UK engineering company beating the downturn

UK engineering company, Semmco, has announced that it is to supply the new HEAD 15 Cell Snatch Rescue Equipment (CSRE) to the UK and Irish Prison services.
Semmco's unique HEAD 15 chemical oxygen set is an easy to don, one-size-fits-all model. The working set, known within the Prison Service as (CSRE), gives prison staff 15 minutes of respiratory protection when dealing with cell fire incidents.
Steve Brinkworth, Health and Fire Safety Manager in the Operations Property Unit HQ, says “Semmco’s new CSRE product provides a simple means of protecting staff from smoke inhalation when dealing with these fires.”
The lightweight, hooded oxygen set replaces the short duration breathing apparatus (SDBA) which has been used across the prison services for the past 15 years. The training requirements for the CSRE are less complex than those of the SDBA, making the product easier to use. Added to this the HEAD 15 working set can be stored for up to six years without maintenance, making it a cost-effective option in the long term.
“The Prison Service was seeking a simple alternative to SDBA,” says Steve Brinkworth, “which Semmco was able to achieve through an open tender by the use of a product whose concept was already well proven (HEAD 10)”.
The CSRE system works by producing oxygen through a chemical process which provides staff with a minimum of 15 minutes’ supply. With an integral warning system to notify the wearer several minutes before it expires, the set (and all products in the HEAD range) offers the emergency services a new option in escape and rescue equipment.
Visitors to the stand can also view the other chemical oxygen sets from Semmco's unique HEAD range, including the HEAD6 inspection set, the HEAD10 escape set as well as the new HEAD15 CSRE working/rescue set.
Also on show will be the SE400 range of positive pressure demand powered air-purifying respirators.
Specifically designed for first responders and other emergency personnel, the SE400 was used successfully to protect the emergency services teams at previous Olympic Games and can provide clean air at a rate of more than 400 l/min peak flow. This means effortless breathing even during hard work. Other customers across the world include defence, emergency services and Industrial organisations.
The Se400 when used with the SE-SHIELD (Tyvek F®) pressurized suit, tested against chemical and biological warfare agents, provides the user with complete head to toe personnel protection.
For further details about the innovative range of respiratory protection products including the exciting new HEAD 15 set, visit the Semmco stand at this year’s Safety & Health Expo between 12 – 14 May at the NEC Birmingham (Hall 1 stand no J40).