Filtering facepieces
Filtering Facepieces (FFP) are disposable Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) for protection against dusts, particles and aerosols. They are often referred to as 'disposable dust masks', are widely used, and generally require no cleaning or maintenance.
They are available in three classes: FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3, with the higher numbers corresponding to better filtering efficiency.
As with all types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sold in the UK, they must comply with the EU PPE Directive 89/686/EEC. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer or person placing the RPE on the European single market to ensure compliance. For FFPs this is invariably achieved by compliance with the harmonised standard EN149:2001+A1:2009: Respiratory protective devices. Filtering half masks to protect against particles. Requirements, testing, marking.
See also: Performance of FFP3 disposable respirators.
--BSRIA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Achieve safety in demolition.
- Asbestos.
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH).
- Deleterious materials.
- Demolition.
- Dust control systems.
- Dust.
- Fit testing.
- Hazardous substances.
- Health and Safety Executive.
- Injuries on construction sites.
- Inspections focus on occupational lung disease.
- Nuisance in construction.
- Performance of FFP3 disposable respirators.
- Personal protective equipment.
- Pollution.
- Reporting accidents and injuries on construction sites.
- Respiratory protective equipment.
- Scabbling.
- The dust control systems market.
- TSI Environmental dust monitoring system.
Featured articles and news
Villa Wolf in Gubin, history and reconstruction. Book review.
Construction contract awards down £1bn
Decline over the past two months compared to the same period last year, follows the positive start to the year.
Editor's broadbrush view on forms of electrical heating in context.
The pace of heating change; BSRIA market intelligence
Electric Dreams, Boiler Realities.
New President of ECA announced
Ruth Devine MBE becomes the 112th President of the Electrical Contractors Association.
New CIAT Professional Standards Competency Framework
Supercedes the 2019 Professional Standards Framework from 1 May 2025.
Difficult Sites: Architecture Against the Odds
Free exhibition at the RIBA Architecture Gallery until 31 May.
PPN 021: Payment Spot Checks in Public Sub-Contracts
Published following consultation and influence from ECA.
Designing Buildings reaches 20,000 articles
We take a look back at some of the stranger contributions.
Lessons learned from other industries.
The Buildings of the Malting Industry. Book review.
Conserving places with climate resilience in mind.
Combating burnout.
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.