Cloth face coverings in manufacturing work

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings as a protective measure in addition to social distancing (i.e., staying at least 6 feet away from others). Cloth face coverings may be especially important when social distancing is not possible or feasible based on working conditions. A cloth face covering may reduce the amount of large respiratory droplets that a person spreads when talking, sneezing, or coughing. Cloth face coverings may prevent people who do not know they have the virus that causes COVID-19 from spreading it to others. Cloth face coverings are intended to protect other people—not the wearer.

Cloth face coverings are not PPE. They are not appropriate substitutes for PPE such as respirators (like N95 respirators) or medical facemasks (like surgical masks) in workplaces where respirators or facemasks are recommended or required to protect the wearer.

While wearing cloth face coverings is a public health measure intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in communities, wearing a single cloth face covering for the full duration of a work shift (e.g., eight or more hours) in a manufacturing facility may not be practical if the face covering becomes wet, soiled, or otherwise visibly contaminated during the work shift. If cloth face coverings are worn in these facilities, employers should provide readily available clean cloth face coverings (or disposable facemask options) for workers to use when the coverings become wet, soiled, or otherwise visibly contaminated.

Employers who determine that cloth face coverings should be worn in the workplace, including to comply with state or local requirements for their use, should ensure the cloth face coverings:

  • fit over the nose and mouth and fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face;
  • are secured with ties or ear loops;
  • include multiple layers of fabric;
  • allow for breathing without restriction;
  • can be laundered using the warmest appropriate water setting and machine dried daily after the shift, without damage or change to shape (a clean cloth face covering should be used each day);
  • are not used if they become wet or contaminated;
  • are replaced with clean replacements, provided by the employer, as needed.
  • are handled as little as possible to prevent transferring infectious materials to or from the cloth; and
  • are not worn with or instead of respiratory protection when respirators are needed.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-manufacturing-workers-employers.html

Share on Socials!

Related Articles

Related Articles

Some metrics in the red as EPA pushes to reopen

Key metrics in EPA's own data on the spread of the COVID-19 virus were in the red as the agency took another step toward reopening during ...
Read More

Monarch Brands Joins Hospeco Brands Group

Move creates multi-market juggernaut; adds whole product lines, expands microfiber and wiping product offering Two powerful market leaders are joining together to form one powerhouse partnership. ...
Read More

Continental Tires bundles sustainability activities in new department

Continental’s Tire has bundled all sustainability activities and projects in a newly created department under the leadership of Claus Petschick as part of its “Vision 2030” ...
Read More