PPE equipment face shield is very easy to wear. They are made up of a plastic panel that curves around the face. Also, an adjustable strap or elastic band contributes to holding the panel in the proper position.
To ensure that you are protected well while wearing these PPE equipment face shield, the panel of your face shield should extend well.
There also should not be the presence of any gaps in between the headpiece of your shield and forehead. Below, you will get to know many important things regarding the PPE face shield.
Cleaning A Face Shield
If you have decided to purchase a PPE equipment face shield specifically for personal use and wear it with a face mask to reduce your risk of COVID-19 exposure, then one of the important steps is to clean this after every use.
To do this, you will have to submerge this protective panel in warm and soapy water. This will help to effectively get rid of any contaminants.
Also, you should gently clean the particular surface with the help of a cloth or soft sponge.
Finally, you should rinse and gently dry this PPE equipment face shield with the help of a soft towel made up of microfiber or cotton. You will get the option to clean the headpiece separately.
Another best way to clean a face shield is with the help of antibacterial wipes. But, you should be very careful as they can leave a resident.
It is a great option to sanitize your face shield specifically with the help of 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes. But, you should avoid using a household or window cleaner on your face shield as the presence of harsh chemicals in it could damage the product.
Steps To Clean A Face Shield In A Healthcare Setting
The below-mentioned steps should be followed if you want to clean a face shield specifically in a healthcare setting:
- While you wear gloves, you need to carefully wipe the inside. Also, this should be followed by the outside of the face shield using a clean cloth. In this regard, a neutral detergent solution should be used.
- Another great option is to carefully wipe the outside portion of the face shield with the help of a wipe or else a clean cloth that is saturated with the EPA registered hospital disinfectant solution.
- It is also very important to wipe the outside portion of the face shield with the help of a towel along with alcohol or water to effectively remove residue.
- Now, you need to air-dry the face shield. In this regard, sometimes, you will have to make use of a clean absorbent towel.
- Finally, remove the gloves as well as perform hand hygiene.
Face Shields Vs Face Masks: When To Use Which?
Similar to the face shield, face masks have become very important in this pandemic situation. In many of the countries, face covers, shields, or masks have become mandatory for use by the government.
But, in this regard, one should know about the correct way to use PPE equipment face shield and masks. People should know when to wear this protective equipment and they should take care of those for maintaining proper hygiene.
More Information Regarding This
Some of the experts have recommended wearing a face mask specifically at all times, even when you are indoors. This is applicable mostly when someone in your house is showing symptoms or infected.
You should wear face masks while you are outdoors especially if you are in a crowded public place where it is difficult to follow social distancing guidelines.
However, some people wore a PPE equipment face shield instead of face masks which is not at all recommended.
This is specifically because face shields alone may not be that effective. So, it is very crucial to use this PPE equipment face shield along with a face mask for maximum effectiveness.
This is mostly applicable to those situations where one knows that they will be in constant close contact with the other people.
Many of the reports also suggested that the face shields contributes to offer better protection from the virus when compared to a face mask.
Therefore, you should specifically opt for this option in certain situations where the risk is high such as for essential services workers, healthcare workers, or people who cannot practice social distancing due to multiple reasons.
This will contribute to providing you additional protection.
Tips To Follow
You should always follow some safety instructions for maintaining this protective equipment. It is required to properly practice hygiene in case of this particular PPE equipment face shield or face mask.
- In case, you are making use of a one-time use mask, then it is very important for you to carefully dispose it at the end of the day. So, whenever you use a mask, you should discard it after a while and keep it as clean as possible.
For cleaning purposes, you should follow the instructions mentioned on its packaging. Also, if you are making use of a washable mask, you should wash it every time you use it.
- Following the CDC, USA, children under the age of 2 should remain restricted from the use of cloth face coverings.
This thing is also applicable in the case of those people who have trouble breathing, are incapacitated, unconscious, or unable to remove the mask without assistance.
- For newborns as well as infants, the plastic face shields are not at all recommended.
These are the things that you need to consider while choosing PPE equipment face shield or masks.
After reading this, you will also get an idea about which one to choose whether it is a face mask or face shield for protecting yourself in this COVID-19 pandemic situation.
Final Words
So, these are some of the most important things that you need to know about the face shields. If you are finding any difficulty in handling that, you should check with the supervisor who will help you in this aspect.
