PPE keeps people safe in all kinds of occupations
From firefighting and mining to the oil and gas industry
In many cases, firefighters only discover what type of incident they are being deployed to once they are already on the road. Each type of call-out involves different kinds of risks, some of which could potentially have a serious impact on a fire crew's health. PPE is equally essential in other areas.
How important is personal protective equipment (PPE) for firefighters?
Firefighters wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep themselves safe during call-outs. Their equipment protects them from many different hazards at the same time.
Helmet
Protects the firefighter's head against impact and contusion, electric shocks, high temperatures, flames and contact with aggressive chemicals.
Suit and gloves
These help firelighters endure sudden and extreme changes in temperature. Gloves protect the body in the event of direct contact with fire or chemicals.
BA mask
Breathing apparatus (BA) or respirator masks protect wearers against hazardous smoke, gases and vapours.
From gloves and masks to protective clothing, personal protective equipment plays an important role in helping the emergency services to access hazardous areas.
What requirements must PPE meet?
Why do fire services need such high-performance personal protective equipment? Essentially because they are called on to perform so many different tasks!
Firefighters:
- tackle many different types of fires
- carry out search and rescue missions for both human beings and animals, sometimes in inaccessible terrain
- provide assistance at the scene of road accidents and construction site accidents and help deal with gas leaks
- are deployed in the event of natural disasters such as tornadoes, landslides and floods
- and provide assistance in many other dangerous and delicate situations.
Firefighters already take countless risks on a daily basis to help their fellow citizens. They therefore deserve to have as much protection as possible against occupational diseases such as the specific kinds of cancer that typically affect firefighters. When it comes to choosing and cleaning PPE, they deserve the very best.
Who else wears PPE to protect themselves?
It's not just firefighters who wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and BA masks in the line of duty. Respirators and BA masks are also used in agriculture, metalworking, the petrochemical and gas measurement sectors, mechanical engineering and the energy production industry. They are designed to protect operators from hazardous gases, vapours and fine particles. Divers, civil defence personnel and search-and-rescue specialists also use respiratory protection equipment and masks.
What is PPE used for in industry?
Protective masks and respiratory protection equipment are used to
- protect people's airways
- filter the air
- and ensure the availability of oxygen
while interfering as little as possible with people's ability to get on with their work.
The MEIKO solution for cleaning and disinfecting PPE
MEIKO fully appreciates the importance of using safe and reliable processes to clean and disinfect respiratory protective equipment. That's why we developed TopClean M. Working in close collaboration with the members of professional fire services, we created an innovative cleaning and disinfection appliance that helps ensure the safety of firefighters and skilled workers in a wide range of industries. At the same time, it maximises the safety of the technicians who clean and reprocess masks and other respiratory protective equipment.
TopClean M is a revolutionary system for the fast and reliable cleaning and disinfection of respiratory protective equipment, which has been specially designed
- to be gentle on PPE materials
- to achieve outstandingly hygienic results and
- to make the most sustainable use of natural resources.
TopClean M is the perfect choice for cleaning and disinfecting
- BA masks
- self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) harnesses
- regulators
- compressed air cylinders
- face parts of CPR manikins
The machine cleans and disinfects up to 40 masks/80 regulators an hour in a self-contained, validated process that maintains reliable pressurisation during cleaning.
Pressurisation in the TopClean M cleaning and disinfection appliance
How the TopClean M works
The TopClean M is a safe and reliable choice for cleaning and disinfecting BA masks, all thanks to its validated, self-contained process and impressive array of functions.
Permanently pressurised rack – patented technology:
- Moisture cannot penetrate the regulators during the cleaning and disinfection process
- Extremely reliable process
- Constant monitoring of process temperatures: tried-and-tested cleaning and reprocessing
Door lock
Once the programme has started, the cleaning and disinfection process cannot be interrupted:
- Operation cannot be disrupted by employees or by a power failure
- Self-contained, validated and reliable cleaning process
- No risk of injury to the technician in charge of reprocessing respiratory protective equipment (safer workplace)
- Consistent use of stainless steel surfaces keeps hygiene to a maximum – and the bacteriostatic surfaces are easy to clean and disinfect
Appliance comes ready to install and with all accessories included:
- Automatic dosing system for detergent and rinse aid
- Active dirt removal – large dirt particles are filtered out without having to use chemicals to break them down first
- Requires fewer chemicals
- Fewer dirt particles in the wash chamber
- Cleaner, more hygienic wash water
TopClean M guarantees fast, safe and perfectly hygienic disinfection of masks and respiratory protection equipment. It keeps the cleaning process hygienic and safe!
Firefighters wearing personal protective equipment
Cleaning and reprocessing BA masks
Full-body PPE protects workers against flying sparks and intense heat
Pressurisation in the TopClean M cleaning and disinfection appliance
