Posts tagged: MSA

Adele Harris, MSA UK Bristol Service Manager discusses the Company’s role in helping to promote firefighter safety through care and maintenance of fire protective clothing

In this exclusive interview, we delve into the operations of MSA Bristol Managed Services, part of MSA Safety Services & Solutions, and explore the role the team plays in helping to keep first responders safe through the care and maintenance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and fire protective clothing (FPC).

Speaking with Adele Harris, MSA UK Bristol Service Manager, we uncover the dedication and expertise that drive this important service.

Adele Harris has been with the business for seven years, managing three service centres primarily based in Bristol.

Her customer-facing role involves interfacing with both Pay as You Go and Fully Managed Service customers, ensuring their needs are met with precision and care.

MSA Bristol’s Fully Managed Service is an end-to-end solution spanning the life of a contract.

Their services may include washing, repairing and replacing garments, along with providing a Help Desk team dedicated to responding to firefighters’ queries and handling laundry logistics.

With three service centres in the UK, MSA Bristol cares for thousands of firefighters across the UK, processing and repairing tens of thousands of items annually.

This interview delves into the processes and unwavering commitment that contributes to the operational safety and readiness of first responders.

Can you provide an overview of MSA Bristol Managed Services and the significance of your work?

Our Fully Managed Service is an end-to-end solution for customers over the life of their contract.

During this period, we perform services such as washing, repairing and replacing garments.

We may also offer a Help Desk team dedicated to responding to firefighters’ questions and queries, including new recruits and training logistics.

Additionally, we handle laundry logistics and provide the service of a two-hour emergency response.

These are some of the available benefits of our managed service contract.

Can you talk about the managed services model and its operational scale?

We have three service centres serving 23 managed service customers and a similar number of Pay as You Go customers.

We have 113 employees and care for about 50,000 firefighters in the UK.

Annually, these centres wash approximately 361,000 garments and repair around 71,000 items.

Can you describe the typical cycle for caring for fire protective clothing and what processes are involved?

We operate a seven-day turnaround.

For example, if we collect your laundry on a Tuesday, it will be returned clean the following Tuesday.

The primary objective of all our service centres is this seven-day cycle.

The Fully Managed Service generates other benefits such as returning laundry to the firefighters’ home station regardless of where it entered laundry and RFID traceability throughout the wash process.

During the seven-day process, we’re collecting, washing, drying, inspecting, repairing and delivering gear to the fire stations.

What specific services do your teams provide at the service centres?

We have a team that responds to our Help Desks, handling various activities.

These include sizing new recruits, addressing queries related to laundry or equipment and managing changes when firefighters get promoted or change locations.

In addition, we issue all new recruits with a complete ensemble of PPE, ready for their start date, and monitor the return of equipment from departing staff.

Our commitment is to do our part to keep the fire service operational at all times.

Whatever the challenge, we endeavour to find a solution, frequently within a two-hour window, for example.

Since we manage their entire FPC and PPE contract, it’s our goal to keep this gear operational.

This could mean repairing a helmet, providing replacement FPC and PPE, or resolving issues sometimes caused by the users themselves.

It’s our ability to find solutions and reduce or minimise operational downtime that makes this an outstanding service for our customers.

What are some of the benefits of having all services done in-house at MSA Bristol?

One important reason lies in our mission to help protect firefighters.

We are a purpose-driven organisation and that shared mission and our values make us act as a team.

We help to ensure that firefighters are operational and can protect our communities daily.

Everyone in our organisation understands this mission and performs their part of the chain to the highest standards.

Secondly, there are synergies from being both the manufacturer and the service provider for these garments.

Our associates repair garments daily so they are familiar with their structure and assembly, ensuring they are returned fit for purpose again.

This creates a feedback loop where we learn from how our garments behave over their lifecycle, typically seven to eight years.

Our design teams can then use this feedback for future product development.

Finally, having everything in-house means we have control and traceability throughout the entire process.

We have insights into what has happened to every garment over its lifecycle and where it is at any moment in our process.

This end-to-end oversight allows us to achieve high service levels, maintain quality and ensure timely delivery to customers.

We can also ramp up operations quickly in response to unique situations or large incidents because we have all functions in-house.

Those are just some of the benefits of keeping everything in-house.

When washing and repairing, how do your associates ensure the safety and longevity of the gear?

We use specific wash programs for certain types of contaminants.

