What are your thoughts on wearing pollution masks when commuting?

[Uni_student]

Hello! I'm a final year design student at university, for my final year project I'm investigating city air pollution and designing a protective solution for commuters. It would be great if you could spare a bit of time, your knowledge and experiences with your commute and opinions on current wearables and pollution masks available.

If you wouldn't mind filling out a very quick questionnaire it would help my degree massively: https://goo.gl/forms/1Alm2ZDTY5gnz1RD2

Thank you and kind regards.

 

[bearhugger]

Completed. One of the better surveys for student research i've seen on this forum.

 

[choochoochoo]

You spelt St Pancras wrong

 

[choochoochoo]

Is your design more to do with cyclists/walkers ?

I would have thought with newer trains being closed environments that they would have adequate filters in the air con system for this to not be an issue.

Perhaps the time spent at stations (especially underground) may be more hazardous.

 

[Bayum]

Is you design more to do with cyclists/walkers ?

I would have thought with newer trains being closed environments that they would have adequate filters in the air con system for this to not be an issue.

Perhaps the time spent at stations (especially underground) may be more hazardous.

Waiting for trains at the train station? Walking through city centres to get to the station? Protection from the bacteria and viruses of others in enclosed environments? Ya know. Endless list.

 

[choochoochoo]

Waiting for trains at the train station? Walking through city centres to get to the station? Protection from the bacteria and viruses of others in enclosed environments? Ya know. Endless list.

But bacteria and viruses may be found in any enclosed environments. Not just commuter hot spots.

Agree about the walking to get to stations. But really cannot imagine the majority people putting on masks on leaving the office for the walk to the train station. The risks would have to be highlighted as extremely damaging for that to happen.

 

[Bayum]

But bacteria and viruses may be found in any enclosed environments. Not just commuter hot spots.

Agree about the walking to get to stations. But really cannot imagine the majority people putting on masks on leaving the office for the walk to the train station. The risks would have to be highlighted as extremely damaging for that to happen.

Yet you find many people in oriental cities doing just that. Social psychologists have researched this time and time again. The Japanese particularly are so concerned about themselves as a group of people rather than individual, that if they have a cold or some form of throat infection for instance, they wear masks not just to protect themselves from pollution, but also to protect others from becoming poorly with their infection.

 

[Uni_student]

Completed. One of the better surveys for student research i've seen on this forum.

Thank you

 

[Uni_student]

You spelt St Pancras wrong

Thanks for noticing, have changed it!

 

[Uni_student]

Is your design more to do with cyclists/walkers ?

I would have thought with newer trains being closed environments that they would have adequate filters in the air con system for this to not be an issue.

Perhaps the time spent at stations (especially underground) may be more hazardous.

I'm currently looking at all forms of commuting, recent studies have shown public transport such as the tube and buses have higher concentrations of air pollution and these are areas where no-one would usually wear a pollution mask. Yes you are correct improving filtration in the air con system will reduce pollution entering a vehicle but one of the reason buses have higher concentration of air pollution is because they are constantly opening their door/windows this may apply to trains the tube too

 

[pdeaves]

A (sort-of) anecdote. When I was a trainee I had to do a project with an air conditioning expert. He was particularly interested in the air filtration side of air con systems. He told me in no uncertain terms that air filters that people wear in the street are useless in that they catch stuff that doesn't matter (the nose would catch it anyway) and still let through the nasty stuff.

 

[bearhugger]

Yet you find many people in oriental cities doing just that. Social psychologists have researched this time and time again. The Japanese particularly are so concerned about themselves as a group of people rather than individual, that if they have a cold or some form of throat infection for instance, they wear masks not just to protect themselves from pollution, but also to protect others from becoming poorly with their infection.

The only people I've noticed at Middlesbrough Station wearing masks are those of Japanese origin. Definately seems to be more of a cultural thing.
Also, I don't feel the need to wear a mask as traffic and the air in general around Middlesbrough is a lot better than it used to be (we are known as smoggies for a reason. The only time I felt it was nessesary to wear a mask was when i went to London for training for work and walking from Limehouse to Tower Bridge, approx 30 mins walk for me, you could taste the pollution on your throat and needed a drink to swill it away at the end.

 

[Uni_student]

A (sort-of) anecdote. When I was a trainee I had to do a project with an air conditioning expert. He was particularly interested in the air filtration side of air con systems. He told me in no uncertain terms that air filters that people wear in the street are useless in that they catch stuff that doesn't matter (the nose would catch it anyway) and still let through the nasty stuff.

thank you for your reply, yeah I think there is several issues with the functionality and tech of current solutions.

 

[SPADTrap]

Go to Moorgate and you'll see drivers and other staff wearing them.

