This extension of the Institute’s approval enables AITEX to provide our clients with the full range of testing facilities for the approval of all types of facemasks to protect against Covid-19.
AITEX is one of the first laboratories in Spain to obtain approval by the National Accreditation Entity (ENAC) to perform laboratory tests on surgical masks according to EN 14683 and ASTM F2100, hygienic masks according to UNE 0064-1, UNE 0064-2, UNE 0065 and community facemasks according to CWA 17553. This service will enable companies to evaluate the quality of their masks with respect to current standard specifications.
Specifically, the scope of this approval includes the following tests:
- Bacterial filtration efficiency according to standards:
- EN 14683:2019+AC:2019 Pt. 5.2.2
- ASTM F2101-19
- Breathability according to standard:
- EN 14683:2019+AC:2019 Item 5.2.3
- Resistance to penetration by synthetic blood according to standards:
- ISO 22609:2004
- ASTM F1862/F1862M-17
This new approval is added to the certificates already held by the Institute for testing particle filtering masks, as well as for the conformity assessment and certification of PPE: AITEX is European Notified Body no. 0161.
The approval extension enables AITEX to provide our clients with the full range of tests necessary to approve all types of masks against the risk of Covid-19, making the Institute the first organisation to carry out all the approved tests in Spain.
Finally, this would be an ideal opportunity to highlight the tireless work of AITEX during the convulsive months of the pandemic. During this time, tests were carried out on more than 2,500 filtering face masks for more than 850 companies, 4,000 surgical and hygienic masks for more than 920 companies and more than 650 test reports of sanitary gowns and PPE for more than 220 companies. €200,000 was invested in laboratory equipment for testing masks and gowns to respond to companies and society at a time when Spain lacked the necessary resources for protection against COVID-19.
