As a side note, they work for a major pharmaceutical. EEOC complaint in the works. She cannot breathe, and after working from home for 2 years during the pandemic, they now are forced to return to the office as the company cannot function with them off site. I know one peer revied study was retracted by the publisher of the journal, not the scientist. Looking for something with more teeth.
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Why Face masks suck
https://greatawakening.win/p/13zg4xOG6D/why-masks-suck/c/
Resources for not wearing face masks
https://greatawakening.win/p/13zgX36wYn/has-anyone-ever-used-this-to-fig/c/
OSHA Face Mask Regulations
Every business with employees is subject to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Act and is required to know employer obligations regarding health and safety. OSHA’s General Duty Clause requires employers to maintain safe workplaces free from known hazards that can cause injury, illness or death. Employers that fall under the oversight of the General Duty Clause must comply with all the safety and health standards listed in the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Since it is [YOUR COMPANY] policy for its employees to wear face masks, it must comply with OSHA rules and regulations.
https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/companies-required-meet-osha-regulations-2788.html
[YOUR COMPANY] may be in violation of OSHA regulations regarding face masks/respirators and therefore liable to injury/disability lawsuits. There are some small business exemptions from OSHA reporting, however the exemption does not apply if a workplace incident causes the death or hospitalization or if OSHA specifically asks the employer to keep such records. OSHA defines the term “respirator” as Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and regarding the face mask guidelines, it most often refers to the N95 face mask. OSHA has issued COVID-19 guidelines that pertain to these respirators.
OSHA does not consider cloth face coverings (whether homemade or commercially produced) to be Personal Protection equipment (PPE). This does not exempt [YOUR COMPANY] from liability to injury as a result of this policy. Cloth face coverings don’t protect employees from airborne infectious agents because of their loose fit and lack of seal or adequate filtration.
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/covid-19-faq.html
Furthermore, OSHA references that the CDC reported that more research is needed on the scope of their protection and filtration levels.
https://ohsonline.com/articles/2020/11/19/osha-updates-faq-to-include-comment-on-cloth-face-masks.aspx
The OSHA “General Rule” states employers must create a workplace from perceived risks that are causing or are probably going to make demise, or genuine physical damage his representatives.
This provision thereto specifies that every business should follow word related well-being and well-being measures proclaimed under OSHA.
29 CFR 1910.146 Paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of the Respiratory Protection Standard states extensively its rationale for requiring that employees breathe air consisting of at least 19.5 percent oxygen. The following excerpt taken from the OSHA preamble and explains the basis for this requirement:
“Human beings must breathe oxygen . . . to survive, and begin to suffer adverse health effects when the oxygen level of their breathing air drops below [19.5 percent oxygen]. Below 19.5 percent oxygen . . . , air is considered oxygen-deficient. At concentrations of 16 to 19.5 percent, workers engaged in any form of exertion can rapidly become symptomatic as their tissues fail to obtain the oxygen necessary to function properly (Rom, W., Environmental and Occupational Medicine, 2nd ed.; Little, Brown; Boston, 1992). Increased breathing rates, accelerated heartbeat, and impaired thinking or coordination occur more quickly in an oxygen-deficient environment. Even a momentary loss of coordination may be devastating to a worker if it occurs while the worker is performing a potentially dangerous activity, such as climbing a ladder. Concentrations of 12 to 16 percent oxygen cause tachypnea (increased breathing rates), tachycardia (accelerated heartbeat), and impaired attention, thinking, and coordination (e.g., Ex. 25-4), even in people who are resting.
At oxygen levels of 10 to 14 percent, faulty judgment, intermittent respiration, and exhaustion can be expected even with minimal exertion (Exs. 25-4 and 150). Breathing air containing 6 to 10 percent oxygen results in nausea, vomiting, lethargic movements, and perhaps unconsciousness. Breathing air containing less than 6 percent oxygen produces convulsions, then apnea (cessation of breathing), followed by cardiac standstill. These symptoms occur immediately. Even if a worker survives the hypoxic insult, organs may show evidence of hypoxic damage, which may be irreversible (Exs. 25-4 and 150; also reported in Rom, W. [see reference in previous paragraph]).
