Donating Masks

[custard]

A few days ago there was an article on the television about GP's (and also GP practise nurses and receptionists) suffering from a serious shortage of protective equipment. I use FFP2 face masks for sanding and had an unopened box of ten 3M masks in the workshop, so I called my local GP surgery and asked if they would be useful. I was surprised at the urgency of their response, they said they'd be extremely grateful as presently they were just using basic paper surgical masks!

I guess there are other people on the forum with spare masks. If so try calling your local GP surgery to see if they might need them.

 

[Duncan A]

I don't have anything suitable for the doctors but surely there are countless 1000's of masks currently unused in closed down facilities all over the country. I believe one of the F1 teams has donated 500 masks, but there must be far bigger users out there that could help their local medics.

Anyone here with NHS links that would know if that has been tried?
Duncan

 

[Rorschach]

I offered some P3 masks but they didn't want them because they were out of date and the box wasn't sealed.

 

[AJB Temple]

Custard this is a very good idea. I have a box of similar masks and have emailed my doctors to if she wants them.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I emailed a surgeon freind and asked if he knew anyone who could use a few litres of isopropyl and answer came there none. :?

 

[Sonny184]

I don't have anything suitable for the doctors but surely there are countless 1000's of masks currently unused in closed down facilities all over the country. I believe one of the F1 teams has donated 500 masks, but there must be far bigger users out there that could help their local medics.

Anyone here with NHS links that would know if that has been tried?
Duncan

Wife is private and sister is NHS nurse. Both said their hospital would only accept a particular type of mask and they would have to know date of manufacter etc. What they both have said is the sheer outpouring of other help they have received. Daily, they get nearby organiations donating lunch for the staff. Interestingly, there are far less stringent checks on free cakes and currys!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

1973/74 mid winter I worked on a road bridge. H&S was only then really beginning. One day safety harnesses turned up ............different parts in different boxes. Great, I thought, a day in the welder's hut by the one and only stove were I was working. I duly spliced all the ropes doing perfect, tidy job, all tapered and whipped. The H&S guy came around - who made these up? I did. Have you got a ticket? No, I haven't. Well, I can't let anyone use gear with knots that you've tied. We worked 100 feet off the ground no safety harnesses for another three months while we waited for more.
You'd think something was better than nothing, but what do I know?

 

[TheTiddles]

If you ever come across a good H&S person, they are awesome, all the pressure gets lifted from you, they sort everything for you and all you have to do is give them the technical expertise they don’t have and sign it off once they’re done. I say this as I have met one, once, I miss her...

Aidan

 

[Myfordman]

If you ever come across a good H&S person, they are awesome, all the pressure gets lifted from you, they sort everything for you and all you have to do is give them the technical expertise they don’t have and sign it off once they’re done. I say this as I have met one, once, I miss her...

Aidan

At the place where you and I used to work it took me ages to persuade senior management that as a research establishment we did not need H&S staff to stop us doing potentially unsafe things but instead we needed people to help us to do what we needed to in safe ways. We had some terrible jobsworths until we got the right people with a can-do attitude.

 

[RogerS]

Now that is really interesting as when I looked up the requirement for Covid-19 I read FFP3. So just Googled some more and FFP2 is valid. And I shelled out a small fortune for an FFP3 for my wife.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I ran a busy cellar and on numerous occasions I got letters telling me it was dangerous to bounce kegs in onto a dolly bag. I always polnted out to any inspector that that was exactly what was done nationwide daily with tens of thousands of kegs off drays by draymen.

 

[shed9]

If you have spare PPE contact your Local Health Board and County Council. These are the primary points of contact to manage supply (or lack of) to the areas that need it most within your own locale. It's not just health care workers that are crying out for these things, yes they are clearly the most obvious but in some cases there is an excess in certain items and the LHB's and Councils are ensuring stock is available where most needed where ever that may be, even if sometimes that is back into businesses.

For info, it's not just masks and to clarify FFP2 will suffice in some cases as an absolute minimum but FFP3 is the preferred option. sanitising gel, anti-bacterial wipes, latex gloves and full face respirators are also needed.

Don't be offended if your offer is not taken up with the gusto you expected, just call few more people. I've genuinely heard of people taking abuse over the phone from others because their PPE stock or offer of assistance has been turned down. Any decline is not personal it's just the changing nature of this thing and it will change again.

 

[screwpainting]

Great idea Custard, I actually gave all mine to my daughter in law for her and the guys she works with at her police station. May not be bomb proof and jobsworth certified, but better than nothing.