When we inspect a garment, we have approximately 17 checkpoints, encompassing fabric layers, reflective tape, pockets, trims and fastenings on the garment.

When we repair a Bristol garment, we are able to use the same machinery, components, threads and fabric as in its original manufacture.

Over time, we’ve developed intensive repair routines based on years of experience and proven results.

Additionally, every garment is personally signed off by the inspector and the repairer.

In recent years, what growth and investments have been made in the Bristol Managed Services division?

Two major investments stand out.

One is in Scotland, where we opened a service entity in Livingston in the second half of 2021.

Its purpose is to provide service levels and commitments to one of the largest fire and rescue services in the world, which is in that region.

This year, another major investment occurred in our service centre in Bristol, where we undertook a full-scale modernisation.

We’ve introduced new cleaning and drying equipment and implemented an automatic railing system that feeds through the different process steps, from washing to the logistics process back to the customer.

This system uses RFID technology to increase efficiency and improve traceability throughout the process.

This modernisation has brought some pretty exciting changes for us.

This article was originally published in the September 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

Aurelie Favre, Senior Marketing Manager presents MSA Safety’s range of protective gear and technology innovations designed to enhance firefighter safety and efficiency

How is MSA Safety helping firefighters navigate daily challenges?

MSA Safety has a range of solutions to help keep firefighters protected and connected at the fire scene, as well as providing firefighters with tools to simplify compliance and easily access data to help make their jobs easier and ensuring they’re prepared and ready to respond.

Firefighters face a multitude of unpredictable scenarios, ranging from technical rescue missions to wildland firefighting, and in the realm of emergency response, adaptability is an important factor.

Having the appropriate protective gear and technology to suit a given situation can make a difference.

We’re helping firefighters operate safer with new solutions and products that leverage technology and data to help products last longer, perform optimally, and bring awareness to their behaviors.

We’re looking forward to the Emergency Services Show and showcasing our industry-leading solutions including personal protective equipment, like MSA Bristol fire protective clothing, MSA GALLET® Fire Helmets, our M1 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and MSA FireGrid software.

We have the solutions to help firefighters and brigades navigate their challenges through our ecosystem of fire service products.

What are the current trends in fire protective clothing and gear?

The role of protective clothing in helping to protect first responders is an area of particular focus.

Firefighters and decision makers should consider selecting PPE based on their agencies anticipated needs and adapting to evolving hazards, not only adherence to current standards.

Structural gear remains critical for most of the fire rescue services, but there are trends showing firefighters are looking for enhancements to their gear when it comes to fabrics.

MSA Bristol offers diverse types of protective clothing for the varied scenarios to which firefighters respond.

Whether fighting structural fires, navigating urban search and rescue missions, or confronting wildfires, each scenario may demand specialised PPE.

At ESS, MSA Safety will have the full line of Bristol fire protective clothing on display, including our newest design, the MSA Bristol Rescue Stretch.

It integrates one of the industry’s latest innovations, the GORE-TEX CROSSTECH® PYRAD® stretch fabric, which is a lightweight fabric, that is flexible, waterproof, wind proof, and has blood-borne pathogen protection.

It also features incidental flame protection, and comes in varying colors, styles and fits.

MSA will also have the Bristol X4 series of fire protective clothing.

This includes the X4 structural fire protective clothing and X4 Wildland™ garment.

The X4 Wildland garment is designed to be worn for longer periods of time in hot environments.

It offers lightweight comfort to help firefighters in situations where wearing a structural suit could be too inefficient.

Additionally, there will be the X4 TRW-Hybrid™ suit, which is designed for the evolving demands of technical rescue teams and wildland firefighters alike.

With a convertible design, it can transition from technical rescue to wildland firefighting applications, offering versatility without compromising on performance.

With removeable features and durable liquid resistance, it helps provide the level of protection needed for diverse emergency scenarios.

How does Bristol incorporate customer feedback and requests for more diverse sizing and customizable clothing into their designs?

When it comes to diversity in the fire service, there’s a lot of work that has already been done with fire protective clothing to accommodate the diverse builds of firefighters, with a range of fits that Bristol has offered and continues to offer.

But right now, there’s a need for making it known that there are many options out there to accommodate the needs of firefighters.

It’s about providing firefighters with different choices so they can select what turnout gear fits them best.

Incorporating design features into Bristol fire protective clothing comes in large part from customer feedback.

That customer feedback is imperative to Bristol and how we design and deliver new protective firefighting equipment.

