The woman tried to stab Hospital nurse Chen Ling in the chest, but Chen managed to grab hold of the 6” knife. She suffered several cuts to her left hand and a scratch on her abdomen, but is now recovering from her injuries..

Around 9 am, the woman who, according to reports, was older than 50, entered the emergency room and said she was looking for a doctor in the mental health department. Chen recognized her as someone she had seen before looking for the same doctor. Chen offered to take her to the outpatient service. But the woman suddenly took a knife from her bag and attacked Chen.

Chen said she had no idea why the woman tried to stab her because she did not know the woman, nor had the woman been treated in the emergency room.

Several doctors were able to subdue the woman and took her to the nearest police station..

The hospital explained that the woman had had a caesarean at this hospital 16 years ago. The woman claimed that the operation had affected her life, but the hospital’s medical appraisal said the operation had no side effects on her.

China is seeing a growing number of violent assaults on hospital professional and care worker in recent months, just like many other Western countries.

On April 13, a patient named Lu Fuke stabbed two doctors in the neck in two Beijing hospitals. That case remains under investigation.

On March 23, a 17-year-old patient, Li Mengnan, stabbed medical staff in a hospital in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, leaving one intern dead and three other staff members injured. He had reportedly done so because he thought he did not receive immediate care.

In the United Kingdom we have a zero tolerance to violence policy.  Nevertheless, we can see a noticeable increase in hospital security professionals being issued with overt or covert lightweight stab vests in order to protect them from workplace violence related injuries.

If you have question in reference to stab vests please contact UK based PPSS Group on +44 (0) 845 5193 953 or email info@ppss-group.com

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A TRAFFORD Council worker was slashed...

Preventing the abuse and attacks on public sector workers and subsequent injuries is now a priority issue for many governments. Work-related violence is a contributing factor to stress and absenteeism among staff costing UK employers £700 million annually.

Do I think that concealable and lightweight body armour or stab vests should be part of this priority? Yes, and I say this regardless of the fact that we design, develop and manufacture such equipment.  We know (based on many years of operational frontline experience) that a person who is either intoxicated, simply has a serious dislike for the organisation you represent or aggressively disagrees with any decision you are about to make can overreact to anything you say or do.  A lightweight body armour or covert stab vests will protect you in such case from any impulsive physical assault such person might commit (and possibly deeply regret the following day).

PPSS Covert Stab Vests

The truly outrageous range of physical attacks on traffic warden, licensing and trading standards and housing enforcement officers, as well as social workers have been revealed in a number data released by governments around the world.

However, based on the very latest figures obtained, we also have to confirm that 437 addresses in Scotland alone have been ‘red flagged‘ due to serious negative experiences of ambulance professionals, which include serious physical assaults and threat using edged weapons and a variety of blunt objects.

Recent statistics released under the Freedom of Information Act also reveal incidents of council staff in the UK being punched, bitten, head-butted, attacked with pool cues and even suffering sexual abuse. Many of these attacks have resulted in injuries bad enough for the worker to require hospital treatment and often surgery. The media is full of reports covering these incidents.

Recent headlines within the last three months:

• Traffic warden attacked by driver
• Council staff hit with pool cues, punched in the face and sexually assaulted in the line of duty
• 400 no-go areas for ambulance staff
• Council worker assaulted in night time attack

We must admit these statistics and news of incidents are a stark reminder of the dangers faced by many public sector workers as they go about their work – often on relatively low levels of pay.

PPSS Overt Stab Vests

We will hopefully also agree that all of our public servants should feel safe to carry out their important work without the threat of physical and verbal abuse.

It’s important to stress that some reported incidents, especially those involving care staff, are related to the medical conditions of people receiving a service… but nevertheless protection for these frontline professionals is something that needs looking at.  ’Protection’ should/could include effective conflict management training, lone worker safety devices (tracking & alarm systems), radio communication and body armour e.g. covert or overt stab vests.

Who’s at risk?

