One of the main concerns for people that wear gas masks in their workplace in order to stay protected, is whether or not a gas mask is able to protect them from smoke. While respirators and gas masks offer several types of gas filtering and particulate isolation or extinguishing, smoke produced by fire is an entirely different situation.
Certain types of gas masks are used by several industries in order to keep their workers safe during particular processes. For instance, masks can or hoods can be work during welding processes, although welding helmets are far more effective because of their design specialty when it comes to keeping the breathing and the face of the welders intact and unharmed.
When it comes to smoke though, it is recommended that you look for a smoke hood or a respirator with carbon monoxide protection for ideal results.
Here are some hoods and respirators for smoke protection:
These two models are specifically designed for protecting individuals during emergencies such as domestic or workplace fires, where various types of materials tend to get burnt and produce high amounts of smoke.
They filter carbon monoxide effectively, and they are able to offer lung protection for long periods of time before you need to replace either the entire hood or their filters.
Can a gas mask protect you from smoke?
When manufacturers design gas mask models, the main purpose of the mask becomes to protect the user from particulates and certain types of gases depending on the type kind of the gas mask. While there are respirators available in the market that offer smoke protection (for example the Zinnor Full Face Gas Mask Organic Vapor Respirator), most of the models are not designed for smoke protection.
That said, we have to make clear that smoke produced by fire and burnt material can contain particulates, that once inhaled by humans, can cause serious health problems especially to the lungs, brain damage or eventually be fatal for the person that inhaled them.
The main reason why gas masks in most cases are not able to offer protection from smoke, is the fact that smoke contains carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. These two elements cannot be filtered by gas mask cartridges, except when specific types of respirators have carbon filtering which is not a usual fact.
Furthermore, the temperature of the smoke is another issue when it comes to gas masks. Most mask models cannot handle high or extreme heat, and they are limited to protecting the user from particulates only, leaving him exposed to face or skin injuries.
In fact, when such high heat occasions occurs, the filters and the cartridges are the first parts of a gas mask that will be damaged or even destroyed. The gas mask filters are extremely sensitive to hot gases and smokes which means that they can’t handle them, leaving the high heat smoke eventually to reach and damage the users lungs without meeting any obstacle in its way.
How safe is to use a gas mask for smoke protection?
To be fair, it is not safe at all. Gas masks are not designed to keep the wearer safe from smoke, and this is the reason why they should not be preferred for this type of emergencies. Like described above, except particulate filtering, there is a number of disadvantages when it comes to using a gas mask for smoke protection, starting from inefficiency in filtering carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide to failure in keeping high heat away from the individual.
Adding to that, oxygen deficiency is one of the main issues people such as firefighters tend to face during disasters and fires. A gas mask is not able to provide fresh oxygen. The only way you can achieve this, is by choosing a gas mask with built-in respirator, for instance the Zinnor Full Face Gas Mask Organic Vapor Respirator which is a high quality respirator.
However, if you are really into gas masks and respirators as a way to protect yourself during all kinds of difficult situations, then you can find several mask models in the market that offer smoke protection. One of the best I have personally come across, is the Induschoice Organic Vapor Full Face Silicone Respirator Mask.
During a fire, your safety depends on the protective headgear you choose to wear, as well as your survival skills. A gas mask is only able to offer extremely limited protection in such an occasion. If your profession requires staying protected from smoke, there are much better head gear solution to look for, which can prove life-saving when used.
What type of head gear is best for protection from smoke?
Escape hoods, fire hoods, respirators with carbon filtering and gas masks with built-in respirators are the best type of head gear for smoke protection during a fire. Although there are several different models available in the market, after research, we have gathered the most effective ones in the list below:
1 – Safe Escape Smoke Hood ASE60A
- COMFORTABLE: Soft, lightweight facepiece with...
- DURABLE and REUSABLE: Respirator can be...
- HELPS REDUCE EXPOSURE to particulates and a wide...
- USE WITH OTHER PPE: Adjustment points located on...
- APPLICATIONS: chemical handling, chipping,...
The particular hood model is used for safe escape during fire incidents that require fast actions. The case contains the smoke hood and all the necessary accessories, in order to offer maximum protection from hot smoke and high temperature ashes falling from burnt materials.
2 – iEvac Smoke Hood Fire Mask
- American Certified by Safety Equipment Institute...
- Protects against toxic gases such as carbon...
- Designated as an Anti-terrorism technology by the...
- Tested by the US Army Research, Development and...
- Currently being used by numerous Federal, State...
The iEvac Smoke Hood is one of the best products in my opinion when it comes to smoke protection. It is as effective as it gets, it protect from carbon monoxide and a number of toxic gases, and has been certified as an extremely powerful piece of headgear after hard testing by the US Army Research and other research centers.
3 – Holulo Organic Vapor Full Face Respirator
- 【 The main material】High quality silicone,...
- 【Lens】PC lens, impact resistant, protect your...
- 【 Application】Apply in paint,prevent wood...
- 【Including】Including:1*face cover...
- 【Comfortable to wear】Lightweight and flexible,...
This respirator model by Holulo is among the top recommendations when it comes to dealing with fires and similar emergencies. Using the respirator, you are going to achieve minimum breathing resistance, great visibility and high quality protection from smoke and various hazardous gases.
4 – Zinnor Full Face Gas Mask Organic Vapor Respirator
Last but not least, this gas mask has a built-in respirator which makes it fully effective when it comes to protecting individuals from smoke and fire. It is very comfortable to wear, it is made of silicone and the double-layer filtering along with its longevity makes it highly protective against smoke and fumes.
Conclusion
As we can see, although gas masks on their own are not an ideal solution when it comes to staying protected from smoke, they can be very effective when used in combination with respirators in order to enhance their effectiveness.
If you have to deal with fire, hot gases, smoke and ashes in a regular base, make sure that you stay informed about the best ways to protect yourself under such circumstances, and choose one of the types of head gear recommended in the article for absolute protection.