Design and manufacture of one-size-fits-all healthcare face shields for the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic

Urvashi F Gunputh; Gavin Williams; Adam Leighton; Wayne Carter; Hirbod Varasteh; Marzena Pawlik; Yiling Lu; Ruth Sims; Melinda Lyons; Jenny Clementson; Gyan Tripathi; Nick Chambers; Matt Roe; Paul Wood

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19368

Design and manufacture of one-size-fits-all healthcare face shields for the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic

Heliyon. 2023 Sep 4;9(9):e19368. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19368. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering, IISE, University of Derby, UK.
² School of Psychology, University of Derby, UK.
³ School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, UK.
⁴ University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, Derby, UK.
⁵ Riverside Medical Packaging Company Ltd., Derby, UK.

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a shortage of personal protective equipment, PPE, which resulted in non-certified PPE being used by healthcare staffs. These would not provide the appropriate protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Together with the local NHS Trust (University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) NHS Foundation Trust) and a local small and medium enterprise (SME), Riverside Medical Packaging Ltd, the University of Derby (UoD) developed test protocols for PPE with a one-size-fits-all concept. Building on best practice in reviewing the literature and current design requirements, key design parameters were identified such as a minimum strap width and comfort level for healthcare related Face Shield. Two strap headbands made from fabric and elastomer with linear stiffness of 44.1 ± 0.3 N/m and 149.1 ± 3.1 N/m respectively were tested with respect to fit and comfort on small and large arc-shaped models. There was an exponential change in pressure from the side to the middle of the strap headbands. The high stiffness of the elastomer in a radial set-up influenced the pressure exerted on a wearer's head when the elastomer strap was used. Meanwhile the coefficient of friction between the fabric strap and arc-shaped model influenced the pressure exerted when a fabric strap was used. The ergonomics of the designed Face Shields supported the one-size-fits-all concept, whereby various gender and head circumferences were considered. The findings in this paper will promote new standards in the design of PPE with a one-size-fits-all target.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coefficient of friction; Ergonomics; Face Shield; One-size-fits-all; ppe.