• Community Care Workers – Working with vulnerable groups in disadvantaged areas increases risk of violence.
• Environmental Officers – Enforcing regulations and to police the systems places officers at risk from violence as well as accidents at work.
• Trading Standard Officers – Visiting car boot sales and assisting police during raids can be a high risk job at times.
• Licensing Enforcement Officers – Visiting nightclubs, taxi ranks, take aways and other late night venue puts them in contact with intoxicate and sometimes hostile members of the public.
• Housing Officers – Verbal and physical attacks from tenants, when discussing issues such as ‘rent areas’
• Probation Officers – At a high risk of violence due to the nature of this work.
• Social Workers – Staff are often required to work at all hours, including late at night often in deprived areas increasing risk of violence.
• Specialist Teaching staff – Dealing with behavioural problems and special needs, severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour can represent realistic dangers.
• Traffic Wardens – At a high risk of verbal and physical attack from angry drivers.

UK based PPSS Group is dedicated to designing, developing and manufacturing of high performance bullet proof vests, stab vests and cut resistant clothing, in order to protect these domestic frontline professionals.

To make it very clear, I am of course not saying everyone working for a local council or ambulance service is at risk of getting stabbed or brutally assaulted… of course not. This is of course depending on a number of factors e.g. tome of work, location of work, and job responsibilities.  However I feel strongly that these great professionals have the right to be equipped appropriately and that they deserve the very best care and equipment.

Please note PPSS Group is also the organiser of the annual LONE WORKER SAFETY Conference & Exhibition, taking place on Tue 27th November 2012 @ Olympia Conference Centre.

If you feel we can help please call me or my colleagues on +44 (0) 845 5193 953 or email info@ppss-group.com

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Military & Security Equipment have been South Africa’s foremost suppliers of tactical gear, equipment and products to law enforcement, military, tactical, hunting, fire-fighting professionals and the public since 2004.

Built on a foundation of durability, quality and value, Military & Security Equipment leads the industry in delivering functionally innovative tactical gear, head to toe.

Robert Kaiser is delighted about this new co-operation: “It is without question, we have chosen the best possible South African firm for the distribution of our range of high performance body armour”.

An exclusive licensed distribution agreement covering all South African homeland security sectors was officially signed by both parties on 7th March 2012

PPSS Group is a UK based company, aiming to effectively reduce the risk of workplace violence related injuries and loss of life by designing, developing and manufacturing only the very best protective equipment.

PPSS Covert Bullet Proof Vests - Model CV1

Already supplying police, border control, immigration, prison, customs and privately owned security firms around the world, PPSS Group’s key objective was to establish their brand in South Africa, after having received numerous of enquiries and orders from major companies from that part of the world.

PPSS Group have launched one of the world’s thinnest, lightest and truly most exceptional concealable NIJ IIIA+ (NIJ 0101.04) bullet proof vests in 2011, with the personal safety of executive/diplomatic protection professionals and dignitaries in mind.

In September 2011 I decided to produce a video of me being shot by a Glock 19 from close range (using a 9x19mm FMJ 124gr live round) highlighting the exceptional performance of this great new bullet proof vest.

Please view www.msequipment.co.za call +27 (0) 12 6644 850 or contact PPSS Group on +44 (0) 845 5193 953 email info@ppss-group.com or visit www.ppss-group.com

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PPSS Cut Resistant Sweatshirts - Turtle Neck Model

“With immediate effect, Ohio based Safety Today. Inc, is our exclusive licensed distributor for all industrial applications in the US for our range of high performance PPSS Cut Resistant Clothing”, Robert Kaiser, CEO of PPSS Group states.

Safety Today, Inc. was founded in 1946 and is one of the largest full service safety equipment distributors inNorth America with focus on Flat Glass, Sheet Metal, Automotive and Recycling sectors.

Robert Kaiser is delighted about this new co-operation: “It is without question, we have chosen the best possible US based firm for the distribution of our range of high performance cut resistant clothing”.

An exclusive licensed distribution agreement was officially signed by both parties on 5th March 2012

PPSS Group is a UK based company, specialised in the design, development and manufacturing of high performance cut resistant clothing and bullet proof vests, aiming to reduce the risk of accidental cut injuries at work.

