Gas mask facts for kids
A gas mask is a kind of mask that fits over the face area and nose. It protects from poison gases and many other hazards in the air.
Gas masks are used in construction to protect against welding fumes, in demolition to protect against asbestos or other hazardous particles, and in the chemical industry when handling hazardous materials, as in making repairs to leaking equipment or cleaning up after spills; workers are usually issued gas masks as a precaution against leaks.
During World War II gas masks were sent all over England. They were worn everywhere, even to sleep, in case of surprise attack. However, the Germans didn't attack with gas bombs.
Gas masks have a filter, a type of material which lets good air in.
A modern mask typically is constructed of an elastic polymer in various sizes. It is fitted with various adjustable straps which may be tightened to secure a good fit. Crucially, it is connected to a filter cartridge near the mouth either directly, or via a flexible hose. Some models contain drinking tubes which may be connected to a water bottle. Corrective lens inserts are also available for users who require them.
Images for kids
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A World War I British P Helmet c. 1915
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Indian muleteers and mule wearing gas masks, France, February 21, 1940
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A Polish MUA gas mask, used in the 1970s and 1980s
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An asbestos-containing Russian GP-5 filter and a safe modern one in comparison.
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A 1939 Second World War-era baby's gas mask in Monmouth Regimental Museum. This design covered the whole of the baby except for its legs.
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A worker in a plant nursery wears a respirator to protect against the insecticides sprayed in the greenhouses, 1930.
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German soldiers with gas masks, 1916
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Gas mask for horses
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1916, Russian soldiers
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A British couple wearing gas masks in their home in 1941
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Iranian soldier wearing a US M17 protective mask on the frontline of the Iran–Iraq War
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A primitive respirator was designed by Alexander von Humboldt in 1799 for underground mining
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Various gas masks employed on the Western Front and Eastern Front during World War I
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Finnish civilian gas mask from 1939. These masks were distributed during World War II
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Mother and baby with gas masks, 1941
See also
In Spanish: Máscara antigás para niños
