Turkey has taken an important step in meeting the daily needs of citizens mask in the normalization process. Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) has determined and published standards for washable cloth masks. Turkey thus forming the world standard in this area was the third country. The properties that hygienic cloth masks should have were determined for protection against the virus with the standard. With the standard, it was the first time that the properties, production, design, cleaning, washing, drying and connection conditions of the mask should be. Standard was uploaded to TSE's website and opened to access.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a statement after the Presidential Cabinet meeting, “Now we are taking a new step on cloth mask. Washable cloth mask standards; Our Ministry of Industry and Technology was determined in cooperation with our Ministry of Trade, TSE, TÜBİTAK and manufacturers. A higher price will be determined for these and sales will be allowed. In addition, these products have a significant export potential. ” said.
Following the publication of the standards on TSE's website, Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank, who made a statement from his social media account, said “The Cloth Mask Standards” that we determined all stages from design to production, from filtration cultivation to post-use destruction. Cloth masks conforming to the standards prepared by TSE will be an alternative to disposable masks in our daily lives. ” He used his expression.
BEZ MASK STANDARD
The criteria, which were announced by President Erdogan and that contain the properties that hygienic masks used to protect against the virus should be determined. The cloth mask, which is obliged to be worn when visiting dense, closed areas such as markets, shopping malls or using public transportation vehicles, has thus become a standard by the Turkish Standards Institute. With the prepared standard, the properties, production, design, cleaning, washing, drying and connection conditions of the mask should be explained in detail. The Standard was uploaded to TSE's website and opened to access.
HOW WILL THE PRODUCTION STANDARD BE?
Masks used to reduce the spread of the virus by minimizing the excretion of respiratory droplets from infected individuals who have not yet developed symptoms or are asymptomatic, are classified in three ways: small, medium and large. The standard also included which fabrics should be produced from the mask. According to this; mask fabrics will be developed from synthetic or natural fibers and can be produced by weaving, knitting, knitwear or non-woven textile method. The properties that the mask should have are listed as follows:
Its components should not be torn, no separation of the joints, should be breathable, can be worn appropriately, and should be designed in a comfortable manner, all components should be easy to clean and disinfect at home, should be manufactured with non-risk materials, should be made of fabrics without irritation or negative health effects, fabric used. It must be durable and maintain its integrity throughout the life of the product, and it should not have sharp edges that may injure the user in the parts that may come into contact with the user.
STANDARD IN DESIGN
The design of the mask was determined with the prepared standard. Accordingly, the face mask; the wearer's tight fit over the nose, mouth and chin, and the sides of the mask should fit snugly against the face. In addition, masks should be designed in different shapes and structures, with additional features such as face protection or nose bridge with or without anti-fog. With the standard, the performance of cloth masks was measured on three indicators. Indicators were determined as filtration efficiency, breathability and microbial load. The efficiency ratio of the cloth mask standard was announced to be at least 90 percent and above.
CLEANING AND DRYING
With the standard prepared by TSE, the minimum number of times the mask should be washed. Masks designed to be worn and removed easily; it must be strong enough to hold it in place to prevent over-tightening and discomfort during insertion. According to the standard; the mask should be able to withstand at least 5 wash and dry cycles to maintain its performance.
LABEL AND PACKING
Cloth masks according to the label, packaging and sales standard; will be packaged to protect mechanical damage and contamination, so the signs of the masks that will be placed on the market will be transparent, visible and legible.
HOW TO USE IT?
A standard has also been set for wearing and removing the mask. According to this; When wearing and removing the mask, protective gloves should be removed first, hands should be washed with soap and water or rubbed with disinfectant to prevent contamination. Then the mask should be removed without touching the front of the mask. Masks that become unusable according to the procedure; should be thrown in a container equipped with a rubber bag.
For details of cloth mask standards CLICK HERE
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