Already supplying flat glass and sheet metal firms as well as homeland security agencies all over the world, PPSS Group’s key objective was to establish their brand in the US and Canada, after having received numerous of enquiries and orders form major companies from that part of the world.

PPSS Group are widely respected for their range of strong cut resistant clothing using their very own groundbreaking Cut-Tex® PRO cut resistant fabric, offering ISO 13997:1999 blade cut resistance level 5 (the highest possible) and ASTM F-1790-05 level 4 plus the highest level of tear and abrasion resistance.

PPSS Group has also launched one of the world’s thinnest, lightest and truly most exceptional concealable NIJ IIIA+ (NIJ 0101.04) bullet proof vests, with the personal safety of executive and diplomatic protection professionals in mind.

Please view www.safetytoday.com  call 800.837.5900 or contact PPSS Group on +44 (0) 845 5193 953 email info@ppss-group.com or visit www.ppss-group.com

PPSS Group is a UK based company, specialised in the design, development and manufacturing of high performance cut resistant clothing and bullet proof vests. PPSS Group is also the company behind Cut-Tex® PRO, a ground breaking and one of the world’s strongest cut, tear and abrasion resistant fabrics, now being used to manufacture cut resistant clothing for police, military, emergency services, prisons, mental health care and private security firms all over the world.

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PPSS Covert Bullet Proof Vests - Model CV1

Wearing covert bullet proof vests is not just something that is common practice within executive or diplomatic security.  Many other professionals, such as sky marshals and under cover law enforcement officers are also known to take regular advantage of such piece of personal protective equipment.

Covert bullet proof vests allow security professionals to look after the personal security of dignitaries more effectively and become a significant ‘low profile part’ of their day to day life.  This often is a key objective when looking after the personal security of high profile individuals and their families.  Within executive protection is it often of great importance to ‘blend in’, become a part of the normal environment and not act as a noticeable security professional.

The personal safety of business executives, politicians and high profile individuals within the music and film industry is often compromised by criminals and other potentially hostile members of the public.  However, convincing high profile professionals to wear bullet proof vests is often an impossible task.  They just don’t want to alternate their life style or appearance, and this is why high performance covert bullet proof vests have become of such interest even for the rich and famous.

But what makes a covert body armour to a good or even excellent body armour?  How light and thin can/should covert bullet proof vest be?  Let us make sure your choice is based on up-to-date information and reflect a good understanding of this subject.

Standards

Covert ballistic vests are always designed as soft body armour.  They do not feature hard trauma plates, which usually are made out of polyethylene, ceramic or steel.

Subject to their stated protection level, covert body armour can offer excellent protection from even the most handguns and ammunition.  Protection can be offered from 22mm, 9mm, 357Mag, 44Mag, 45 Mag and other ammunition.

Many countries around the world have their own ballistic protection standard. However, the best known and most respected is known as National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Standard.  The NIJ standard is recognised and respected all over the world, in comparison to the British and German standards, which are more dominant within homeland security services in their country or region.

Looking at the most recognised standard, what would be the best possible protection level you should be looking for?  Well, there are a number of NIJ ballistic protection levels available.  Please view the following chart:

Weight

Body armour technology, manufacturing capabilities and body armour design have evolved a lot over the past years.  Body armour worn by the police and other enforcement agencies in most countries weight in excess of 5kg or even 6kg and are often thicker than 20 or even 25mm.

Please let me assure you that this is totally unnecessary, and it is a well documented fact that such weight will lead to stress, fatigue and subsequently to potentially fatal human errors.   Innocent members of the public could get severely injured or loose their lives if an executive security professional suffers from fatigue due to the excessive high weight of his body armour.

Many body armour manufacturers are now capable of manufacturing and supplying body armour less than half of the above weight, leading to a noticeable reduction and stress, fatigue and any other negative side effect.

So what can we class as a ‘good weight’ or what could be classed as a ‘lightweight’ bullet proof vest?  I strongly feel that a covert bullet proof vest should certainly not weigh any more than 2kg in today’s day in age.  Manufacturers have been competing hard in order to develop the lightest body armour in the world.  They have pushed each other to completely new levels, hence soft body armour weighing 1.7kg or even less are now on the market, offering extraordinary ballistic protection, which based on the recent CV1 bullet proof vests and EV1 bullet proof vests models of PPSS Body Armour goes far beyond the basic NIJ Level IIIA standard requirements.

