Fire and Emergency Services have a responsibility to supply their employees with Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (PPE/C) which meets the necessary standards and performance requirements and have in place systems which ensure that personal protective gear is regularly monitored, inspected and maintained. Above all else, each item of protection must be safe for use throughout its operational life.
Developed exclusively with partners Pacific Helmets and Bristol Uniforms, PAC+CARE is designed to provide a comprehensive facility through which Australian Workplace Health and Safety and Occupational Health and Safety regulations are met.
What Sets PAC+CARE Apart?
Effective Cleaning During fires, PPE/C can become contaminated with a wide range of chemical, biological and particulate contaminants that are hazardous. If not removed properly, these contaminants could significantly affect personal protection and the PPE/C’s longevity but more importantly, have adverse effects on firefighter health.
At PAC+CARE we target the most prevalent and persistent contaminants in firefighter protective wear, combat these with best practice methodology, state of the art washing and drying technology while utilising the latest chemical inactivation. This yields a significant reduction in contaminant load, mitigating the effects of exposure to firefighters and ensures Service’s PPE/C has a prolonged operational life.
Validating our Cleaning PAC+CARE commissions NATA accredited laboratories to assess the efficiency of their laundering process. This is achieved by sampling test fabric soiled with predetermined contaminants under laboratory conditions and benchmarking these results against a clearly defined performance criteria.
Services can be assured that PAC+CARE’s cleaning process is independently verified and certified as being of the highest quality and is continuously being confirmed by internationally recognised organisations.
Laundry Filtration System PAC+CARE’s filtration system is designed to ensure that contaminants removed from clothing and equipment do not end up in precious waterways. PAC+CARE’s state of the art filtration system treats water to industry-best standard by removing contaminants associated with firefighting while safeguards are in place to mitigate the risk of any environmental impact caused by spill or discharge of effluent. This is all backed by PAC+CARE’s comprehensive testing regime which ensures the filtration systems effectiveness.
Best Practice Inspection Early identification of damage to protective clothing and equipment is essential to preventing degradation and identifying early warning signs that the item is unfit for purpose. Every item that passes through PAC+CARE is inspected using a comprehensive manufacturer’s inspection and/or methods complying with NFPA 1851:2014 standard, which includes the testing of moisture barrier and thermal liner integrity in structural firefighting garments.
Quality Repairs Carrying out repairs is fundamental to ensuring clothing and equipment is returned safe, fit for operational purpose and compliant with the standard it was certified to. PAC+CARE is a Verified Organization and at the same time trained by Bristol Uniforms and Pacific Helmets to carry out all repairs in accordance with the manufacturer’s construction methods, using original components/material and to a quality level and standard approved by them.
Qualified Staff PAC+CARE staff undergo on-going professional development in inspection, cleaning and repair delivered by Bristol Uniforms and Pacific Helmets. This certifies each member is competent and qualified to inspect and repair the PPE/C, providing Services with the assurance that each item is being returned safe and fit for operational purpose.
Track and Trace PAC+CARE provide an effective, real-time and secure tracking solution for Fire and Emergency Services. This includes the ability to track each item’s life history including user, wash count, wash type, inspection, damage, repair and disposal.
Quality Assurance With PAC+CARE’s ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO 14001: 2015 certifications, Fire and Emergency Services can be assured that PAC+CARE’s Quality Management Systems and Environmental Management practices are independently verified and certified as being of the highest quality on a continuous basis by internationally recognised certification bodies.
For more information, go to www.paccare.com.au
