Technology Solutions Experts, Inc. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: CBD161-005

Description

In addition to military scenarios, many environmental inhalant hazards exist in the workplace, from industrial sites to medical facilities. Frequent training and practice are an essential component of effective protection, yet valid methods for assessing proper mask fit are usually not provided beyond the minimum requirements and there is a significant lack of mask fit training to ensure that proper seals are achieved. One source of the problem is that it is not feasible to carry out laboratory fit tests or even SME fit inspections with the necessary frequency because of the level of effort required and organizational constraints on time and resources. The history of the failures in training and lax worker safety standards proves a need for both a method to ensure a greater understanding of standards to workers and to monitor for safety lapses. TSE proposes to extend the MASQ framework and mobile application to include a verifiable method for an individual to practice and maintain proficiency with proper fit and donning practices, while imposing minimal time and resource costs. By providing the MASQ app on App Stores and creating a data-store, researchers will be enabled to collect valuable data in an easy and user-friendly manner.