Thickness & Blunt Forced Trauma

In order to be concealable or covert a bullet proof vest needs to be as thin as possible.  Now this is not as easy as we all would like it to be.  The reason behind is the extremely dangerous risk of blunt forced trauma injuries.  All modern materials being used to manufacture bullet proof vests make it literately impossible for a bullet to penetrate.  The much higher risk is the risk of blunt trauma injuries.  The thinner the body armour, the more attention must be paid to protecting the wearer from such injury.  I am sure you don’t want to see your body armour stop the bullet… but die later on in hospital from internal bleeding or other internal injuries.

So, how thick should a covert body armour be?  Modern covert bullet proof vests can be less than 10mm thin.  In fact, some covert high performance body armour are as thin as 6 or 7mm and with the assistance and backing of specially designed trauma liner they still outperform all existing body armour, which used to be heavy, bulky and thick.

Materials

Apart from Kevlar® there are now many new ballistic materials available.  Many real high performance materials have been developed over the past very few years.  Twaron®, Goldflex®, Spectra Shield® and especially DSM’s Dyneema® SB51 have taken body armour into a different world.  Weight, thickness, blunt trauma, flexibility and comfort are just a few of the important factors which have been improved in order to protect those who serve more effectively.

Comfort

Comfort is about how you feel when you wear your covert ballistic vests.  Weight, thickness and flexibility are three of the many aspects, which everyone should carefully consider before purchasing covert body armour.

Another rather important aspect is heat.  Please let me assure you that wearing any body armour will always make you sweat more. However, the question is how much more?

In Middle Eastern countries, Australia, South America or Africa we have to accept the fact that temperatures can often exceed 40 degrees Celsius.  For an executive/diplomatic security professional or a ‘at risk principal’ or VIP the wearing of a covert body armour must allow them to get on with the tasks on hand without excessive body heat implications or severe risks of dehydration.

Please note that PPSS high performance covert body armour models CV1 and EV1 include a groundbreaking new fabric which should take care of body heat management issues and effectively reduce the amount of sweating.  Temperature regulating Outlast® space technology are a vital part integrated in both covert PPSS bullet proof vests models, making them the absolutely ideal choice for those protection specialists operating in hot and humid environments.

Robert Stirling is a widely renowned military expert and consultant, having joined the British SAS at a very young age and then having served with the Rhodesian Army and South African Special Forces. Please view his video:

If you have any questions in reference to covert bullet proof vests, please contact us by email info@ppss-group.com call +44 (0) 845 5193 953 or visit our website: www.ppss-group.com

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Robert Kaiser

Hi Everyone… I think I am facing a rather very cold challenge this October.  I am aiming to to raise as much money as possible for the Pilgrim Bandits, a charity dedicated to taking ex-forces amputees on challenging expeditions.

I think is is diabolical to see how little has been done for those who have served and protected this country, that’s why I am running the Polar Circle Marathon to raise awareness and financial support these guys.

Weather conditions and temperatures in Greenland vary significantly, so I am aiming to get myself in the best possible shape for this challenge.  My current training regime includes, breaking-dawn marches for up to 15 miles carrying a 50lb backpack and running 13 miles on a Sunday morning.

I really would like to appeal to everyone, businesses and anyone who shares my passion for the support of the Armed Forces, and especially for those whose lives have been turned upside down due to serious injuries or loss of limbs.   I also want to highlight how brave and mentally strong many of these injured service men are.  Where most civilians would have given up, these guys just take the challenge on the chin and simply adapt, without whining.  They are an inspiration to all of us.

If you would like to support me please visit my fundraising page: www.bmycharity.com/robertkaiser

Should you have any questions then please feel free to contact my firm PPSS Group on +44 (0) 845 5193 953 email info@ppss-group.com or visit www.ppss-group.com

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“Refusing to issue bullet proof vests or stab vests can put an individual at unnecessary risk, and cause unacceptable injury or harm”.

