United Kingdom
In order to provide its customers with clear evidence of compliance with hygiene masks, Associated Suppliers sent the British Apparel Industry Member (ABSCI), Eurofins, the Tested quality seal for community masksfor masks that meet strict test protocols.
In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, many governments have recommended or even prescribed the use of masks in public places where safety distances cannot be guaranteed. This Hygiene masks, also called Community masksare the ones that are used by the public. Ultimately, these should protect others from the carrier and thus help to mitigate the spread of the virus.
During the ban, when hospitality laundries suffered from lack of work in hotels, many companies turned to the manufacture of hospital scrubs and masks as well as "community masks".
International, regional and local authorities are now trying to direct their efforts towards a standardization of a minimum quality standard for community masks, such as the recommendations of the World Health Organization EU CEN guideline document CWA 17533 or the local initiatives in Spain, France and Mexico (UNE 0065, UNE 0064-1, UNE 0064-2, AFNOR-SPEC-S76, breathability, particle filtration, etc.).
Trust through transparency
The tested quality mark for community masks consists of three parts:
· A seal that can be attached to the product (optional).
The seal bears the appropriate test report number and the URL where the end user can search for the protocols tested.
The label or label that is affixed along and under the seal and that is to be attached to the packaging, including the selection list of the basic test reports that the product has undergone.
· The corresponding test report for the article in two formats:
- Extended test report for the customer's quality department
- Basic report to be displayed in the web-based custody database so that the end user can review it to provide complete transparency to consumers.
- Eurofins has designed a test plan that complies with the basic recommendations of the WHO and the EU's CW, with some of the requirements for medical masks and PPE added, including safety, ergonomics and performance protocols, as well as artwork verification (labels and markings)) .
Tested quality mark reports
Eurofins has designed a test plan that complies with the basic recommendations of the WHO and the EU's CW, with some of the requirements for medical masks and PPE added, including safety, ergonomics and performance protocols, as well as artwork verification (labels and markings)) .
