Faceshields play an incredibly important role in keeping our frontline workers protected against exposure to toxins and pathogens at work. Since I am not a frontline worker myself, however, I can honestly say that I had no idea how to properly wear a faceshield. In fact, I didn’t know that there was a proper way to wear one…until I tried to wear one.
Wearing Faceshields
First, let me say that I’m generally not the type of person who could be accused of overreacting. I am, however, someone with enough common sense to know that I should be protecting myself and others around me during a pandemic. Unfortunately, I am unable to wear a face mask due to a medical condition, but what I can do, is wear a face shield.
Correctly Wearing a Face Shield
So, I order a faceshield thinking that it’s going to be simple to put on. I was wrong. The first one I ordered came in four different pieces. I couldn’t even put the thing together, let alone, put it on.
…I ordered one from somewhere else. One that promised to come pre-assembled.
It did.
So, when it arrived, I only had to figure out how to put it on…and it came with instructions, so I was set.
You might be asking “why the big deal?” You just pull it over your face, right? Well, not if you want it to fit comfortably AND do what it’s supposed to do.
You May Need a Hand
The shield that I bought comes with a thick ergonomic foam band that keeps it from slipping down your forehead. It also stops it from leaving indentations in your skin — definitely a plus. It also has a pretty sturdy strap that fits around your forehead to hold the whole thing in place. Now, the strap is designed so that you can easily put on and take off the shield yourself, but the first time you wear it, you need to fit it to your head, so it helps to have a family member help you to do that.
As you fit the band around your head, you want to make sure that it’s tight enough to hold your shield in place, but not so tight that it’s going to start hurting a few minutes later. For my shield, this meant not having the foam pressed firmly against my forehead, but just placed so that it felt a bit like a baseball cap would. You also want to be sure that it’s fit so that the bottom of the shield comes down below your chin. You should also be sure to invest in a shield that wraps around the sides of your face so that you are best protected.
Not Sure How to Fit a FaceShield?
If you’re really not sure how to fit a faceshield, make sure that you invest in a quality shield. A reliable company will send you a detailed instruction insert as well as a reliable customer service number that you can call for help if you need it.