In an ever changing world, where a lack of respect and lack of discipline are the order of the day, appropriate protective clothing such as bullet proof vests or stab vests have become an essential piece of equipment for many frontline professionals.

We all need to understand that a lack of adequate safety measures can put an individual at unnecessary risk, and cause unacceptable injury or harm. Body armour have therefore regrettably become a real necessity within a number of domestic frontline professions.

The United Kingdom’s Health and Safety Laboratory conducted a number of case studies about 10 years ago, and approached over 400 organisations of various sizes and across a range of different occupations. Detailed questionnaires were sent and interviews were conducted with the selected organisations and the information which they provided formed the basis of these widely respected case studies.

The outcome is of great relevance to the question: ‘Body Armour – Why?’

Highlighted Risk Areas

• Visiting people in their home or office to enforce laws and regulations, police the system or being the bearer of bad news increases the level of risk and subsequently the need for body armour or stab vests.
• Certain geographical areas or trouble spots are high risk, such as poor or run down council estates or high crime level areas.
• Dealing with certain high risk individuals, such as potentially violent or aggressive members of the public, drug users or dealers, or mentally ill individuals.
• Dealing with extremely frustrated and disappointed customers (e.g. customers extremely unhappy with the service your or your partner organisation has provided)
• Working late at night.
• Evicting people from their home.
• Securing or protecting property, events or people is a professional responsibility that certainly warrants the need for body armour or stab vests.
• Visiting unoccupied buildings.

Any of the above points should in itself be reason enough to at least consider the issue of body armour to domestic frontline services and departments. But I could highlight many more reasons, making a decision not to issue potentially life saving PPE even more controversial.

PPSS Bullet Proof Vests - Model CV1

Corporate manslaughter and corporate homicide laws as well as health & safety regulations have been rewritten in countries around the world, in order to protect those who serve and risk their lives for others. The cost of facing potential legal action after a fatal or non-fatal incident and the cost of injured employees taking time off would outweigh the one-off cost of body armour. Assaults on personnel who are not wearing body armour or other types of protective clothing also create bad publicity for the Authority concerned, not to mention the welfare of the person involved and operational problems resulting from the injured staff being unable to work.

However, the most popular argument against body armour I have personally come across is the concern about how it might be seen by the public when frontline employees start walking around in body armour. Well, ‘perception’ is one of the most important issues within personal safety, and I very much agree with the fact that overt body armour can often be perceived as very confrontational, especially when dealing with intoxicated members of the public or those who seriously dislike authority, your organisation or personal presence to begin with.

PPSS Stab Vests - Model OVERT

For me, frontline employees dealing with the public should be doing their utmost to express themselves as peaceful ambassadors within their line of work. ‘Covert’ bullet proof vests or stab vests allow them to use their positive personality, diplomacy and negotiation skills to defuse a situation, whilst still being protected. However, we do understand that certain professionals e.g. Police, Border Control, Immigration, Customs, Brand Enforcement,Trading Standards or Licensing Enforcement Officers need to be seen as ‘Authority’, ‘Law Enforcer’ or visual deterrent.

Risk Assessments & Body Armour

Regardless of the outcome of any common risk assessment, the fact of the matter is that there is always an ‘unknown’ level of risk due to unforeseen circumstances. Ordinary risk assessments might often conclude in the verdict of ‘low risk’, however these often fairly basic risk assessments are based on technical facts or ‘on-hand information’ only, and as much as I appreciate them, they often do not go beyond these facts. A risk assessment dealing with the activity of an enforcement professional having to enter someone else’s property or deal with potentially ‘unhappy’ and frustrated or aggressive customers or clients can in my opinion, never ever result in low risk. The moment such professional walks through someone’s door or deals with often unfamiliar members of the public at another location, one can simply not know who else will be in the house or who else might enter the house at a later point.  What activities have taken place prior to your visit? Who else might be going to interfere or engage in your conversation or argument at a later point?  All of these issues and questions must have an impact when discussing the potential issuing of body armour.

