7.
Hold the outlet valve assembly in the palm of
Checking and Testing the Protective Mask
one hand. Using your free hand, push forehead
When a protective mask is donned, a visual check
hair aside.
should be made to ensure the mask fits properly.
8.
Place the mask on your face forcing the chin
Things to check for are as follows:
cup very tightly against your chin.
The facepiece should come well up on the
9.
Pull the head harness over your head using the
forehead, but not extend over the hairline.
quick-don tab.
The straps should not cut into the ears.
10. Grasp a neck strap in each hand and tighten
The bottom part of facepiece should not cut into
with small, jerking motions.
the throat.
11. EXHALE.
The nose cup should not interfere with vision or
12. Open your eyes and remove the outsert if
press painfully on the nose.
required by command policy and place it in the
carrier.
For persons wearing combat spectacles, there
should be no interference between the nose cup
CAUTION
and the bridge of the spectacles.
If inhalation is too forceful
After ensuring a good fit, perform a negative
while checking for leaks, the
pressure check by covering the canister air inlet
facepiece will collapse against the
opening with the palm of your hand and inhaling
f a c e a n d t h e o u t l e t va l ve m a y
lightly to deflect the facepiece and lens slightly
become dislodged.
inward. Then hold your breath for 5 to 10 seconds to
determine if the facepiece and lens remain in the
13. Press the palm of one hand over the canister
deflected position. If the lens does not deflect, this may
opening. Inhale to determine if an airtight seal
be due to leaks around the edge of the mask caused by
of the mask against your face has been
poor adjustment or incorrect size. It is important to
obtained.
determine the cause of the leak and correct it
immediately.
CAUTION
Donning Procedures
If the mask collapses slightly
while inhaling and remains
Before donning a mask, you should replace
collapsed while holding your breath,
unapproved eyeglasses and contact lenses with
it is leak-tight. If the mask does not
authorized combat spectacles. Once done, the donning
collapse, check for hair or other
procedure described here can begin. The steps of this
material between the mask seal and
procedure are as follows:
y o u r fa c e . Ti g h t e n s t r a p s i f
necessary and recheck.
1.
Stop breathing.
2.
Close eyes tightly.
14. After a proper seal is obtained, open your eyes
and RESUME NORMAL BREATHING.
3.
Remove headgear.
15. Close the carrier.
4.
Open mask carrier.
Doffing Procedures
CAUTION
Do not remove the mask from the
Following proper procedures for doffing a mask is
carrier by pulling on the outlet valve.
very important for your safety. The following
procedures apply to masks that have not been exposed
5.
Grasp the mask by the front portion of the
to contamination or, if they have been exposed, have
facepiece in the area of the voicemitter and
been decontaminated.
outlet valve assembly.
1. Loosen the mask neck straps by rotating the
6.
Withdraw the mask from the carrier.
buckles forward.
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