At the start of the year, British bite resistant clothing producer BitePRO® part of protective clothing group PPSS Group, reported record sales as violence against teachers and care workers continues to be a regular occurrence around the world. BitePRO® CEO Robert Kaiser shares his thoughts on the issue and explains how their clothing range provides peace of mind.
With a background in security services, Mr. Kaiser in 2009 set up PPSS Group, an international firm specialised in the design, production and supply of high performance body armour, such as bullet proof and stab proof body armour for homeland and private security agencies. “We were asked if we could help protect frontline staff from the risk of being bitten by patients, service users or inmates,” he explains. “This ultimately lead to the design of specifically created bite resistant clothing, offering exceptional levels of tear, abrasion and puncture resistance. We subsequently created the BitePRO® brand to identify the clothing range’s application and market/target audience.”
BitePRO® Bite Resistant Clothing is made from the company’s proprietary 100% BitePRO® fabric. This fabric protects the wearer from teeth penetrating the skin during a human bite. This is important, Mr. Kaiser points out, as bite related injuries can of course become infected and the injury could subsequently be contaminated with pathogens. Transmissions of potentially life-threatening viruses, such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV are also a part of reality.
All BitePRO® products are available online and the company employs dedicated BitePRO® consultants who can advise customers and clients on the precise garment designs and potential applications.
“Our main market is the ‘special educational needs sectors’ which includes both parents and teachers and educational professionals,” says Mr. Kaiser. “The second key market is the mental health care sector, including psychiatric hospitals and dedicated ’high-secure’ facilities, privately or state run.”
Information on how frequently bite incidents occur in these facilities is lacking, he adds.
”There are no reliable official numbers available, simply due the lack of, or the efficiency of organisation’s reporting procedures and policies. There is also the additional fact that too many professionals still believe being bitten is “just a part of the job”, hence many chose not to report such incidents. But more and more countries, organisations and governing bodies develop a better understanding of what needs reporting and what is deemed as unacceptable in terms of risk and injuries for educational professionals or healthcare employees.”
A better understanding is also what Mr. Kaiser aims to gain.
“We listen to our customers and clients, aiming to design even more functional, operationally sound and even more user friendly garment designs and products. Another business objective for the not so distant future is to offer our website content in different languages, to make our personal protective clothing brand available to other European and international professionals. It is not uniquely the English speaking professional at risk of being bitten. We fully understand this and will work on this in due course.”
Rachel Riding, Senior Consultant
BitePRO®
