Advice on dealing with PPE shortages
As PPE factory closures prompt fears of UK shortages, Sean Keller, the boss of a supplier of these products, gives his advice.
It was recently exposed that the world’s number-one manufacturer of medical gloves had experienced a control movement restriction order in Malaysia, resulting in over half (55%) of its factories being shut.
Furthermore, the world’s third biggest supplier of medical gloves was forced to shut a quarter of its factories due to Covid-19 outbreaks among staff.
As a result of these closures, the Klang Valley area in Malaysia – responsible for almost a third of the world’s supply of medical gloves – is thought to be working at a 50% capacity, posing a serious risk to medical glove supply.
While there has been little disruption to supply since the closures so far, the effects are due to be seen in the next couple of months.
Independent practitioners, clinics and hospital leaders should therefore act now to ensure this shortage does not filter through to their institutions. Communication with suppliers is key.
You should understand what they are doing to mitigate risk to your supply, ensuring they have adequate measures against the spread of Covid-19 in factories in place as well understanding their capacity over the coming months.
Fake PPE risk
The shortages of PPE at the beginning of the pandemic led to fraudsters producing fake, unregulated or inferior quality products, therefore posing a risk to the healthcare workers, putting their lives on the line through inadequate protection.
Purchasers should look out for products that have been certified by notified bodies, include CE markings, comply with EN standards and include technical documentation to prove the product meets the essential requirements to justify and support an EU declaration of conformity. This is a mandatory document that should also be present, declaring the products comply with EU requirements.
These are the five key areas that purchasers can look out for. If products do not have any of these elements, there is a good chance that the products are fraudulent and won’t therefore protect workers.
Purchasers of masks and gloves should take time to look at the packaging of the equipment they’re buying and be sure to ask providers to show the technical file and EU declaration of conformity.
Sean Keller is managing director at ASAP Innovations