Voice of Customer (VOC) activities are important for Bristol during the product development process, and paying attention to form, fit, and function is an important part of that process.

Can you share how connected technology is helping to advance safety in the fire service?

This is an area MSA has been out of front of for some time.

With our Connected Firefighter Platform, we’re continually working to provide valuable insights to firefighters and fire brigades without adding complexity or getting in the way.

This means having our hardware, like the SCBA and our LUNAR® personal search and rescue device, for example, work seamlessly with our FireGrid software, that provides on-scene incident management and after-incident data and inventory management capabilities.

Having all that work seamlessly and intuitively in the background allows firefighters to focus on their tasks, while receiving critical data quickly to help make informed decision on the fire ground.

Having this level of connectivity also means there is data that fire services have access to.

And that is where we aim to enable fire brigades to leverage their data to perform ongoing maintenance to service their SCBA and help to keep better track of equipment and PPE usage.

Additionally, the data can provide insights into training possibilities and help departments track compliance-related tasks, helping to simplify those processes.

How can connectivity impact on-scene operations and post-incident behaviours?

With the MSA FireGrid software, one of its core functionalities is live incident management.

This means you can monitor live data from the M1 SCBA to help the incident commander make more informed decisions in real time.

As the incident is ongoing, data is being sent to the cloud, being safely stored, and can be used later to analysis of the event or to manage gear and supplies.

For post-incident analytics, using the SCBA as an example, firefighters don’t have to change anything about the way that they’re using their equipment, but because our devices are cloud-connected, all that data is stored in their account in the cloud, and we’re able to utilise that data to provide more insightful analytics and reporting for the customer to better inform things like training or on-scene procedures.

We are continually looking at ways enhance our capabilities to bring innovative solutions to the fire service to help keep firefighters safe and ready to go.

Those attending ESS will have the ability to demo these solutions during their time in Birmingham.

MSA Safety‘s garment design experts explore tailored protection and the importance of material engineering in fire-protective clothing for diverse emergency scenarios

In the face of increasingly unpredictable environmental conditions, the role of protective clothing in helping protect first responders is an area of particular focus.

For example, climate change is bringing unprecedented challenges to the fire ground that can impact firefighters’ preparedness.

Consider whether firefighters and decision-makers should be selecting their PPE based on anticipating and adapting to evolving hazards, not only adherence to current standards.

MSA Safety’s garment design experts highlight some of the pivotal factors to consider when selecting fire-protective clothing.

These factors help keep first responders on the front lines safe and prepared for the challenges ahead.

Application: Tailored Protection To Varied Scenarios

Consider the diverse types of protective clothing for the varied scenarios to which firefighters respond.

Whether fighting structural fires, navigating urban search and rescue missions, or confronting wildfires, each scenario may demand specialised PPE.

The features designed for one environment may not be suited to a different environment.

Understanding their distinctions should guide the selection process of the most appropriate garments for your team.

Take structural firefighting, for example.

Structural firefighting PPE generally conforms to widely used regional standards, such as EN469:2020, Level 2, AS4967:2019 or NFPA 1971:2018.

These garments provide a multi-layered defence comprising of a flame-resistant outer layer, a moisture barrier, and thermal linings.

A holistic design like this helps shield from both heat and direct flame exposure whilst also mitigating the risks associated with water and chemical penetration.

Meanwhile, PPE designed for technical rescue, also known as Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), is becoming common in confined space operations and road traffic accidents.

USAR uses generally call for specific attention to flexibility and durability.

These garments feature a more versatile two-layer construction, combining a flame-retardant outer layer with a waterproof membrane.

Such a combination helps protect against injuries during deployments in collapsed buildings or damaged vehicles and also helps reduce the risk of infection from bloodborne pathogens during interventions in road accidents.

When it comes to wildland firefighting, however, specialised garments are usually specifically engineered with a single layer of the flame-retardant outer shell to withstand the rigours of prolonged exposure to extreme heat and flames.

This can be especially crucial for firefighters who endure extended shifts in dry and hot weather conditions as wildfires become hotter and more frequent worldwide.

Performance And Material: Engineering Resilience

The foundation for truly effective protective clothing is materials engineered to withstand the rigours of firefighting and rescue operations, and the quality of the gear is directly linked to its construction.

Consider whether the firefighters’ clothing is made of materials and fibres that protect against the hazards you anticipate and that have moisture management properties to reduce the accumulation of sweat and heat exhaustion for that application.

