Ballyclare Limited - Experts & Thought Leaders

A major new order has shone the spotlight on the latest evolution of Ballyclare’s Xenon firefighter rescue jackets. The order has been awarded by three fire and rescue services in the Yorkshire and Humberside region and covers the rescue jacket requirements of some 3,200 firefighters. “PPE rescue jackets are subject to constantly evolving customer demands because of the ever-widening range of duties which fire and rescue crews face, many of which are not fire-related,” explains Ballyclare’s Business Development Manager, Andrew Buckley. “This exerted a strong influence on the design and manufacture of our new jackets and will allow them to bring several benefits to firefighters in the South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, and Humberside regions.” fire-related and rail applications The color meets the requirements of RIS-3279 -TOM, a high visibility standard The new Xenon garments have been produced in a new orange/red color that makes them suitable for use in both fire-related and rail applications. The color meets the requirements of RIS-3279 -TOM – a high visibility standard that applies to the UK rail industry, and ensures rail workers on or near the trackside is sufficiently visible to trains or any other approaching traffic. “We could have achieved the technical and color requirements using fabrics with polyester fibers, but we knew there were potential questions about the long-term reliability of these fabrics,” adds Andrew Buckley. Flame retardant properties “We worked closely with the customer and our fabric suppliers to identify a suitable non-polyester fabric alternative. This is inherently flame retardant, and unlike fabrics which simply have a flame-retardant surface covering, it won’t degrade over time or be affected by repeated washing cycles.” “This maintains a high level of protection for the wearer and extends the operating life of the jackets considerably. The jackets also satisfy other customer specifications, meeting the relevant rescue and wildland standards, but also offer maximum comfort and freedom of movement to the wearer.” Multi-functional structural firefighting garments The new jackets share the same advanced design and material solutions as Ballyclare’s highly successful XENON multi-functional structural firefighting garments. Manufactured to exact national and international safety, performance, and quality standards, they incorporate such features as additional reinforcement on the collar, cuff, and arm areas, to provide cut-and-puncture protection. Moisture barrier Ballyclare identified GORE-TEX moisture barrier with CROSSTECH® Product Technology as the most advanced option A key consideration for the new jackets was the choice of moisture barrier for the internal drop liner, as this material would play a critical role in the comfort and breathability of the garments. Ballyclare identified a GORE-TEX moisture barrier with CROSSTECH® Product Technology as the best and most advanced option available for this application. The fabric itself provides durable, breathable waterproof protection from blood pathogens, chemicals, and particulates, enhanced by the use of fully-proprietary seam sealing technology in the construction of the jackets. Presence of fire-retardant tape The jackets also feature the world’s first fire-retardant and fully-launderable phosphorescent tape. After just a few minutes of exposure to ultraviolet light, this tape increases safety levels for the wearer by emitting an intense glow for up to 8 hours, allowing the jackets to be seen more easily in the dark or poorly-illuminated conditions.

