Homemade mask musings

[homemademasks]

Facebook is awash with homemade mask sellers ATM. Lovely patterns, reusuable and cost effective. But I do worry that about in the momentum of bringing them to the fore, some realities may have been lost.

1. Should any person that makes masks to sell or give away ideally have public liability insurance given they are making a product for the public?

2. In theory, could they be sued if a person caught CV whilst wearing one of their masks (either using all guidelines about placing masks on/off, or not). Could a person be sued if they wore a mask whilst having CV and passed it onto someone else, because the mask wasn't effective?

3. One of my big concerns are those making masks marketed for children. Most clothes/toys have to pass stringent safety tests - should home made masks ideally be subject to these tests as well? Especially as some have ties/elastic bands, could they be a choking hazard?

What are your thoughts?

Actually No.3 is quite an interesting point. I think at the back of my mind things like toy masks need to be CE tested as toys so I wonder if there's some cross over there - especially with material used. I haved no idea though so not much help!

Presumably CE marks cease to have relevance as of 1.1.2021.
Do children's scarves have CE marks?

Anyone who sells homemade items needs to have insurance. I only sell items I’m my spare time but I still have craft sellers insurance.

I am not making masks though as I don’t think my insurance would cover me but I haven’t actually checked with them. I’m just making them for friends and family for free.

It's a bit of cloth you strap to your face.

If they are claiming their masks will definitely prevent the wearer from catching the virus or passing it on then they could be sued, otherwise not.

If your child is young enough that choking hazards are an issue then they are too young to wear a mask.

My thoughts are that you might be a journalist.