New PPE face shields developed to help NHS go green

Tecman Advanced Healthcare Products is developing PPE with Optec – a new biomaterial reusable face shield system designed to help the NHS reach its carbon emission reduction targets.

At the start of COVID-19, the urgent need for safe and comfortable PPE to protect frontline healthcare workers enabled British manufacturing to demonstrate incredible agility. But it simultaneously raised concerns about the environmental impact of more disposable commodities.

In a recent survey carried out by Tecman, 90% of the 156 healthcare workers surveyed communicated growing concerns about the environmental impact of PPE.

Tecman’s latest development tackles these concerns head on. Optec reusable face shield system from the Leamington-based company is underpinned by their 4 Pillars of Comfort, addressing the need for safe and comfortable protection that’s not only kinder to the environment but has a lower cost per wear.

Since spring 2020, the Tecman team have been on a mission to make British-engineered protective visors the number one choice for NHS workers and has been working closely with the NHS ever since. 

As part of this drive, the company invested over £500,000 in machinery that enabled them to boost production of their protective face shields to over 1 million units per week. In June 2020, its original face shield became one of the first to receive the category III complex design PPE level.

In recognition of the product’s quality and comfort, the company’s face shield is specified by the NHS in its product framework and catalogue, and has already been used by hundreds of thousands of frontline healthcare workers.

The next step for Tecman is to run hospital trials on this new range of protective products.

Kevin Porter, Tecman’s technical director, said: “We’ve worked hard alongside the NHS to develop a more sustainable reusable face shield system and we’re delighted with the results. This new sustainable solution addresses rising concerns about the environmental impact of disposable PPE, provides value to the NHS, and prioritises wearer comfort and the safety of our vital healthcare workers.”