ABSTRACT
The article is devoted to assessing the effect of personal respiratory protective equipment on the vital activity of the human body. In the context of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the society had to take emergency measures to prevent the spread of infection, the most common of which was the massive and uncontrolled wearing of masks. This further complicated the situation of those who are prescribed to use personal protective equipment for production needs, to protect themselves from hazardous and harmful production factors. The survey revealed the number of physiological and psychological reactions to the effects of masks both during their wearing and after removal. Among the negative consequences: difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, headaches, as well as health-threatening conditions associated with disruption of the heart. A relationship was found between the presence of chronic diseases of the respiratory system in the respondents, and an increase in the number of complaints of difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, fainting and heart failure while wearing a mask. The physiological reactions of the body that occurred after the cessation of the use of personal respiratory protective equipment, especially after prolonged wearing, were analyzed. It is shown that the revealed physiological reactions, especially in chronic manifestation, negatively affect the human immunity, making it vulnerable both to hazardous and harmful production factors, as well as to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, primarily pulmonary. People with diseases of the cardiorespiratory system are at particular risk. © 2022, STC Industrial Safety CJSC. All rights reserved.