Guidance

Facial hair and the way that personal protection fits has become a somewhat emerging issue. Facial hair and beards are causing a problem when it comes to facial masks as it can stop the mask from being able to seal properly onto the face. It also means that it is probably not going to pass the fit test as well. Employers really do need to talk with their staff about the issue and they also need to engage with some of the many local faith groups as well. Some trusts have asked their staff if they would consider removing their facial hair already.

Covid-19 Outbreak

The outbreak of Covid-19 is continuing and there is going to be a huge increase in the amount of staff who will need to wear some kind of mask. The new guidance has been released by the NHS and they want to do everything they can to protect those essential workers who are on the front line. They have tried to come up with other measures which would enable staff to keep their facial hair, including hoods, helmets and even masks as well. It’s said that this would be much more expensive however and it would not be a feasible solution when you look at how many staff would need to be involved.