Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1258433
If this article had been published a year ago, it probably wo- uld have not interested too many people, but in the current circumstances, things are different. The personal biosecurity kits should be an every-day reality to the police and other services, and their use had better be a routine. The policemen and other members of law enforcement services are exposed not only to the violence-related injuries every day, but also to contact with biological material of the subjects. The particularly critical are the situations in which it is necessary to use means of direct coercion (primarily asso- ciated with the use of physical force) and those in which they give pre-medical aid, and also when they are in contact with human remains in a state of advanced decay, dismemberment or decomposition – for instance in case of an explosion of the explosive material or explosive device. An incidental, but equally significant element of the use of the personal protective equipment (PPE), is an increase in the procedural effectiveness. The gloves, suits or respiratory protective equipment are also often a barrier between an of- ficer and an evidentiary material in the form of the biological and chemical traces (trace amounts of substances). For this reason, it should not be a surprise that at this moment in time (pandemic) you can observe the situations in which the officers either use the improper PPE, or use it incorrectly. PPE is a quite extensive subject, but for the purposes of this article we will focus solely on those most common one used on duty. www.fragoutmag.com