The article is devoted to assessing the effect of personal respiratory protective equipment on the vital activity of the human body. In the context of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the society had to take emergency measures to prevent the spread of infection, the most common of which was the massive and uncontrolled wearing of masks. This further complicated the situation of those who are prescribed to use personal protective equipment for production needs, to protect themselves from hazardous and harmful production factors.
The survey revealed the number of physiological and psychological reactions to the effects of masks both during their wearing and after removal. Among the negative consequences: difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, headaches, as well as health-threatening conditions associated with disruption of the heart. A relationship was found between the presence of chronic diseases of the respiratory system in the respondents, and an increase in the number of complaints of difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, fainting and heart failure while wearing a mask. The physiological reactions of the body that occurred after the cessation of the use of personal respiratory protective equipment, especially after prolonged wearing, were analyzed.
It is shown that the revealed physiological reactions, especially in chronic manifestation, negatively affect the human immunity, making it vulnerable both to hazardous and harmful production factors, as well as to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, primarily pulmonary. People with diseases of the cardiorespiratory system are at particular risk.
2. Kukin P.P., Lapin V.L., Ponomarev N.L., Serdyuk N.I. Life safety. Safety of the technological processes and productions. Occupational safety: textbook for the universities. 4-e izd., pererab. Moscow: Vysshaya shkola, 2007. 335 p. (In Russ.).
3. GOST 12.4.299—2015. Occupational safety standards. Respiratory system protective devices. Recommendations for selection, use and maintenance. Available at: https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200121959 (accessed: November 28, 2022). (In Russ.).
4. ISO 16976-3:2019. Respiratory protective devices — Human factors — Part 3: Physiological responses and limitations of oxygen and limitations of carbon dioxide in the breathing environment. Available at: https://www.iso.org/obp/ui#iso:std:iso:ts:16976:-3:ed-2:v1:en (accessed: November 28, 2022).
5. Lemeshko V.I., Ivanov I.V., Geregey A.M. The problem of the physiological assessment of the negative impact of the use of filtering PPE on the body of an employee. Materialy 16-go Rossiyskogo natsionalnogo kongressa s mezhdunarodnym uchastiem «Professiya i zdorove» (Proceedings of the 16th Russian National Congress with International Participation «Profession and Health»). Moscow: NKO AMT, 2021. pp. 308–312. (In Russ.).
6. Ramirez-Moreno J.M., Ceberino D., Plata A.G., Rebollo B., Sedas P.M., Hariramani R., Roa A.M., Constantino A.B. Mask-associated «de novo» headache in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2020. № 78 (8). pp. 548–554. DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2020-106956
7. Padua L., Castelli L., Gatto D.M., Hokkoku K., Reale G., Pastorino R., Loreti C., Giovannini S. Discomfort and Pain Related to Protective Mask-Wearing during COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2022. № 12 (9). DOI: 10.3390/jpm12091443
8. Liu N., Ye M., Zhu Q., Chen D., Xu M., He J., Li Q., Li J. Adverse Reactions to Facemasks in Health-Care Workers: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2022. Vol. 15. pp. 947–954. DOI: 10.2147/CCID.S365390
9. Balestracci B., La Regina M., Di Sessa D., Mucci N., Angelone F.D., D’Ecclesia A., Fineschi V., Di Tommaso M., Corbetta L., Lachman P., Orlandini F., Tanzini M., Tartaglia R., Squizzato A. Patient safety implications of wearing a face mask for prevention in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and consensus recommendations. Internal and Emergency Medicine. 2022. № 1 (22). pp. 1–22. DOI: 10.1007/s11739-022-03083-w
10. Engeroff T., Groneberg D.A., Niederer D. The Impact of Ubiquitous Face Masks and Filtering Face Piece Application During Rest, Work and Exercise on Gas Exchange, Pulmonary Function and Physical Performance: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine Open. 2021. № 7. DOI: 10.1186/s40798-021-00388-6
11. Slyusar O.I., Kachalov A.B., Ryzhkova M.V., Slyusar I.B. Methodologies for assessing drug safety, effectiveness and adverse drug reactions. Zdorove i obrazovanie v XXI veke = Health and Education Millennium. 2018. Vol. 20. № 3. pp. 112–117. (In Russ.).
12. Population size of the Russian Federation by gender and age as of January 1, 2022 (Statistical bulletin). Available at: https://rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Bul_chislen_nasel-pv_01-01-2022.pdf (accessed: November 28, 2022). (In Russ.).
13. Lim E.C.H., Seet R.C.S., Lee K.-H., Wilder-Smith E.P.V., Chuah B.Y.S., Ong B.K.C. Headaches and the N95 face-mask amongst healthcare providers. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. 2006. № 113. Iss. 3. pp. 199–202.
14. Ong J.J.Y., Bharatendu C., Goh Y., Tang J.Z.Y., Sooi K.W.X., Tan Y.L., Tan B.Y.Q., Teoh H.-L., Ong S.T., Allen D.M., Sharma V.K .Headaches Associated With Personal Protective Equipment — A Cross-Sectional Study Among Frontline Healthcare Workers during COVID-19. Headache. 2020. № 60. Iss. 5. pp. 864–877. DOI: 10.1111/head.13811
15. Rapisarda L., Trimboli M., Fortunato F., De Martino A., Marsico O., Demonte G., Augimeri A., Labate A., Gambardella A. Facemask headache: A new nosographic entity among healthcare providers in COVID-19 era. Neurological Sciences. 2021. № 42. pp. 1267–1276. DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05075-8
16. Hajjij A., Aasfara J., Khalis M., Ouhabi H., Benariba F.Jr., El Kettani C. Personal Protective Equipment and Headaches: Cross-Sectional Study Among Moroccan Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic. Cureus. 2020. № 12. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.12047
17. Toksoy C.K., Demirbas H., Bozkurt E., Acar H., Börü U.T. Headache related to mask use of healthcare workers in COVID-19 pandemic. Korean Journal of Pain. 2021. Vol. 34 (2). pp. 241–245.
18. Krymchantowski A.V. Headaches Due to External Compression. Current Pain and Headache Reports. 2010. № 14. Iss. 4. pp. 321–324.
19. Kaptsov V.A., Pankova V.B., Chirkin A.V. International Standards for Personal Respiratory Protection (Review). Bezopasnost truda v promyshlennosti = Occupational Safety in Industry. 2022. № 8. pp. 70–75. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24000/0409-2961-2022-8-70-75
