Do face masks reduce exposure to swine flu? Personal protective equipment consisting of face masks can be used to decrease the risk of exposure to aerosols. Some of the face masks that farm workers can use to protect themselves include N95 respirators, dust masks, and surgical masks. A study evaluated and quantified the reduction of IAV exposure by the various face masks in farm workers. The current study provides evidence that using face masks decreases the level of exposure to IAV in swine farm workers.