Rank: Super forum user 
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Many posts on here want to enforce a clean shaven policy to suit face fit with RPE. Today the junior service (RAF) have announced they are to permit beards even amongst the red arrows. So just what is different with MoD equipment it can be worn with a beard yet the rest of us have issues with face fit in the presence of stubble? Edited by user 11 August 2019 21:51:41(UTC)
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Rank: Super forum user
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Many posts on here want to enforce a clean shaven policy to suit face fit with RPE. Today the junior service (RAF) have announced they are to permit beards even amongst the red arrows. So just what is different with MoD equipment it can be worn with a beard yet the rest of us have issues with face fit in the presence of stubble? Edited by user 11 August 2019 21:51:41(UTC)
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Rank: Forum user 
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No idea - but I'd love to know!
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Rank: Super forum user
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Not seen the news but I suspect its about dress code – I think it was only moustaches allowed in the past. I may be wrong but if we are talking about Pilots – the mask is for communication and to supply air/oxygen at altitude etc. As such its not designed as PPE for external contaminants so a face Fit would not be needed. Now if they mean ground crew who use PPE just like civilians I’m sure they will not be allowed beards. Happy to be corrected.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I think it depends on what type of RPE it is, and therefore if it is positive or negative pressure inside the mask. If it is a mask just to protect against substances in the atmosphere, with no Oxygen supply to pressurise the mask, then a face fit is crucial to avoid contaminants gettting into the mask, and beards should not therefore be allowed. If, on the other hand, it involves an Oxygen supply, then modern breathing apparatus is positive pressure, so the pressure inside the mask prevents anything coming into the mask. A good face fit would therefore not be so important, at worst it would mean leaking Oxygen and the supply not therefore lasting as long, so a shortish beard would be permissible. The guy who trained me on breathing apparatus had a beard.
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Rank: Super forum user
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In the distant past when I was serving in the Army. When we conducted NBC training we were always told that if you couldn't achieve a good seal on the S6 respirator then you could smear vaseline aver the area of skin where the respirator sat on the face. Not sure if that still stands as I've been out since 2011.
As for Senior/Junior service it currently stands as Navy, Army and lastly RAF. The RAF were formed from my glorious Corps. But my Corps can trace continuous service the the Crown for over 900 years, which makes it a bit older than the Navy. Plus my Corps also has other claims to fame, we designed the Royal Albert Hall, we designed the first guided torpedo, designed Pentonville Prison and Ordonance Survey mapping was born of my Corps.
I am proud to be a Sapper in the Corps of Roayal Engineers.
Sorry for the history lesson but I'm proud of my service and talk about it to anyone who will listen or read about it.
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 1 user thanked Mark-W for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Well as far as air crew goes I found this on Wikipedia (so it must be true!) "Three main kinds of oxygen masks are used by pilots and crews who fly at high altitudes: continuous flow, diluter demand, and pressure demand. In a continuous-flow system, oxygen is provided to the user continuously. ... Diluter-demand and pressure-demand masks supply oxygen only when the user inhales. They each require a good seal between the mask and the user’s face."
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Rank: Super forum user 
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What about security forces when deploying tear gas or in biological warfare etc, id want a good seal if I was them lol, itll be the beards that will drop first like canaries.
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Rank: Forum user
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I agree with Mark W. I am glad to see hat there is more than one Sapper using the forum.
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1 user thanked Gerry Knowles for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I see the Engineers still haven't mastered spell check...Ex RM for the actual Senior Service...traced back more than 1000 years....I shouldn't comment really as a always get my worms mixed up... :)
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1 user thanked stevedm for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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and the RAF is senior to REME .... just saying :)
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: SNS  and the RAF is senior to REME .... just saying :)
Thats nothing to boast about :)
And don't get me started on RAF Regt
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: Bigmac1 What about security forces when deploying tear gas or in biological warfare etc, id want a good seal if I was them lol, itll be the beards that will drop first like canaries.
A bit of trivia, if you happen to be in the area when CS gas is used and you have contact lenses then you need to remove yourself very quickly from the area or remove your contacts. The particles in CS gas are spiky and get behind your lenses and causes severe irritstion to your eyes. Don't rub your face or eyes as this will aggrevate the irritation
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