Page 75 - OHS, June 2020

prevent the passage of dust, mist, liquid and vapors.
For infection control, indirectly vented goggles or non-vented
goggles are the preferred PPE.
Most safety goggles are offered with anti-fog coatings and are
sized to fit over prescription glasses. They protect against 99.9 per- cent of harmful UV rays and have a hard coat polycarbonate lens to protect against scratches. Although they provide vision protection, they do not offer spray or splash protection to the other parts of the face. That is where the face shield comes into play.
Face Shields and Their Role in Infection Control
According to the CDC, “Healthcare workers’ faces have been re- ported to be the body part most commonly contaminated by splashes, sprays and spatter of body fluids.”
A face shield provides barrier protection to the facial area and related mucous membranes (eyes, nose and lips). Because face shields are considered secondary protection, they should be worn in conjunction with other PPE like goggles, surgical masks and N95 respirators, which sometimes can help extend the life of those PPE items.
Despite its secondary protection status, face shields offer many significant advantages compared to other forms of face/eye protec- tion used in healthcare and related fields. Some of the key advan- tages of face shields are:
■ more comfortable
■ protects a larger portion of the face
■ less fogging than goggles
■ less claustrophobic
■ no impact on breathing resistance
■ no fit testing required
■ can be disinfected easily
■ wearers do not need to be clean shaven
■ easy to don and doff
■ easier to communicate with others
■ prevent people from touching their faces
Choosing the appropriate face shield for infection control is de-
pendent upon:
■ The current available knowledge, which can change quickly
during a pandemic
■ The task to be performed
■ The risk associated with the task or procedure
■ Other PPE used in conjunction with the face shield
■ Personal vision needs
The CDC has recommendations on how face shields can pro-
vide improved protection from infectious agents:
“To provide better face and eye protection from splashes and
sprays, a face shield should have crown and chin protection and wrap around the face to the point of the ear, which reduces the likelihood that a splash could go around the edge of the shield and reach the eyes. Disposable face shields for medical personnel made of light weight films that are attached to a surgical mask or fit loose- ly around the face should not be relied upon as optimal protection.”
The importance of face shields for infection control among medical professionals is gaining steam during the pandemic as many health care facilities are now requiring their employees to wear face shields full time to prevent the spread of the virus. The discussion is rapidly evolving to whether the general public should
also wear face shields in everyday life to help flatten the curve.3 Face shields are gaining favor because they can be made quickly with materials that are easy to obtain.4 Plus, with the shortage of N95 respirators and surgical face masks during the pandemic, the CDC
has recommended the use of face shields if masks are unavailable.
What’s Next?
One thing we have been reminded of during the COVID-19 pan- demic is that we really do not know what is next. However, we are also learning that “together, we can get through this.” The private sector, including PPE and non-PPE manufacturers, have been help- ing tremendously during the pandemic, remobilizing their opera- tions teams and supply chains to create in-demand pandemic PPE. The world will grow and learn from this, and I think we can agree that PPE has a defining role in making the world a safer place.
Mary Padron is a MarCom and Event Specialist at Radians, a top- tier manufacturer of quality PPE. Radians offers performance and premium vision protection including ANSI Z87.1 impact resistant eyewear, goggles, face shields, side shields, eyewash stations, lens cleaning, and more. Its proprietary IQuity anti-fog coating really helps when wearing eyewear and face masks together.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.safeopedia.com/what-is-the-difference-between-water-based- and-solvent-based-anti-fog-lens-coating/7/6053
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8s5CMmikM8
3. https://www.today.com/health/plastic-face-mask-are-face-shields-better-
masks-t179641
4. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/08/building-plastic-face-masks-to- meet-coronavirus-ppe-shortage.html
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JUNE 2020 | Occupational Health & Safety 71