Sick of shaving? The right respirator means you don’t have to give up the scruff.
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Leaves aren’t the only thing changing as temperatures drop across the country. As the landscape is draped in hues of red and gold, men are pulling out their favorite flannels and growing facial hair in full force for fall, winter, Movember and other reasons.
Have all the razors suddenly gone dull?
Movember and Moving into Winter – Help Protect Your Breathing While Keeping Your Beard
Turns out autumn itself is the reason for the extra scruff. The start of hunting season inspires men nationwide to grow out their beards. Add to that Movember — when men grow facial hair throughout November to raise awareness of prostate and other cancers — and you have millions of men proudly showing off a more rugged look.
Balbo to full beard, muttonchops to mustache, you may spot everything from the conventional to the crazy. Men whose work requires use of a respirator, however, may be forced to say bye-bye to the beard. And when facial hair is part of your identity, that rule stings worse than the nicks from an old razor.
A clean shave is required in a variety of industries in order for many respirators to work correctly. The good news? This isn’t true of all respirators. While people with excessive beards like ZZ Top and Santa Claus might still be out of luck no matter what respirator they use, fortunately, some options are regulatory-compliant while protecting workers who prefer to have more than a five o’clock shadow.
Will a PAPR Work for You?
Consider welders who must wear tight-fitting respirators for the majority of their workday. Certain powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) systems allows wearers to grow some facial hair, plus the system doesn’t require time-consuming fit testing.
Whether guys are growing out a beard for Movember or it’s part of their year-round look, some PAPR systems allow men to have a degree of facial hair and still feel confident they’re protected on the job. What’s more, this respirator system can help make their work easier. The integrated helmet and respirator are incredibly comfortable, eliminating the need to change PPE between tasks, and it doesn’t fog while in use.
Bottom line: You’ll work smarter, not harder — and you can keep your several styles of facial hair while doing it. So go ahead and join the Movember movement. It’s a great cause and shows solidarity for men’s health worldwide!
Still shaving due to current respirator restrictions? Learn more about respirators that are approved for use with limited facial hair and hear worker testimonials here.
