All the bases covered

When Scott Safety, a leading manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE) and respiratory protection, was assessing what levels of innovation and change it wanted to introduce into the recently-launched third generation of its First Base bump cap products, it knew exactly where to start – with its customers. "Scott Safety adopts a Six Sigma design philosophy, which is basically about designing products to the requested market specification, first time," states Chris Ellerby, product manager, head and sensory PPE at Scott Safety. "Apart from spending a great deal Of time talking to people across a wide range of industries – such as the aerospace, automotive and facilities maintenance sectors, for example – this also means understanding the environment they work in, so that we design products that keep them protected, but do not prevent them from performing their jobs." So, what were the key 'must haves' singled out by those customers that Scott Safety took on board when it was developing its First Base 3 bump caps? Not surprisingly, ensuring maximum protection for wearers in a wide variety of head bump-risk situations was the first consideration – for example, "workers on an automotive production line, who may be ducking their heads in and out of cars that, at that stage, have no trim protection". But also there was the goal of taking fit, stability and breathability to new levels. And this had to be achieved without compromising on comfort and style. "Comfort is definitely one of the key criteria here," adds Ellerby. "People have to wear these for perhaps eight hours a day, carrying out hot, hard physical, work, so the material has to be breathable, keeping heat and humidity down. For instance, the sweatband has been constructed from a wicking fabric that draws moisture away from the skin, while the patented shell design, featuring unique micro-perforated sides and indirect top ventilation system, gives better air circulation." The cap also has to fit a variety of shapes and one of the distinctive aspects to the First Base 3 is its ergonomic shell design, which allows it to open and shut to accommodate different head sizes. The new design also means the latest bump cap extends farther down the rear of the head, allowing improved protection and stability, while the cap shape over the ear improves compatibility with hearing protection and eyewear. Scott Safety has also been busy on the hearing protection side, with a new range of equipment launched recently. Knowing which type of hearing protection to choose for the correct application can be confusing, so it has revamped and repositioned its Zone hearing range to help individuals make the right choice, says Ellerby. A new ear cup design with concaved foam has brought greater comfort and aesthetics, while the range has been extended and segmented to create products that are targeted at specific applications, in order to maintain high attenuation performance, giving workers optimum protection. "This is done through a yellow, orange and red colour system that makes it easier for users to understand the process of selection," explains Ellerby. The colour coding is divided into low-to-medium noise levels, medium-to-high noise levels and extreme noise levels, protecting the wearer against harmful noise in a range of industrial environments, such as manufacturing, construction, mining and aviation. The Zone range also encompasses active listening and AM/FM radio ear defenders. Hearing protection can leave workers feeling isolated when worn for extensive periods of time, so the AM/FM radio helps to improve morale and productivity by enabling users to listen to their preferred radio station or mp3-players, as well as a listen-in capability for mobile phones or com-radios. Industry's stronger focus on PPE is a reflection of the new legislative measures, and greater corporate responsibility and awareness, that have pushed it higher up the agenda. "The focus is on keeping employees safe at all times. Our objective is to keep talking to customers and discovering how we can continue to help them to do exactly that," says Ellerby.