Para-aramid, meta-aramid, and polybenzimidazole fibres each offer fabrics a unique blend of strength, thermal stability, and flame resistance.

Fibres such as these not only provide a robust defence but also incorporate moisture management properties, helping to curb heat exhaustion.

Para-aramids are known for their strength and durability, while meta-aramids are preferred for their thermal stability and high-temperature resistance.

Polybenzimidazole is known for its excellent resistance to flame and heat, making it another excellent choice for fire protective clothing.

Comfort: Balancing Protection With Wearability

Comfort on the fire ground is not a luxury—it can be an essential component of safety and effectiveness.

Consider whether the demands of your fire and rescue work warrant gear that both protects and enhances performance.

Balancing protection with wearability encompasses a range of factors, from sweat management to ergonomic design.

Selecting ill-fitting PPE that’s too small or tight can impede mobility and compromise thermal insulation.

By adopting ergonomic designs and ensuring a correct fit, fire protective clothing can enhance comfort without sacrificing essential protection.

A well-designed garment can also improve comfort and overall effectiveness by reducing heat stress and allowing sweat to dissipate from the body.

Moreover, carrying a full suite of firefighting equipment can be very physically demanding.

Leveraging lightweight, high-quality fabrics can reduce this burden and minimise fatigue, which can help enable first responders to remain focused and alert.

Compatibility: Synergy Across Equipment

Consider whether the protective clothing, from gloves to helmets, can seamlessly integrate with other PPE to help maximise safety, efficiency, and comfort.

Reducing pressure points or optimising mobility, for example, when protective clothing is compatible with ancillary equipment, can help improve operational efficiency.

Elements such as increased padding and various innovative design features can help enable compatible systems to work in concert during an intervention.

Consider, for example, the role of compatible fire protective clothing in reducing pressure points when worn with a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SBCA).

Strategically placed padding on upper garments to correspond to SCBA straps can significantly enhance firefighters’ effectiveness and ability to navigate hazardous situations, which can reduce the risk of injuries.

But compatibility extends beyond individual pieces of PPE—it can create a comprehensive equipment system that offers enhanced protection for the wearer.

By working closely with suppliers, decision makers can select components, from clothing to accessories, that seamlessly integrate into a unified system that enhances safety and performance.

Durability And Ease Of Care: Investing In Long-Term Resilience

The longevity of protective clothing is a testament to its efficiency.

Robust testing protocols help ensure that garments stand the test of time and can endure the rigours of the job.

From tensile, tearing, and seam strength to resistance against abrasion and puncture, the durability of fire protective clothing should be tested to guarantee that the garments can withstand demanding environments.

Ease of care is another key contributor to this longevity, and laundering practices can play an essential role in maintaining performance standards over the long haul.

By considering the laundering method and frequency of washing during the selection process, fire and rescue services can help ensure that their protective clothing remains in peak condition, maximising its lifespan and minimising the long-term cost of ownership.

MSA Safety’s Fully Managed Service

MSA Safety’s Fully Managed Service for the MSA Bristol range has been at the forefront of providing comprehensive care for protective clothing for over two decades.

This service offering encompasses the lifecycle management of MSA Bristol protective clothing, from collection to washing, inventory, inspection, repair, and return.

Emergency services across various sectors, including Fire and Rescue, Airports, Industrial Brigades, Police, and Ambulance Services, have trusted MSA’s Managed Service, compliant with BS EN ISO 9001:2015.

“As leaders in first responder safety solutions, MSA Safety is committed to pioneering advancements that meet and exceed the evolving needs of frontline responders.

Our Fully Managed Service embodies this commitment, providing comprehensive care that ensures the utmost protection and performance of our protective clothing,” said Adele Harris, UK Bristol Service Manager, MSA Safety.

The Integrated Managed Service System includes cleaning, decontamination, inspection, maintenance, garment tracking, collection and delivery, stock support, and monthly performance reports.

Customers can also access dedicated Service Coordinators who are available via a telephone helpline 24/7, as well as access an online helpdesk portal.

Consider whether your fire and rescue protective clothing is reliable and made-for-purpose.

Such protective clothing serves as one of the frontline defences for first responders, helping safeguard them and enable effective responses to escalating hazards.

By prioritising innovation, embracing wearer-centric design, and leveraging comprehensive management solutions like MSA Safety’s Fully Managed Service, organisations across the globe can empower their teams to confront the challenges of tomorrow with confidence and resilience.

This article was originally published in the July 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.