Protrade become a leading UK supplier for Optrel’s ‘revolutionary’ Swiss Air face mask

New battery-powered PAPR has been designed to reduce the use of disposable masks across the construction industry

Protrade, the UK’s premier supplier of trade tools, has become a leading supplier for Optrel’s ‘revolutionary’ Swiss Air PAPR Powered Air Purifying Respirator – a key product in support of the business’s commitment to promoting ecological and sustainable products.

The reusable battery-powered masks, which comprise of a half mask, attached to a back-pack mounted filter and variable airflow motor unit, have been designed to take particulate filtration to the highest level and aid the construction industry’s fight against plastic waste – in particular, to significantly reduce the number of disposable face masks being used within the sector.

Optrel has also committed to planting a tree for every Swiss Air system that is sold.

Protrade is just one of a few, fully trained and approved suppliers of the Swiss Air system in the UK. The company’s entire sales team has been required to pass an exam devised by Optrel, to ensure customers receive expert advice when enquiring about the product.

Unlike head-mounted powered respirator systems, which place the entire weight of the battery, motor and filter upon the users head, the Swiss Air design carries the 550g motor and filter unit on an ergonomically designed backpack harness whilst the ultra-comfortable facepiece and headband weigh a meagre 190g.

The unique Swiss Air system, which can be combined with any type of PPE equipment,  including helmets, ear defenders, face visors, and goggles, also boasts an impressive battery runtime of up to 14 hours from a single charge.

Speaking about the launch of Optrel’s new face mask, Des Duddy, managing director at Protrade, said: “We love this concept and, again, it falls under that sustainability bracket that our business is so passionate about. Its biggest benefit, of course, is that it will directly replace the disposable face masks we’ve been wearing over the past year on-site and will drastically cut down the amount that is being thrown away, particularly in the construction or welding environments.

“While the initial price of a Swiss Air system is, of course, higher than a disposable respirator, the outlay only equates to the cost of approximately two hundred FFP3 disposable respirators, there is also no need for a costly face fit test. Following hygiene and safety protocols when using disposable respirators can necessitate the use of up to 4 masks per day, illustrating how quickly the cost of the Swiss Air product can be recovered; that’s without taking the improved filtration and wearer comfort into consideration, which is hard to put a price on.”

“These aren’t new products. They have been around for some time, but like everything, they evolve and improve by utilising the latest technology and materials. This is a foundation for breathing, where all types of ancillary safety products fit over or around it, making it available to everybody without them needing to replace existing PPE equipment.”

More information about the Optrel Swiss Air Powered Air Purifying Respirator can be found here.

Protrade has also confirmed that it will be running its latest Milwaukee Giveaway event between Monday 5 July and Monday 12 July, with discounts being put in place across Protrade’s range of Milwaukee power tools, hand tools, and accessories. Further details can be found here.