protection devices with beards must take their own measures to protect their health. In Section 3 of the fire service regulation 7 “Respiratory protection”, the situation “Tight fit of respiratory masks” is regulated as follows:

“Employees with beards or sideburns in the area of ​​the sealing lines of breathing connections are unsuitable for wearing breathing apparatus recognized by fire departments. Emergency personnel are also unsuitable for wearing respiratory protective devices if an adequate mask seal cannot be achieved due to the shape of the head, deep scars or the like, or if body jewelry endangers the seal or the safe function of the breathing connection or when putting on or taking off the breathing connection Leads to injuries (e.g. earrings).

So here too there are no exceptions. The health of the breathing apparatus wearer with a beard, or rather without, is also a priority for the fire department. Shaving or just a suitable style is the motto here! Even if the amounts of inhaled respiratory toxins are small, the limits of which may not yet be reached by the affected respiratory protection wearer, respiratory toxins with long half-lives still accumulate in the body. These include, for example: B. Benzenes and other hydrocarbons. They are particularly dangerous because of their constant toxic effects.

Respiratory protection wearers and beards – What those affected need to know!

As you have read, respiratory protective devices are vital in certain operations and thus determine the life and survival of the respiratory protective device wearer with a beard. If you belong to a professional group that has to wear respiratory protective devices, your main focus should be on protecting your own health. A beard is out of place here, apart from the classic mustache. But this one also needs to be properly cared for and cared for. As always, you can of course find the matching care products such as beard wax and the like in the Charlemagne Premium Shop, because:

“A healthy and well-groomed beard is important for a real man, that’s why we offer everything you need to keep yours doing so.”

As barbers with over 20 years of experience in the trade, we were looking for styling and care products that convinced us 100%. There were some good products on the market, but none that really gave us what we needed. After some consideration, we decided in 2014 that we wanted to develop our own series. For two years, every evening after work in the barbershop, we used every free minute to work on developing the recipes in our basement. When it came to ingredients, the best was just good enough for us. We purchased the best available jojoba oils in Morocco, and argan oil from Italy.

After two years and numerous tests, we had our first product range, with which we have been delighting our customers ever since - we think 98% positive reviews speak for themselves. This has of course been continuously developed since its official launch in 2016. This is just one of the reasons why Charlemagne Premium products have won not just one, but several comparison tests in recent years.

You can of course find all of our products here in our online store . If you have any questions about our products, you can reach us at any time at info@charlemagne-premium.com .