Here in the UK it is as follows*:

1. Employers are required to make a “suitable and sufficient” assessment of the risks involved in their business operations.
2. When conducting the risk assessment the employer is required to consider “reasonably foreseeable” risks, and these risks would include the possibility of an employee in a confrontational role being assaulted.
3. Employers are obliged to use “safe systems of work” which is why they must first do a risk assessment.
4. If the risk assessment identifies the possibility of being stabbed as a significant risk then control measures must be designed into the safe system of work to either eliminate or minimise this risk.
5. If, having considered all potential management techniques, the risk of being stabbed cannot be reduced below a significant level then the employer should consider the use of body armour – and will have to meet the cost of such equipment.

• * above bullet points courtesy of Andy Farrall, Health & Safety Specialist

Good question… what would you do if you were driving a car and your petrol light comes on, indicating you only have a small amount of petrol left? Would you start thinking: Will I make it home or not? Some people would be willing to take the risk in this situation. In the workplace though, in my view, it is the duty of the employer to not allow their employees to take unknown risks on their own accord without the provision of equipment and training to protect them should they make a mistake in their own judgement. ‘Better safe than sorry’ and ‘Prevention is better than cure’ are two great sayings, making more sense within corporate health & safety than anywhere else. I hope you would stop and get some fuel, because you want to be on the safe side. You might have made it, but you didn’t want to take that risk. The bottom line is you cannot afford to break down. The fact that some professional’s activity involves a rather ‘unknown risk’ must urge key decision makers to remain at least open minded when it comes to body armour, stab vests, or additional training that can be made available.

‘Seat Belt’ Comparison

Recommending body armour does not mean we suggest you are in danger and neither does it mean you should get paranoid or scared 24 hours a day.  I simply say that you will have a higher chance of remaining unharmed in the unlikely, but nevertheless possible, case of something going wrong. Wearing personal protective equipment can be compared to wearing a seat belt when driving a car. We do not put the seat belt on because we believe we are going to have an accident today. We are simply acknowledging the fact that there is an exceptionally small chance that we might crash. Yet, if this chance becomes reality, you have increased the chance of survival by wearing a seat belt.

We at PPSS Body Armour are globally respected and renowned experts in body armour for civil and homeland security services, as well as domestic frontline services, such as paramedics, hospital security, brand protection, investigation teams, local authorities, enforcement teams, university security and many others.

Should you ever have any questions in reference to body armour, then please do not hesitate and contact me or my colleagues, and in the strictest of confidence we will help you to the best of our ability. This is exactly what we do and what we are all about… help!

Call +44 (0) 845 5193 953 or email info@ppss-group.com or visit www.ppss-group.com

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This year’s LONE WORKER SAFETY 2012 Conference & Exhibition will take place on Tue 27th November 2012 @ the Olympia Conference Centre, London, UK.

It will be once again all be structured around lone worker safety and focus on health & safety professionals, lone workers themselves, managers, team leaders and senior members of staff who work within organisations where lone working takes place.

Why attending our LONE WORKER SAFETY 2012 event?

Because we have invited some of the UK’s most respected experts and speakers, planing to deliver talks which, without question, will help you to develop your understanding on how to help your workforce to stay safe.

• Benefit from the in depth knowledge of some of the countries lone worker and personal safety experts.
• Gain enhanced awareness of lone worker protection risks.
• Learn how to balance meeting your duty of care with providing an effective service to the public.
• Understand how technology e.g. lone worker protection devices, lone worker tracking or personal alarms can help to improve lone worker safety.
• Gain a better knowledge of nature, causes and good responses to aggressive behaviour or conflict.
• Learn about the effectiveness of good lone worker alarms systems.
• Let us help you to develop the most effective lone worker policy for your organisation.

• Public & Private Sector: £199.00 + VAT (incl refreshments, lunch and conference pack)
• Charitable Organisations: £149.00 + VAT (incl refreshments, lunch and conference pack)

If lone worker protection is something you are passionate about then this is the event to attend.

Any questions? Please call us on 0845 5193 953 or email info@loneworkersafetyexpo.com

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In 2009 the American Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) released the very valuable and informative findings of its National Body Armor Survey.

