PD CEN/TS 17553:2022

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The Covid-19 pandemic led the UK Government to require the mandatory wearing of face coverings in 2020, and CEN to produce an interim community face coverings specification.

A 'community face covering' refers to a facepiece covering at least the mouth, nose and chin that can be fastened behind the head. It is used to differentiate from the term ‘mask’, which refers to coverings that are commonly used for personal protective equipment (PPE) or medical devices (MD).

PD CEN/TS 17553:2022 is the next iteration of that work and a first attempt to fully standardize best practice in the production and use of community face coverings for future pandemics.

Who is PD CEN/TS 17553 - Community face coverings for?

• The general public (for information)
• Healthcare providers, emergency services, carers, fire services, ambulance services, rescue services
• Production controllers in factories
• Retailers of all sizes
• Suppliers
• Manufacturers
• Charities including for the deaf community, mental health, people with disabilities and child safety
• Policy makers

What does PD CEN/TS 17553 - Community face coverings cover?

PD CEN/TS 17553 specifies minimum requirements for reusable or single use community face coverings intended for the general public, covering the nose, mouth and chin in order to reduce the risk of droplet/aerosol projection towards nearby people. These requirements include:

• Innocuousness
• Design (including fit)
• Performance
• Test methods
• Marking
• Packaging
• Information for use

The requirements apply to:

• Community face coverings made of one or multiple fabric layers (including woven, knitted, nonwoven), and including community face coverings with a removable filter in between the layers
• Community face coverings including a transparent window which allows for the wearer's mouth and facial expressions to be seen, to facilitate full facial recognition, lip reading and/or sign language alongside other methods of communication
• Structured community face coverings including moulded plastic shells and rigid face coverings’ components

NOTE: PD CEN/TS 17553 is not intended for community face coverings for children up to 4 years of age, nor for medical face masks (medical devices specified in BS EN 14683), nor for filtering masks to protect against particles (personal protective equipment specified in BS EN 149). It excludes impermeable nose and mouth shields (including visors) and face coverings incorporating inhalation and/or exhalation valve(s).

Why should you use PD CEN/TS 17553:2022?

• It represents a Europe-wide consensus on what constitutes current technology and minimum best practice in community face coverings
• It reflects the views of scientists, consumers and a wide variety of other stakeholders
• Its use can accelerate innovation and develop manufacturers’ expertise with community face coverings
• Its use can improve the efficiency of manufacture and strengthen risk management
• Its use can increase confidence in community face coverings and increase market access
  

PD CEN/TS 17553 contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 on good health and well-being, Goal 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure and Goal 12 on responsible consumption and production.