A SAILS producer in Wareham is working in collaboration with British motor racing team McLaren and engineers and medical staff from the University of Southampton to produce personal respirator for frontline healthcare staff tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kemp Sails, who manufacture their sails on the Sandford Industrial Estate, have been tasked with making the fabric component of a ‘respirator hood’ which could be used by NHS staff.

Although still in its early testing days, the team had a prototype using “off-the-shelf components” in testing within just a few days.

The model has received positive feedback from doctors, nurses and patients in initial demonstrations at hospitals.

General Manager at Kemp Sails Owain Peters said: “As a non-essential industry we had taken our responsibilities to our customers and staff seriously and closed the doors on our sail manufacturing operation for the time being.

“However, a few of us had also been exploring the possibility of putting our skills and machinery to use on behalf of the NHS.

“We were approached by members of the McLaren F1 Team who were working in conjunction with the University of Southampton last week, and a highly motivated team of expert volunteers convened to create initial units in our sail loft using ‘off the shelf’ components to make the fabric component of a larger ‘Respirator Hood’ assembly.”

Kemp Sails have over 20 employees, plus a pool of industry partners and subcontractors who are all looking to help out with this venture.

The early stage prototype, developed in Southampton, consists of a fabric hood which covers the wearer’s head, integrated with a plastic visor to protect their face.

A small portable unit delivers clean air through a HEPA filter to the wearer from a battery powered fan pack mounted on a belt.

Doctors and nurses will be testing the prototypes on the wards this week in the course of their day-to-day work, to provide comfort and usability feedback.

Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Southampton Paul Elkington said: "We must minimise the risk of infection for medical staff and stop them getting sick at the peak of the pandemic, so that they can care for others.

"The engineering team have rapidly developed something simple yet effective.

"The HEPA filtered air removes 99.95 per cent of particulate matter and the face mask protects from splashes, and so we think this will reduce the risk of infection."

If the tests are successful and the prototype obtains the necessary safety certifications, the concept will be published open source so it would be available to other manufacturers and organisations around the world.

The engineers on the team will also investigate developing simpler prototypes using only components available in developing countries.