4ply NWPP Face Mask made from a single sterilization wrap

#proj-4plynwppmask

Problem

The problem I propose to be a part of solving is the current worldwide shortage of face masks available to the general public and the limited supply of face masks available to health care workers. Currently here in the Niagara Region of Ontario our Nurses are allotted one mask for a 12 hr shift and we now have outbreaks in several Senior's homes and healthcare workers are requesting masks not only for themselves but for the residents and there are none available through their employer or to buy in stores. Further to the problem there are many people making homemade masks using different designs and materials that have not been tested for filtration efficiency and healthcare workers are using those homemade masks with a 'better than nothing' attitude, adding to concern of healthcare workers becoming infected. Both homemade masks and the allotted N95 masks are being reused and it is up to the healthcare workers to be responsible for the sterilization of these masks after long and stressful shifts.

Solution Summary

The solution to the above described problem would be to have a readily available and affordable supply of single use face masks for all of our doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and any of the general public who need them.

Solution

This is a simple, easy to make, design for a single use no-sew 4ply NWPP (non-woven polypropylene) face mask that is made from a single 15" by 15" sheet of sterilization wrap. The design requires very little tools, only scissors, stapler and a glue gun and can easily be made with very little training and by manual labour, assembly line style.

As there is an increasing shortage of protective equipment, including face masks, worldwide, it is becoming hard and expensive for people to acquire them, and as a result many are being re-used, so I wanted to develop an effective solution that could be made inexpensively, with very little equipment needed (no-sewing), and from items that are usually readily available. I would expect to immediately be able to address the local shortage, especially within the healthcare and longterm care communities of disposable protective face masks but would also expect to be able to distribute this method worldwide for quick and easy production of masks in the event of a worldwide shortage of N95 masks. This is a very lightweight and comfortable mask that can be folded up to a very compact size for ease of storage and shipping.

state of advancement:

At this point I am happy with the design, I have been in touch with Health Canada about having the #4plyNWPPmask approved as a Class 1 mask so I can start distributing to medical facilities but the mask needs to be tested first. I am having problems finding a lab that can test the mask here in Canada but have been in touch with Nelson Labs in Salt Lake City Utah, which also is the same company that tested the sterilization wraps that I'm using, and they can test the mask for bacterial filtration, flammability, particle filtration efficiency, and synthetic blood filtration which would require a total of 62 samples.

timeline:

-3 days to get materials delivered and samples could be made within a day of those arriving.

-turnaround time for the sampling is 14-21 days currently.

-Health Canada is pushing through applications for Class 1 masks in a 24 hour period currently (previous turnaround time was 21 days).

-So pending testing, I could be into production phase within 30 days.

This is a design that I developed for a very easy to make, no-sew 4 ply NWPP (non-woven polypropylene) face mask that is made from one single sheet of 15" by 15" sterilization wrap. It is very light weight and compact when in its folded position so will be ideal for packing and shipping.  NWPP being a non-woven fabric, has better bacteria filtration and air permeability while remaining less slippery than woven cloth and very lightweight. Sterilization wrap relatively inexpensive, so these masks can be disposable. This design uses a 3" aluminum strip for the flexible nose piece that holds the mask snugly on the face and ensures good fit. This design uses materials that are easy to source, are not expensive and are lightweight, the only equipment required to begin production of these masks would be a stapler, scissors and a glue gun and they can be manually produced with very little skill or training required.

I believe (further research needed) with the 4 filter layers of NWPP (Halyard H100 Sterilization Wrap) that the respirator will be effective at filtering out particles above 1 micron. Please see attached spec sheet in documents on Halyard 100 H100 sequential sterilization wrap.

methodology----

materials

1 X 15" by 15" sheet of Halyard H100 Sequential Sterilization Wrap

1 x 16" piece of 1" wide elastic

staples

stapler

glue gun/glue

scissors

tape measure

cut 6" strip off of one side and fold in half so you have a 6" by 7.5" piece

fold remaining piece in half so you have a 9" by 7.5

tuck the small piece inside the larger folded piece right up against the folded seam

fan fold this piece so that there will be three pleats

staple each end

slit elastic leaving a piece unslit at either end and then staple onto each end of folded fan piece

glue aluminum nose piece on outside of mask in the centre above where the nose would be

can be made quite quickly as this time lapse video demonstrates.....about 1 per minute.

results

This project aims to alleviate the stress on both the general population and health care workers in terms of having a secure supply of safe face masks throughout this pandemic and into the future.

safety/testing

I feel the mask needs to be tested for filtration efficiency before being made widely available, I feel it is a huge responsibility to design something that is made to increase someone's safety and should not be taken lightly. I have researched NWPP and feel it is an effective material for this type of use but that doesn't mean my design is effective.

NWPP is recyclable

I have been sharing my project with other makers and asking for feedback, and have also had several healthcare workers test them for wearability and comfort, initial feedback has been good.

I have been in touch with our Regional Health Authority and their infectious disease department with regards to having the mask tested. Our local healthcare workers are requesting masks of any kind and are receiving offers of several types of homemade masks, infectious disease and regional health are aware healthcare workers are using home made masks but have no way of regulating or monitoring this is any way.

In terms of impact, I feel the these inexpensive, quick and easy to produce masks will lessen the stress of not having masks readily available in stores or available to health care professionals.

funding/costs

Testing: BFE $975.00 USD, PFE $929.50 USD, SBP $559.00 USD FTS $819.00 USD = $3282.50 USD

Currently I have the cost per mask before labour at about $0.25 CDN per mask, I would anticipate that bulk buying would enable me to bring the price down.