Ballyclare has revealed details of a major new tender win with the latest additions to its XENON range of multi-functional structural firefighting clothing. The contract, which covers PPE for some 3,200 firefighters, has been awarded by three fire and rescue services in the Yorkshire and Humberside region and includes new additions to the XENON range which have been developed to meet the specific demands of this customer. Provide bespoke solutions “With today’s firefighting and rescue professionals facing an ever-expanding range of challenges, we continue to develop our XENON garments to make sure they offer the highest levels of protection,” explains Ballyclare’s Business Development Manager, Andrew Buckley. We’re constantly working with our customers to advance the XENON range" “We’re constantly working with our customers to advance the XENON range and provide bespoke solutions for their requirements. This latest success is another example of that strategy in action, and it will benefit firefighters in the South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and Humberside regions.” Unique layered construction “One of the key factors for us awarding the contract to Ballyclare was the feedback provided by the end-users who participated in the garment tests,” explains Category Manager Mark Lloyd, of the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. “Wearers commented that they felt no need to remove their suits as soon as possible in order to cool down, and described the garments as the ‘most comfortable’ and ‘most innovative’ PPE they had ever worn. The level of protection, moisture management, and freedom of movement also drew comments from the test participants.” The new garments feature a unique layered construction which enhances the traditional XENON advantages of outstanding protection, high levels of breathability, and maximum freedom of movement. Outstanding tensile strength The rugged construction of this fabric allows the XENON garments to withstand constant washing cycles The outer layer of the garments is a strong but extremely lightweight fabric which provides excellent protection against heat and flame, and also delivers outstanding tensile strength. It will not become brittle, shrink or break open when exposed to flame or high temperatures, thus ensuring reliable protection for the wearer. Next comes a cutting-edge moisture barrier which has been specified to meet the requirements of this customer. A unique, lightweight 3D construction and a ‘ridged’ profile reduce the amount of contact with the wearer by some 30%. This increases the barrier’s ability to trap air and provide another heat barrier, and also speeds up the transmission of moisture away from the wearer. The rugged construction of this fabric allows the XENON garments to withstand constant washing cycles without compromising on comfort, breathability, or protection. Ensuring maximum comfort Completing the new XENON garments is a thermal layer which also has a 3D construction that traps air to add yet another barrier against heat. This hydrophilic layer also helps transfer moisture away from the wearer and into the moisture barrier, thus allowing the wearer’s skin to breathe more easily and ensuring maximum comfort. After just a few minutes of exposure to ultraviolet light, this tape gives off an intense glow for up to 8 hours The new XENON garments also include the world’s first fire-retardant and fully launderable phosphorescent tape, which significantly increases the visibility of firefighters in dark conditions. After just a few minutes of exposure to ultraviolet light, this tape gives off an intense glow for up to 8 hours, in conditions where there is little or no light, significantly increasing the visibility of the wearer. Specific safety standards “We have worked with our colleagues from across Yorkshire as part of a regional exercise to secure new structural PPE from Ballyclare International,” adds Humberside Fire & Rescue Service Procurement Manager, Dave Lofthouse. “This has helped us all benefit from efficiencies while providing our staff with new PPE that improves their safety and comfort.” As with all Ballyclare firefighter PPE, the new XENON garments are manufactured to exacting national and international safety, performance and quality standards. These include specific safety standards for firefighter clothing EN469 (protective clothing for firefighters. Performance requirements for protective clothing for firefighting activities) and standards not specific to firefighter suits such as EN ISO 13688 (protective clothing - general requirements).

Ballyclare is well placed to meet the requirements of the regulatory changes that will come into force in April 2018 Workwear garment manufacturer Ballyclare Limited has confirmed the process used to manufacture life-saving workwear supplied to the fire, rail, general industrial and oil and gas sectors is accredited to Article 11B of the PPE Directive. This ensures Ballyclare is already well placed to meet the requirements of the regulatory changes covering complex PPE garments that will come into force in April next year. New PPE Regulations The regulation changes will require garment manufacturers such as Ballyclare to move from compliance with the current PPE Directive, and satisfy the more stringent requirements of the new and mandatory PPE Regulations. “Essentially, Article 11B is an externally-audited accreditation system which monitors the production of complex, life-saving PPE to ensure the quality of the finished garment,” explains Ballyclare Operations Director, Dawn Scott. “We have held Article 11B accreditation since 2011, and so we’re perfectly placed to satisfy the new regulations, and have been for a considerable time.” Strict quality control “Article 11B provides confidence that products such as our structural firefighter suits and other life-saving garments are produced under our strict quality controls. To achieve compliance, our various manufacturing, design and head office facilities are independently assessed by BSI.” adds Dawn. “These assessments cover many different aspects of our operations, such as the actual manufacturing processes and the quality control measures we use. Fortunately, our existing operating methods mean we’ll easily be able to provide the information required for next year’s assessment. The new regulations will also put a strong emphasis on the technical files which a manufacturer such as ourselves must provide for scrutiny, but we’re proud to say our own technical files already meet the requirements for the forthcoming changes. “We are ahead of the game and fully prepared for the changes in the market. As a result, our customers know they can continue to purchase and use Ballyclare products, safe in the knowledge they are already, and will continue to be, fully compliant.”