Face Shields - Full-Face Protection Gear

Image credit: walmart.com

What is a face shield & how does it work?

The screen curves around the face, and it helps prevent infectious droplets from entering the eyes, nose, and mouth and extend to below the chin. Different from face masks, face shields are often see-through and cover the entire face. Their unique functions and features include the following:

Why should you use a face shield?

In healthcare settings, it's typically intended to protect from bodily fluids, splashes, or infectious materials. The authors of the JAMA opinion article list several advantages of face shields over other types of facial coverings: Durability: Plastic face shields can be reused indefinitely as long as they're cleaned with soap and water.

How do you use a face shield?

Remove the face shield from the packaging and fully open. Place over the casualty's lower face, ensuring the fabric portion is directly over the mouth. Use one hand to pinch the nose closed, and the other to hold the mask firmly against the chin.

What is a face shield?

Face shields are safety devices designed to protect the face from debris or other hazards. Face guards and face shields must provide protection from hazards but also ensure that an operator’s visibility and mobility are not hindered. Face shields are commonly used in:

Why do healthcare workers need a face shield?

Healthcare workers' faces have been reported to be the body part most commonly contaminated by splashes, sprays and spatter of body fluids. A face shield is classified as personal protective equipment (PPE) that provides barrier protection to the facial area and related mucous membranes (eyes, nose, lips).

Should face shields be used as solitary face/eye protection?

Due to the lack of a good facial seal peripherally that can allow for aerosol penetration, face shields should not be used as solitary face/eye protection, but rather as adjunctive to other PPE (protective facemasks, goggles, etc.).

What Is Face Shields

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_shield
2. https://www.verywellhealth.com/face-shields-4847009
3. https://www.health.vic.gov.au/covid-19-infection-prevention-control-guidelines/personal-protective-equipment-ppe
4. https://clinicalsupplies.com.au/blogs/news/what-is-a-face-shield-and-why-do-you-need-it
5. https://www.australiawidefirstaid.com.au/resources/how-to-use-disposable-face-shields
6. https://www.medtecs.com/face-shields-standard-materials-and-structures/
7. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/face%20shield
8. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/will-a-face-shield-protect-you-from-the-coronavirus
9. https://theconversation.com/does-a-face-shield-protect-against-covid-19-were-not-sure-so-a-mask-is-probably-a-safer-bet-for-now-145547

Face Shields Information

1. https://www.globalspec.com/learnmore/manufacturing_process_equipment/personal_protective_equipment/face_guards
2. https://www.medcart.com.au/personal-protective-equipment/apparel-and-accessories/clinical-ppe/face-protection/face-shields/
3. https://www.3m.com.au/3M/en_AU/p/c/ppe/head-face-protection/faceshields/
4. https://www.luxemed.com.au/products/purifas-faceshield
5. https://www.optometry.org.au/practice-professional-support/coronavirus-covid-19-what-optometrists-need-to-know/covid-19-clinical-advice/the-role-of-eye-protection-during-covid-19/
6. https://sps.honeywell.com/au/en/products/safety/head-eye-and-face-protection/face-shields
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015006/