Challenge: Respiratory protection for DND/CAF members with facial hair

Challenge Statement

The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) require respiratory protection systems for members with facial hair who must operate in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) environments in order to maximize their safety while also ensuring their ability to operate freely for prolonged periods of time.

Background and Context

Historically, only a small segment of Canadian Armed Forces members were allowed to have beards. The vast majority were required to be clean-shaven. The CAF has begun to loosen its restrictions on members with beards, but presently, military members are still required to be clean-shaven for safety reasons, e.g., to maximize their level of protection when operating in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) environments.

The problem with negative pressure gas masks is that facial hair degrades their performance below acceptable levels by preventing a flawless seal between the mask surface and the wearer’s face. Some respiratory protection systems claim they can accommodate facial hair, but they have been observed to offer a limited period of protection for emergency evacuation purposes only, and they do not meet the stated requirement of ensuring the wearer can operate freely for prolonged periods.

Desired Outcomes and Considerations

The DND/CAF is looking for respiratory systems that can accommodate facial hair and still provide maximum protection in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) environments. Key outcomes are: ease of use, protection levels, allow wearer to operate freely for prolonged periods, and must integrate with existing Canadian Armed Forces Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) protective suits. The solution must accommodate a wide range of Canadian Armed Forces face shapes and sizes.