 

[choochoochoo]

Go to Moorgate and you'll see drivers and other staff wearing them.

I'm certain this has probably been discussed in other threads but if it was such a threat why are tube workers not issued masks as standard kit ?

 

[SPADTrap]

I'm certain this has probably been discussed in other threads but if it was such a threat why are tube workers not issued masks as standard kit ?

I don't know if they are or aren't. All I know is what happens in the 'NCL' sections from GN staff following an air quality assessment. The place is also riddled with asbestos. Sounds sensible to me.

 

[Busaholic]

The only time I've seen a transport worker wearing a mask while doing their ordinary duties was a bus driver some years ago in London's Oxford Street. As it was just before the Routemaster buses were phased out, and he was driving one, he had no interaction with the public, but it looked a strange, almost unsettling sight.

 

[Chris M]

I've seen several tube drivers wearing masks. I don't think they are issued routinely to drivers, but those who want to wear them can - it's completely an individual choice.

 

[jopsuk]

In a past job I had training to assess my colleagues on face-fit for disposable particulate filter masks.
An incorrectly worn mask, with even a small gap, is pointless. Literally. Any gaps become where 90%+ of the air you'll breath in gets in. Commonly, this is the bridge over the nose, as people often pinch the metal strip found here into a v, making it impossible for that to ever form a seal.

Facial hair, even a bit of stubble, renders them entirely useless.

I laugh when I see people wearing surgical type masks as if they're being protected. Surgical masks protect, in both directions, against sprays, not particulates (ie the surgical staff coughing, or sprays of fluid from the patient).

Wearing particulate masks correctly so that actually provide protection requires training and assessment and incorrectly may lead to people thinking they are protected when they aren't.

 

[Chris M]

Facial hair, even a bit of stubble, renders them entirely useless.

This is the reason why most firefighters are clean shaven.

 

[Elecman]

BA sets masks are slightly higher pressure than atmospheric to stop inbound leakage of toxic fumes

 

[DarloRich]

Answer: You look silly and i suspect that for a normal commuter the exposure to any pollution is low.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Reading this thread, I suspect you will get some quite interesting comments on the subject - would you be able to share any particularly good ones with us once the survey has closed?

 

[AlterEgo]

This is the reason why most firefighters are clean shaven.

If you grow a beard in HM Forces it’s also done on the understanding that a respirator may not fit you and it may cost you your life. (The Navy, Army pioneers and religious exemptions can sometimes be found with beards)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yet you find many people in oriental cities doing just that. Social psychologists have researched this time and time again. The Japanese particularly are so concerned about themselves as a group of people rather than individual, that if they have a cold or some form of throat infection for instance, they wear masks not just to protect themselves from pollution, but also to protect others from becoming poorly with their infection.

It is not to protect them from pollution. It is *solely* so they don't spread their infection. A very altruistic, collectivist culture over there.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Answer: You look silly and i suspect that for a normal commuter the exposure to any pollution is low.

I'd probably be inclined to agree, though given how black your nose mucus gets when you spend a day on and off the Tube I think if I worked there I might consider it.

 

[Uni_student]

I'd probably be inclined to agree, though given how black your nose mucus gets when you spend a day on and off the Tube I think if I worked there I might consider it.

A few interesting studies I have come across so far: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/projects/outputs/every-breath-we-take-lifelong-impact-air-pollution and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38969190, the BBC article quotes research from the Univeristy of Surrey that found those on the tube are exposed to 8x more pollution than those in cars. The long term impact of exposure to air pollution is the most understood in regards to health at the moment.

 

[Uni_student]

Reading this thread, I suspect you will get some quite interesting comments on the subject - would you be able to share any particularly good ones with us once the survey has closed?

Yes, its a year long study but I will hopefully be able to give some information at the end

 

[Bayum]

It is not to protect them from pollution. It is *solely* so they don't spread their infection. A very altruistic, collectivist culture over there.

It's absolutely both.

 

[choochoochoo]

A few interesting studies I have come across so far: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/projects/outputs/every-breath-we-take-lifelong-impact-air-pollution and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38969190, the BBC article quotes research from the Univeristy of Surrey that found those on the tube are exposed to 8x more pollution than those in cars. The long term impact of exposure to air pollution is the most understood in regards to health at the moment.

But once aircon trains are introduced then won't the risk diminish to the same as those in air conditioned cars ? Yes you still have the getting to/from station and waiting for trains. But the same could be said about getting to/from your car/waiting for a taxi.

Just cannot see how masks are going to help. Especially as others have pointed out that unless worn absolutely correctly they are not effective. Cannot see commuters taking a couple of minutes to don their masks at the start and end of their day. (Especially seeing how annoyed many get at just missing their tube train even though the next one is normally less than 2 minutes away)