The responses received from nearly 80 percent of the 990 randomly selected law enforcement agencies throughout the United Statesprovide a detailed insight into their practices, policies, and standards regarding body armor for their officers.

A rather interesting find was that 59% of agencies required their officers to wear body armor or stab vests, but only 45% had a written policy in place enforcing this requirement.  This is certainly not an ideal result.  We are all human beings; we don’t want to carry additional weight, feel less nimble and sweat more during a hot summer’s day than necessary, so some officers are bound to end up not wearing the armor.  There is also the risk of police officer deciding not to wear body armor due to an apparently low risk activity, unable to anticipate unforeseen circumstances, which would certainly require such equipment.

41.4% of law enforcement agencies in the US use body armor rated at NIJ Level II and 35.0% use NIJ Level IIIA, which means most agencies use body armor which protect officers against at least 9mm and .40 calibre bullets, but not against rifle fire or armor-piercing bullets.  I believe this to be perfectly right, as any body armor offering a higher level of ballistic protection would result in being heavy, cumbersome and restrictive.

Overall, NIJ Level IIIA would be by far my preferred recommendation.  Ultra thin and extremely lightweight NIJ Level IIIA bullet proof vests are now available and offer sufficient protection against the majority of handgun threats.  However, I am inclined to suggest a higher level of protection for those officers dealing with serious violent organized criminals or those officers involved in counter terrorism operations.

PPSS Bullet Proof Vests

Police agencies were also asked to rate the importance of factors considered when purchasing body armor.  The most important factors that police officers consider are whether the body armor will protect against rounds from the weapon of the officer, the safety level of the armor, and compliance with NIJ standards. Other key factors are comfort and weight, and officers’ ability to move easily while wearing the armor.  I am pleased to see that safety and comfort exceed all other factors.

87.9% of all surveyed agencies specified that officers are individually measured by their body armor manufacturer in order to establish the perfect fit. 74.0% had been taken measurements by internal agency representatives.  The correct fitting of armor is crucial given that officers shot in the torso area can have bullets enter under their armor or through the side panels. Fitting therefore has the potential to be a largely overlooked factor in whether officers involved in shootings are injured or even killed while wearing body armor.

PPSS Hi Viz Stab Vests

One particular result I was rather shocked by was the fact that the 78.4% of police agencies surveyed do not have a database or automated record system for a body armor replacement schedule.  Almost 23% of agencies have no policy at all concerning replacement of body armor, completely ignoring the shelf life of any body armor, which is subject to the type of storage, personal care, exposure to UV light and moisture and many other influencing factors.  A standard policy to replace all body armor after five years has now been put in place within many police forces around the world, and I very much welcome this move.

Have you any questions in reference to bullet proof vests or stab vests?

Please call PPSS Body Armour on +44 (0) 845 5193 953 or email info@ppss-group.com or visit www.ppss-group.com

We are here to help you!

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Cut Resistant Clothing for Homeland Security Professionals

Numerous homeland security professionals, police and prison officers  have suffered from severe cut wounds sometime, during physical confrontations, and I believe cut resistant clothing can help protect them.

From the point of the employer, slash and cut injuries can often lead to legal and financial repercussion.  From the point of the injured professional, and depending on the severity of such injury, it can often lead to long lasting emotional scars, ongoing distress or in very serious cases even post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Most common PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) or cut resistant clothing used by the above sectors do not offer sufficient cut protection.

However, many frontline professionals have long asked for better slash and cut protection, and UK based PPSS Group have now launched a very effective  solution.

A high performance cut resistant fabric called Cut-Tex® PRO has been developed, offering ISO 13997:1999 Blade Cut Resistance Level 5 (the highest possible), EN 388:2003 Blade Cut Resistance Level 5 (the highest possible) and ASTM F-1790 Level 4.

Please view our Cut-Tex® PRO Presentation

This fabric does exactly what was needed in order to design, develop and manufacture cut resistant clothing, which will help to protect those who serve and reduce the risk of workplace violence related cut injuries.  Cut resistant clothing has now been made user friendly, comfortable and 100% concealable.

