[labnetwork] Question about cleanroom mask policies

[DeRose, Guy A.]

Hello group,

In our lab at Caltech, which has been open for limited research in various phases since mid-June, we provide surgical-style masks for our users to wear.  They also have the option to wear their own face cover from outside, with a beard cover over top to maintain cleanliness. Our gowning room is single occupancy, so that if someone is changing his/her mask, there will not be another person in that area. We have N95 respirators for our cleanroom technical staff to wear, and some of the research groups have been buying their own, which work with the beard cover option. Face coverings of some type are required everywhere on campus at all times. In the cleanroom, we also have strict occupancy limits by room, with maximum density of 1 person per 200 square feet. Since the first week of December, all employees (including staff, grad students, postdocs, and faculty) who access the campus are getting tested twice per week.

Thank you, Shimon, for the article.

Best regards,
Guy

Guy DeRose, PhD, Member of the Professional Staff
Associate Director of Technical Operations, Kavli Nanoscience Institute
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
(O) 1-626-395-3423 (M) 1-626-676-8529
http://kni.caltech.edu

From: <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> on behalf of "Ferraguto, Thomas S" <Thomas_Ferraguto at uml.edu>
Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 10:36 AM
To: Tom Britton <tbritton at criticalsystemsinc.com>, Shimon Eliav <shimonel at savion.huji.ac.il>, Robert Vandusen <RobertVandusen at cunet.carleton.ca>, "labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu" <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: [labnetwork] Question about cleanroom mask policies


We user our standard masks clean room 2 piece.

Staff gets tested weekly.

We Socially distance even in the clean room and wipe down eyes pieces after every use.

With over 240 air changes a minute , the virus wouldn’t get very far.

We tested our clean room mask as flat fabric on our Mask tester and they filtered 85% of particle 1 micron or greater. They don’t FIT like a respirator though.

There is definitely blow by around the top of the nose.

It’s the safest place on campus.

Thomas S. Ferraguto
Saab ETIC Nanofabrication Laboratory Director
Saab ETIC Building Director
1 University Avenue
Lowell MA 01854
Mobile 617-755-0910
Land 978-934-1809
Fax 978-934-1014


From: labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> On Behalf Of Tom Britton
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2020 10:46 AM
To: Shimon Eliav <shimonel at savion.huji.ac.il>; Robert Vandusen <RobertVandusen at cunet.carleton.ca>; labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu
Subject: Re: [labnetwork] Question about cleanroom mask policies

This e-mail originated from outside the UMass Lowell network.
________________________________
Hello Shimon,

Thank you for putting this together. It is most helpful in times of mask wearing and social distancing with respect to COVID both in and out of the cleanroom.

Two questions, if I can ask:

  1.  Did you start with a sample of measurements speaking without a mask from the same distances to see how much the mask helped against the baseline?
  2.  Since the virus ranges in size from 50 to 200 nanometers (0.05 to 0.2 micron), how do you think the numbers would fare under your test with particles of this size?

I wish all my UGIM friends and acquaintances a lovely and safe holiday season!

Tom

Tom Britton
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Critical Systems, Inc.
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From: labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu<mailto:labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu<mailto:labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu>> On Behalf Of Shimon Eliav
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2020 1:07 AM
To: Robert Vandusen <RobertVandusen at cunet.carleton.ca<mailto:RobertVandusen at cunet.carleton.ca>>; labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu<mailto:labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: [labnetwork] Question about cleanroom mask policies

Hi Robert,

When we returned to work after the first lock-down, we asked ourselves what to do regarding masks/face covers.
Then I did a very simple experiment to check by myself how effective is a face-cover to contain the particles we generate during normal respiration or talking. See attached summary.

Today our policy is: every user comes with his/her own mask and must put the face cover over it. This “two layers” solution is more than enough inside the clean room (plus as much distancing is possible).

Regards,

Shimon
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Unit for Nano Fabrication
Jerusalem - Israel

From: labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu<mailto:labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> [mailto:labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu] On Behalf Of Robert Vandusen
Sent: Tuesday, 15 December 2020 19:29
To: labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu<mailto:labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
Subject: [labnetwork] Question about cleanroom mask policies

Hi all.
Hope this finds everyone safe.
Now that N95s are starting to become a bit more accessible, there has been some recent discussion within our labs about whether to adopt an N95 mask policy for new users and when distancing is a challenge.
So far we have just been wearing the standard cleanroom style masks.
Just wondering what other labs have been using.

Thanks
Robert Vandusen
Technical Officer, Microfabrication Lab
Electronics Department
Carleton University
room: 4184 Mackenzie Building
613-520-2600<tel:613-520-2600> ext 5761
Robert_vandusen at cunet.carleton.ca<mailto:Robert_vandusen at cunet.carleton.ca>

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