AUTOMOTIVE PPE
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
With our front line heroes working in health, law and order, supermarkets and associated supply chains, they are well catered to for PPE, so our thoughts have turned to the ‘rest of us’.
As countries move through the various levels of lockdown we worry what essential contact needs to be had, with others outside our bubbles.
When restrictions are lifted, what will be deemed essential travel? Will we be able to just go for a drive, or what are the restrictions on our freedom of movement?
Let’s face it; life will not be the same. Humans globally have had enough time in lockdowns to form new habits. These habits will no doubt long outlast the COVID-19 vaccine that is so urgently being created.
In areas faced with outbreaks like SARS in the past, we see these trends already ingrained. Countries such as Singapore, China and Malaysia have protocols established in the public spaces and transport industry that other places have not considered. I personally have travelled in these places and focused on some of the ‘surfaces’ used in public places. Having a particular interest in the transport industry and vehicle interiors, we note that any shared surfaces are of a sealed, non-porous, non-soakable type.
CAN COVID-19 LIVE IN OUR CAR SEATS?
This leads to the question, Is COVID-19 able to live on soft cloth surfaces of any shared seating? As the answer is most likely yes, RVE turned its attention to protecting our staff and loved ones from the current greatest threats - “Each Other”.
Driver and passengers need to be separated to meet social distancing. Most importantly, if more than one occupant are travelling together outside of the immediate family, we have to be kept apart. This creates a problem for the shift worker or trades person not being able carry staff etc and may not have budget for a 2nd vehicle. What is the solution to create an RVE Automotive Driver Shield?
Using our heritage, skills and passion for the automotive interior, wheels started turning. Since 1968 RVE has been producing stunning leather and vinyl interiors, screens and covers, plus the good old Auto Trimming service.
RVE VISORS AND GOGGLES
A barrier screen is an answer to PPE’s ‘visor’ or ‘goggles’. A clear PVC screen creates an impenetrable barrier for aerosol droplets, one of the main sources of transmission of Coronavirus. Easily cleaned and removable, RVE’s knowledge of vehicle safety systems comes to light. Others have made basic side to side screens using metal poles hooked into plastic trim panels. While this looks simple, a very big fundamental has been overlooked; Side Curtain Airbags.
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS
The side curtain airbag is in all new cars and a large proportion of older vehicles on our roads. This is designed to deploy from the edge of the roof lining, down between the seat and windows. Any metal bars in its way are turned into interior missiles with devastating results. RVE’s innovative headrest mounting system has removed these dangers.
RVE SEAT GLOVES
RVE Driver Shields are effective for single use vehicles too, as the rest of the vehicle interior can be cleaned less often. On the other hand, vehicles with drivers swapping between shifts and shared use vehicles need regular cleaning. Here the seating hard surfaces come into favour.
Vinyl is a sealed surface that can be regularly cleaned with detergents and soaps. It withstands usual sanitizing processes, making it ideal for seat covering. There are high quality cloths and fabrics available but regular cleaning leaves them wet, while vinyl can be cleaned and dried between shifts.
Seat covers can be customized as a slip over cover set, similar to Overalls or the PPE Glove, and as complete replacement cover sets for a permanent and non-commercial look for high passenger vehicles such as Taxis, Shuttles, Buses and Ferries etc.
RVE is the only recognized facility in New Zealand to sew these seams, all covers are compliant with seat airbag legislation, backed up by years of independent testing and high speed filming.
RVE offers hope to an industry struggling with the concept of losing our independence for the foreseeable future.
