PPE is an acronym that most people were unfamiliar with until the pandemic hit. All of a sudden, everyone knows what PPE is and how vital it is for first responders and the health care industry. This stands for Personal Protection Equipment. The equipment alone, however, is not enough to keep our first responders, especially firefighters, safe from illness. While of this equipment is disposable, other PPE must be washed properly to ensure it is safe for our first responders to use.
Clean and Safe Equipment
PPE for first responders not only need to work properly, but it also needs to be cleaned properly. Firefighters see some of the most dangerous conditions imaginable, which often means their equipment comes back with residue that if not cleaned, could put their life at risk. In order for their protective gear to be safe, NFPA 1851 care standards need to be followed.
A company called MARKEN® PPE Restoration has partnered with Omegasonics to develop a process to ensure these standards are followed and the equipment cleaned is safe and effective to use for our first responders. The fact is that hand-scrubbing cannot clean PPE effectively enough for it to be considered truly safe for our first responders. Additionally, taking apart the equipment, cleaning by hand, and putting the equipment back together is very time consuming, which is where MARKEN and Omegasonics come into the picture.
When MARKEN first launched in 2010, it immediately incorporated Omegasonics technology into its cleaning process. By using our ultrasonic technology, cleaning time for PPE has been reduced by about 75 percent. Additionally, employee training for this task has been reduced by 85 percent. Any small business owner will tell you how impactful that is to the bottom line. There is also the benefit that the new employees are not bored with extended training. So, now they have more effective employees that are contributing much quicker than they had in the past.
The biggest breakthrough for all involved was when Gentex was asked to contribute to find a more effective way to clean aluminized proximity suits using Omegasonics technology.
Not Alone
MARKEN is not the only company using this technology, either. Northwest Safety Clean has also incorporated Omegasonics into its PPE cleaning process. The business found that by using our technology, it was able to reduce the cost of properly cleaning helmets by $10. When you consider how many firemen are in the city and how often this process is needed, we are talking massive savings for the city.
Steve Lakey, the owner and CEO of Northwest stated, “Honestly, initially I was interested in ultrasonic because I like new gadgets and electronics, and it just sounded cool. But it turned out to be a positive tool for my business. Also, I’ve been able to pass along the savings I’ve experienced on helmet cleaning to my customers. Fire departments need a lot of bang for their buck these days. Now they are more likely to send in their helmets for cleaning and inspection.”
If you are interested in learning more about our Omegasonics cleaning technology to clean your PPE equipment, give us a call at 888-989-5560. You can consult with a member of our expert staff to find the proper equipment for your needs. And remember, if we do not have standard machine to do the job for you, we can custom-build a tank that will get the job done! Give us a call today for more information.
