CEO Questions Lack Of Needle Protection In Mainstream Body Armour
Written by: Robert Kaiser
PPSS Group’s CEO Robert Kaiser was pointing out the biggest single key ‘misunderstanding’ or ‘misperception’ is that all body armour offer reliable levels of needle protection.
Many security managers and others who had chosen to purchase and issue body armour that came with ‘spike protection’ were completely convinced their new PPE would also protect his or her team from hypodermic needles. When questioning their belief and judging on their facial expression, there really was no doubt in their mind… yes, their body armour will defeat any hypodermic needle.
This is far away from the truth and that there are now many frontline professionals within homeland security agencies, hospital security, university security, security guarding, public transport, civil enforcement and other frontline services out there who wholeheartedly belief their body armour can handle the threat of hypodermic needles, potentially leading to a real disaster with potentially fatal consequences.
The following video is featuring just two body armour we have received from current clients who have handed over their CURRENT body armour when it was highlighted to them that their performance is, let’s say ‘questionable’.
Robert Kaiser doesn’t hold back when saying: “Many of our customers had to witness that hypodermic needles easily penetrated their existing body armour when we got a needle out and ask them if they would mind if we would perform a live test.”
“Some of our clients have now taken further action against their body armour supplier for having been ‘misled’, partly using inappropriate sales tactics, overselling the product, not telling the precise truth and even making things totally up, willing to risk the lives of frontline professionals in an unjustifiable manner.”
“The risk of being threatened by someone with a hypodermic needles is a realistic part of today’s society. Shoplifters have threatened security guards with needles, patients haven been stabbed with needles and subsequently security guards had to get involved, and bailiffs or county court enforcements officers as well as revenue protection officers are also frequently faced by individuals carrying such weapon.”
Just a very few days ago we had to read the headline: “Police officer sent to hospital after needle stick injury”, covering the incident which saw a police officer being sent to hospital after getting pricked by a needle as he attempted to detain a 44-year-old man that night.
He was trying to help detain the male, who was being arrested so he could be recalled to prison, when he was pricked by the needle – the man then stated he has Hepatitis C.
Additional recent headlines read “security guard awaits blood tests after being stabbed by needle during Middlesbrough supermarket robbery”, “man jailed for stabbing police officer with a hypodermic needle after telling her he is HIV positive” and “security guard stabbed with needle at Sainsbury’s in Canterbury”.
There are many more incidents that have recently come to light.
We all got to understand that some people get shot and survive at times, and so do some who get stabbed by a knife or other type of edged weapon. Being ‘pricked’ by a needle may well lead to the type of injury that cannot be fixed and cause serious long term distress.
Robert Kaiser strongly recommends you take one of your team’s body armour (when not being worn) and grab a hypodermic needle and give it a go. See if that needle goes through. Some of you will be rather disappointed when witnessing the result. In many instances no force is required whatsoever.
Please note all PPSS Stab Resistant Vests offer unrivalled and 100% reliable needle protection, and they are more than happy to discuss this subject matter with you in greater depth if you wish. Simply email us info@ppss-group.com or give us a call +44 (0) 845 5193 953
About PPSS Group:
PPSS Group is specialised in the development, manufacturing and supply of high performance body armour, offering unrivalled protection from firearms, edged weapons and blunt force trauma, and they do of course also offer 100% reliabel needle protection reliabe . PPSS Group’s social media presence: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram.
Media Contact:
Jim Still – Head of Marketing & Brand Protection
+44 (0) 845 5193 953