The coronavirus pandemic and the wearing of respirator masks have become somewhat synonymous. Therefore, protecting ourselves and others during this pandemic is important but what about protection on a construction site?
Makana Masks and Womer Landscaping
Womer Landscaping, Inc. is a premier hardscaping contractor in the coal region in eastern Pennsylvania. They are renowned for the design and installation of beautiful hardscape patios and pool decks in addition to outdoor areas for both residential and municipal projects.
The installation process involves hours of intricately cutting pavers to create the beautiful arcs and circles. The result is aesthetically pleasing outdoor environments.
Sawing the various pavers results in the generation of crystalline silica dust. In other words, a known health danger. Inhaling silica dust particles has been shown to cause lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease. Silica dust is found in stone, ceramics, masonry, concrete, when ground or cut. OSHA adopted new silica dust regulations in 2016 and it is incumbent on contractors to follow these guidelines during grinding or sawing operations including the use of respirators to limit silica exposure.
During Makana’s product development phase, we asked Jim Womer if he would be willing to field test our masks and filters to see how they perform against the half masks with externally affixed filters that he was currently using.
Jim stated that the half masks they used were uncomfortable, sweaty, fogged their safety glasses, and impeded their view when sawing.
Makana gave Jim our Ohia and Koa model masks with our Mālama filter. The Mālama filter is our highest performance pollution filter for high particulate environments.
MĀLAMA FILTRATION PERFORMANCE
| NaCl Penetration at 32 LPM | < 0.10% | Tested in accordance to TSI8130 NaCl 0.1 micron particle size |
| NaCl Efficiency at 32 LPM | > 99.90% | Tested in accordance to TSI8130 NaCl 0.1 micron particle size |
| Pressure Drop at 32 LPM | < 2.3 mm H2O | Tested in accordance to TSI8130 NaCl 0.1 micron particle size |
| BFE Efficiency | > 99.99990% | Tested in accordance to Spec MIL-M-36954C By Nelson Labs |
| VFE Efficiency | > 99.99975% | Tested in accordance to Spec MIL-M-36954C By Nelson Labs |
| Air Permeability** | > 75 CFM | Tested in accordance to ASTM Spec ASTM D737 |
The Verdict
After several weeks and projects sawing various pavers, Jim gave us his observations:
- “The masks fit very well and the adjustable strap and buckle are comfortable.”
- “The face seal foam creates a good, comfortable seal and is not as sweaty as the half masks.”
- “Our safety glasses did not fog while wearing these masks.”
- “Vision remains unimpeded. In our line of work, following cut lines is crucial to obtaining top notch product.”
Want to know more about how Makana respirator masks and filters can work on your job site? Visit us at www.makanausa.com
