Staff members were later given flimsy dust masks from the maintenance room, said Barbeau. The masks are designed to protect workers from large dust particles and not for medical use.

But over the years, critics of that simple respirator have raised serious questions. They say some masks didn’t go far enough to protect workers against deadly dust, like asbestos.

He said reducing exposure to dust was really important. "People will immediately think 'I'm putting on a dust mask', and that can be part of the solution," he said.

For yard work, the BASE CAMP M Pro offers 99.6% filtration with its 6-layer FFP2 filter, blocking dust, pollen, and fumes while ensuring comfort and a secure fit.California, United States, March ...