Safe Life Introduces N95 Respirator with Antimicrobial Protection

Safe Life Corp. announces the availability of the Safe Life A400 Series N95 Respirator with Antimicrobial Protection. The A400 is designed to be a comfortable, breathable respirator with the added protection of an active antimicrobial based on iodine, which has a nearly 200-year track record for being effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms.

As the H1N1 influenza virus continues to spread around the world, the need for N95 respirators for healthcare workers and other occupational users is more critical than ever. Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reinforced its existing guidelines on respiratory protection by recommending the use of fit-tested, N95 respirators for healthcare personnel who are in close contact with patients with suspected or confirmed 2009 H1N1 influenza. Other global health organizations that have publicly supported N95 usage include the Institute of Medicine and the Ontario Ministry of Health.

According to Richard Jaffe, chairman and CEO of Safe Life, the A400 represents a significant technology advancement that addresses the major challenges healthcare workers and other occupational users have long faced when wearing N95 respirators. “In the past 20 years, little has changed in respirator design, which means healthcare workers and other occupational users have been forced to choose between the comfort and breathability of a surgical mask and the filtration power of an N95 respirator,” he said. “Now, with the A400, which looks and feels like a surgical mask yet has the full protection of a respirator, workers no longer have to make compromises when it comes to comfort, safety and patient care.”

Among the first healthcare providers to equip its employees with the new Safe Life N95 Respirator with Antimicrobial Protection is Scripps Health, a $2 billion, nonprofit community health system based in San Diego. To ensure proper protection during the H1N1 pandemic, Scripps is providing Safe Life’s A400 Series respirator to healthcare staff in high-risk settings at all of its five acute-care hospital campuses as well as 19 outpatient centers and clinics.

“The health and safety of Scripps Health employees and patients are top priorities,” said Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health. “The availability of this new product enables us to maintain an ample supply of N95 respirators throughout the flu season and also reinforces an overarching commitment to workplace safety by providing our employees with a respirator that can be worn easily for an entire shift.”

he compact, flat-fold design of the Safe Life A400 minimizes storages requirements and makes it ideal for stockpiling. The Safe Life N95 Respirator with Antimicrobial Protection is available in two sizes: small/medium (model A430) and medium/large (model A450). Safe Life is ramping up production at its manufacturing facilities in Williston, Vt. and Ipoh, Malaysia, and has the capacity to produce more than 100 million A400 respirators in 2010. The A400 is available through most major healthcare distributors.