Recent changes in advice about suitable types of masks have added even more confusion for workers as well as employers, on top of all the issues with sourcing and supply.

With NZ government now advising that cloth masks are NOT suitable and everyone should wear approved / verified KN95 or N95 masks, these types of masks are being snapped up quickly and they are not so easy to source at this time. There is also the additional challenge of navigating around scammers and counterfeiters.

My employer happens to have a number of KN95 masks that (as I understand it) were purchased last year to be able to supply, but were tested fell a little short of the standard so they were quarantined - i.e., these masks apparetnly filtered out only 90% rather than 95%. So the management team is wondering if the organisation could offer these masks to workers as an alternative to single-use surgical masks or cloth masks that would still offer improved protection?

One part of the business advises "absolutely not, because those masks don't meet the standard and could lead to potential legal issues if someone became infected", while others (including me) think that the organisation could offer these masks if it was done with full transparency about what they are / can do in the way of protection. I would think that 90% would still be a safer alternative than cloth masks, from what I have read?? And at a time when it is difficult to source these masks, this would allow us to offer workers an interim solution that makes sense financially (the 'absolutely not' route would probably see these masks written off).

Wouldn't it be OK to offer these masks as a reasonable option, accompanied by clear and appropriate communication and instructions and the opportunity for workers to choose?