Do theatre staff use face masks in accordance with the manufacturers' guidelines of use?

Aim: Surgical face masks are worn by theatre staff to protect the surgical site from airborne contamination and the wearer from bodily fluid splash. This observational/audit aimed to assess whether theatre staff wear masks in accordance with manufacturers'/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines of use.

Methods: A total of 1034 surgically scrubbed staff were assessed on their technique of applying surgical face masks, compared to the CDC guidelines as manufacturers' guidelines were not available as per Health and Safety Executive guidelines.