In Winter 2020, SMTL were asked to chair a group (the NHS Transparent Face Mask Working group)  brought together by NHS E&I (NHS England and NHS Improvement). to produce a technical specification for transparent face masks, to meet a demonstrated demand for transparent face masks at the time of writing (Spring 2021).  The group met between Jan and March 2021,

 

The aim of the group was to produce a  technical specification, based on test methods and some of the design and performance requirements in established standards, for transparent face masks, some of which could be considered for use as an alternative to Type IIR medical masks.

The final specification has now been published, and gives design and performance requirements for single-use TRANSPARENT FACE MASKS which are intended to provide comparable protection and source control to some or all of the properties of a Type IIR medical mask, using test methods and performance requirements from existing standards, whilst adapting them due to the transparency requirements.  It is important to recognise that masks complying with the technical specification cannot be referred to as Type IIR medical masks, as that term is defined in EN 14683:2019 and is reserved for products meeting the definition of a medical device that also comply wholly with the requirements for Type IIR medical masks in that standard. Masks complying with the new technical specification may, however, meet some of the requirements of EN 14683:2019.

The specification is available from the gov.uk web site.