WHAT IS THE OGGIEAIR?
OggieAir is a Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) for front line medical personnel that delivers safe, clean filtered air from a battery powered respirator unit via breather tube to create a positive pressure inside a lightweight hood that can be comfortably worn for hours on end.
OUR CAMPAIGN:
We are utilising crowdfunding through our BackaBuddy Campaign to make 20 ‘first edition’ units, fitted with a certified filter material to prevent viral and bacterial exposure. The funds raised will be used to cover cost of manufacture (no profit) and fund next steps of development – the 20 units will be donated to Frontline workers and people with disabilities or their carers in high risk situations.
WHAT ARE YOU DONATING TOWARDS?
Cost Breakdown:
20 x OggieAir Powered Respirator at Cost Price: ZAR 84 000.00
Cost of testing and certification: ZAR 66 000.00
TOTAL AMOUNT: ZAR 150 000.00
ADVANTAGES OF USING THE OGGIEAIR
WATCH: OUR DESIGN TEAM TALKS ABOUT THE OGIEAIR PERSONAL RESPIRATOR
ABOUT US – SHONAQUIP SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MANUFACTURERS:
We have grown from a home-based organisation employing 3 people, to employing an inclusive team of 69 people in an ISO 9001 certified business with an existing license to manufacture, export and distribute Class A medical devices with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA)
Shonaquip Social Enterprise have been designing, producing and servicing customized posture and mobility support devices for 30 years. We maintain a +-30% disability inclusive team to reflect an inclusive work environment. With our inclusive team we have grown the impact of our work across South Africa & into 7 countries including Europe and the Middle East, serving 5,871 direct beneficiaries annually and 360,740 through capacity building impact. Our team continues to reflect the diversity of our Country including disability, gender, educational opportunities, religion and sexual orientation.
As COVID-19 resources take priority in South Africa, government services to people with disabilities are under strain. Producing and selling the OggieAir Personal Respirator will enable us to keep our teams employed and empowered during the National Lockdown and beyond, by providing great quality, affordable Personal Protection Equipment to Front line workers, Caregivers and Businesses in South Africa and Africa – ensuring that we can all contribute to keeping children with disabilities and other vulnerable community members safe.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
OVERVIEW
OggieAir is a Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) that delivers safe, clean filtered air from a battery powered respirator unit via breather tube to create a positive pressure inside a lightweight hood that can be comfortably worn for hours on end.
Initial field feedback provided by doctors, nurses and caregivers shows that a Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) such as this is preferred to standard N95/FFP3 masks, as it is more comfortable over long periods of use, reduces time lost removing and replacing PPE between patients, and allows for better communication.
HOOD
The hood is a barrier between the wearer and their surroundings.
It allows only purified air to enter the wearer’s respiratory system via a breather tube from the respirator unit, creating a positive pressure inside to keep airborne contaminants out. It is designed to be comfortable to wear for hours, with a visor that maximises the wearer’s periphery vision and makes their whole face visible to anyone interacting with them.
The soft structure hood is made from a durable, hydrophobic and chemically resistant material, which means it can be safely cleaned with conventional medical grade disinfectants and used many times over, reducing the need for single-use PPE and the environmental impact of disposable items. It is also latex-free to avoid the risk of allergic reaction.
A lightweight head harness gives structure to the hood, which can be adjusted to fit a range of head sizes and provide a comfortable fit to users with demanding and lengthy work shifts. The harness stabilises the visor, always keeping it in front of the user’s face, creating unobstructed space for fresh air flow to reach the user.
The integrated visor is optically transparent, providing a clear and undistorted view to the user. Fogging is reduced with the air flow directed down over the visor. This also means that spectacles can be comfortably worn without the conventional issues associated with face masks.
RESPIRATOR UNIT
At the heart of the OggieAir is the respirator unit, which can be carried in multiple positions by the user according to their preference by way of padded straps and belts. Inside the respirator unit’s enclosure is an integrated rechargeable lithium ion battery pack that powers a compact blower. This blower draws air in through a high efficiency particle filter and sends it up a breather tube to the hood.
The OggieAir uses a particle filter tested to SANS 50149, providing appropriate protection against biological contaminants like the Corona virus. Replacement filters will be locally available, although this filter can be used for up to 6 months before it needs changing.
CERTIFICATION
Under regulation from the NRCS the OggieAir will be certified and registered against requisite “EN 12941:2008 Respiratory protective devices – Powered filtering devices incorporating a helmet or a hood”.
Draft instruction, information, videos and marketing materials are being developed.
Shonaquip is an ISO9001 certified manufacturer and has an existing license to manufacture, export and distribute Class A medical devices with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).