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/federalregister/1998-01-08
OSHA further states the following:
“In some cases, respirator use itself can cause illness and injury to employees. There are a number of physiological burdens that are associated with the use of certain types of respirators. The weight of the respirator, breathing resistances during both normal operation and if the air-purifying element is overloaded, and rebreathing exhaled air from respirator "dead space" can all increase the physiologic burden of respirator use (Exs. 113, 22-1, 64-427). Job and workplace conditions, such as the length of time a respirator must be worn, the level of physical exertion required of a respirator user, and environmental conditions, can also affect the physiological burden (Exs. 113, 64-363). In addition, workers who wear glasses or hearing aids may have problems achieving appropriate fit with some respirator face pieces.”
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/federalregister/1998-01-08
Atmospheric air contains 20.95% oxygen. OSHA has provided regulations when wearing a respirator and state when the oxygen content drops below 19.5%, it is harmful to the human body. A 19.5% oxygen content is only a 1.45% drop in oxygen from atmospheric O2 content.
Again, OSHA states:
“. . . rebreathing exhaled air from respirator "dead space" can all increase the physiologic burden of respirator use (Exs. 113, 22-1, 64-427).”
Human exhale contains 84 percent non-breathable gases. How much exhale is trapped in the dead space of a face mask that is breathed back into the lungs and the effects of its physiologic burden? It’s deleterious extent? Duration? https://sciencing.com/chemical-composition-exhaled-air-human-lungs-11795.html In addition, what is the effect of moisture from human exhale on the efficacy of the mask? How does this effect the physiologic burden, especially to an individual who has a medical condition?
How much time does it take for moisture to accumulate in the mask to reduce oxygen intake and for it to drop below 19.5%; that is to say, a drop of only 1.45%?
These are factors affecting all individuals wearing face masks. I mention this only to raise awareness of the deleterious effect to those individuals like me with a medical condition.
Masks are assumed to be effective in obstructing forward travel of viral particles. But this is not the case. The jets from exhale will disperse taking the least resistive path to the open atmosphere and this tends to be not through the mask filter. The exhale not trapped in the dead space of the mask will disperse around the edges of the mask where gaps tend to exist. There have been farther transmission of virus-laden fluid particles from masked individuals than from unmasked individuals, by means of “several leakage jets, including intense backward and downwards jets that may present major hazards,” and a “potentially dangerous leakage jet of up to several meters.” See Exhibit A for a depiction of what actually occurs.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.10720,
https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/2005/2005.10720.pdf
All masks were thought to reduce forward airflow by 90% or more over wearing no mask. However, Schlieren imaging showed that both surgical masks and cloth masks had farther brow jets (unfiltered upward airflow past eyebrows) than not wearing any mask at all, 182 mm and 203 mm respectively, vs none discernible with no mask. Exhibit A.
Backward unfiltered airflow was found to be strong with all masks compared to not masking.
For both N95 and surgical masks, it was found that expelled particles from 0.03 to 1 micron were deflected around the edges of each mask, and that there was measurable penetration of particles through the filter of each mask ( SARS-CoV-2 measured as being 0.125μm in size).
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15459620903120086
A properly fitted N95 will block 95% of tiny air particles down to 0.3μm from reaching the wearer’s face. However, it will not block viral pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, which have a 0.125μm size. For easier breathing and less moisture build-up inside the mask, some N95 are manufactured with a exhaust/exhalation valve. However, these face masks are not recommended for SARS-CoV-2 as stated on Page 3, 3a. “Definitions” of [State] EO XXXX: “Masks that incorporate a valve designed to facilitate easy exhaling, mesh masks, or masks with openings, holes, visible gaps in the design or material, or vents are not sufficient face coverings because they allow exhaled droplets to be released into the air.”
Surgical N95s are normally tested for fluid resistance and flammability.
https://www.osha.gov/memos/2020-04-03/enforcement-guidance-respiratory-protection-and-n95-shortage-due-coronavirus