Are plastic face shields classed as a face covering?

[RiverFlowers]

I cannot find guidance anywhere so wondering if anyone knows, are plastic face shields classed as a face covering and can be used instead of a mask?

My husbands workplace are enforcing face covering despite government guidance saying shop staff do not need to wear them. His job involves heavy lifting and he finds face masks quite restrictive so we were wondering if a plastic face shield is appropriate? I know in Scotland they are classed as a face covering but it isn't mentioned in England?

Probably not as per the rules applied to the public, but as this is an employer requirement rather than legislation it'll be up to them rather than what the Government think

@Kissmyfacemask

Probably not as per the rules applied to the public, but as this is an employer requirement rather than legislation it'll be up to them rather than what the Government think

But no where has the government said shields aren't face coverings?

Dont they require something that covers your nose and mouth? visors dont really do that.

Again though, Government opinion is irrelevant here, its an employee/employer issue. If masks are an issue at the job, raise it with the employer as a H&S issue

My husband’s workplace are wearing visors rather than masks (I think they should be wearing masks but I’m staying out of it)

Ok well I am ordering some visors and some scarfs - anything is better than masks to be honest when you are trying to work!

I don't really get why the government states shop workers don't need to wear them if the stores are going to enforce it anyway - working 8+ hours wearing one really isn't the same as wearing one for doing the weekly shop.....

I'm guessing that the government arent wanting to interfere in Employee/Employer issues, or enforce chance of working practices that could lead to employment disputes for the company.

Whether the employer then does is their business - remember this came in on transport first where you're dealing with the likes of the RMT and ASLEF who have a bit more sway than shop workers and their unions, and the same rules have then transferred to shop staff.

A visor would protect against droplets from coughs etc landing on his face but wouldn’t offer protection from airborne transmission as he will still breathing in & out the air with no filter.

River My husband is a paramedic and has been wearing a mask for 10+ hours a day since March. No, it's not nice but a lot nicer than having Covid or risking giving it to others

www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own

@mac12

A visor would protect against droplets from coughs etc landing on his face but wouldn’t offer protection from airborne transmission as he will still breathing in & out the air with no filter.

Masks dont protect from that either as it can get in via the eyes

Quick, mandate goggles!

@Kissmyfacemask yeah that is my issue with masks, eyes are still unprotected and the virus can get in that way too - so unless we are intending on fully suiting up, I don't get it!!

@mac12

A visor would protect against droplets from coughs etc landing on his face but wouldn’t offer protection from airborne transmission as he will still breathing in & out the air with no filter.

They are being told to provide their own masks or wear paper masks so none of them will have filters?

@RiverFlowers

Its pandering to the noise makers and media (and fear of doing different to Nicola Sturgeon), nothing else.

The main benefit of the mask is that it stops the virus getting out, covering your eyes is less important because your eyes don't breathe in and out- they are not shedding virus in the way that your mouth and nose are

What's the difference between a mask and a scarf ? Drs nurses paramedics vets wear masks for hours at a time I've never heard of a mass collapse of people because they had to wear mask ?

There's talk in the press yesterday of mandatory gloves, and so far all press spec has followed as legislation in a few weeks. Hands aren't shedding virus either, and the gloves will make things worse for spreading.

@Kissmyfacemask you will only get infected through your eyes if you have virus on hands & touch eyes or expelled droplets land in eyes.
There is growing evidence that masks not only help reduce transmission but also significantly lower viral load so you are less likely to suffer severe illness.
By filter in earlier post, I meant even simple masks & face coverings can block some transmission. I don’t get the problem for those without medical exclusions - surely better to have society as open as possible with masks rather than risk further lockdowns without masks?

In PPE terms, visors are classed as eye protection.

Interesting to see an increase in cases in Scotland the last week......

The increases in Scotland was a call centre for nhs England track and trace