The Reality

Attacks on frontline professionals are occurring rather frequently.  One unprovoked attack on prison officers at Frankland High Security Prison in Durham, UK, left one prison officer severely injured after one of his auxiliary arteries was slashed during the incident. He luckily survived.

A female police officer was brutally slashed during Notting Hill Carnival in London, UK on 28^th August 2011.

There are many more reports of domestic frontline professionals being slashed or suffering from major cuts.  Reports of this well documented type of assaults are readily available on the internet or security and law enforcement related publications.

There images on my blog are not on display in order to shock, scare monger or ‘sell’ such product, but rather to emphasise the severity of some cut or slash wounds.

Many frontline professionals by instinct will lift their arms and hands during a potential hostile situation, in order to protect the face and head. This is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact itis absolutely normal, and only highly trained Special Forces soldiers would respond differently due to many years of extensive training. However, we must acknowledge that this ‘normal’ and subconscious action would expose an extremely vulnerable area under your arms. A cut, injuring the auxiliary artery under your arms, can lead to rapid blood loss and even death.

Prison, police and security officers often receive cut wounds along the forearm or open hand.  These wounds are the most common injuries and classed as ‘defensive wounds’, often seen as evidence the wearer was protecting him or herself, rather attacking the opponent.

We have to accept the fact that all frontline professionals dealing with potentially hostile members of the public or intoxicated individuals are obviously working in a higher risk environment.  We believe that a new generation of cut resistant clothing made out of Cut-Tex® PRO will improve their personal safety and reduce the risk of workplace violence related injuries.

‘Forced Entry Teams’ are part of all major special police units. Part of their operational responsibility might well be to enter properties through doors and windows, meaning forcing their way in through broken and smashed windows and glass. There are numerous of reports of partly serious cut related injuries as many of these professionals have not been issued with appropriate cut resistant gloves, sleeves or boiler suits.

The Solution

I strongly believe that personal protective clothing, especially cut resistant clothing, is something that can effectively reduce the risk of workplace violence related injuries, in the context of this article cut related injuries.

Cut resistant body armour base layer for example make a lot of sense.  The area, which is covered by most body armour is made out of a breathable fabric to make the wearing of body armour even more comfortable and bearable in hot and humid conditions.  However, the exposed area, such as under the arm, the arms and the side of the upper body can be covered, made out of Cut-Tex® PRO slash and cut resistant material, offering the wearer exceptional cut protection during a situation where self defence or physical action is required.

A number of very specific areas of our body are at notable risk.  Our throat, which harbours the carotid artery is certainly among the most at risk locations of our body.  A cut through the carotid artery would most likely result in death.  The radial artery can be found in our wrists, which often is subject to cuts during self defence or whilst protecting our face.  The femoral artery is a general term comprising a few large arteries in the thigh.  Cutting of the femoral artery would lead to a massive loss of blood within e very short period of time.  I believe protective clothing, shielding these three main arteries should be available to all professionals dealing regularly with aggressors and potentially hostile situations.

My emphasis would be to design and manufacture cut resistant clothing that is none-aggressive or none-confrontational looking.  We certainly want to enable those professionals to let their personality shine, use their diplomatic and interpersonal skills in order to defuse the risk of any potential escalation without giving away that protective clothing is being worn.  We do not want them to look like ‘the aggressor’. Personal protective clothing just needs to ‘be there’ in the background, on stand by, ready to protect and perform when things go wrong.

We all know… violence can sometime erupt within seconds, often without any prior warning signs and without any fault of the law enforcement, security or mental heath care professional.  Going back to the office and putting on some appropriate gear is not always a realistic option, hence cut resistant clothing should be comfortable enough to be worn at all times.

Cut resistant clothing made out of 100% Cut-Tex® PRO is now available in numerous countries and can be designed around specific operational risks, threats and operational duties.

Please view the PPSS website

PPSS Group is also renowned for ultra light and extreme thin covert ballistic vests and the most robust and durable stab vests in the world.

If you wish to speak with us, please dial +44 (0) 845 5193 953

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