The right escape device for any threat
—From dangerous gas leaks to fires, life-threatening situations caused by hazardous substances can suddenly occur within seconds. In emergency situations, rescue workers and people in danger must have quick access to equipment that enables them to breathe safely. Every second in which the body is depleted of oxygen or exposed to high concentrations of toxic substances can result in acute or lasting harm to health.
This page introduces our escape hoods, escape devices and oxygen self-rescuers, giving you an explanation of which emergency scenarios each one is designed for. You'll also learn important factors to keep in mind when performing a risk assessment of your work site, so that you can choose the products that best suit your needs.
What kind of escape breathing device do you need?
—If you use a filtering escape device that relies on ambient air, there must be a certain level of oxygen available in the ambient air (in Germany, for example, the minimum is 17%), the hazardous substance must be known, and the concentration must lie within the limits for using a filtering escape device. These systems are particularly well-suited for short escape paths.
Smoke Hood
These protect your breathing and eyes from harmful gases released during a fire. Smoke hoods are simple to use, even without training, and offer up to 15 minutes of protection for the wearer to evacuate to a safe location.
Industrial escape devices
Special industrial escape devices protect against multiple gases that commonly occur during emergencies in industrial settings. They provide up to 15 minutes of protection and are available in different versions: mouthpiece version, half-face mask or hood.
4 key points for selecting an escape device
—When an emergency occurs, fast, intuitive escape devices can speed up the rescue process and save lives. The more comfortable an escape device is, the lower the risk of user error. Follow our expert advice for more information about this topic.
Risk assessment
A risk assessment clearly identifies any risks that are present on a work site, along with any impacts that need to accounted for in case safety precautions fail. The most common risks in industrial settings are fires (for example, when handling flammable materials), leaks (for example, from a tank) or oxygen depletion (for example, in confined spaces).
Threat level
When selecting equipment, consider how much breathable air you will require throughout the period of use. Generally speaking, Isolation devices with compressed air bottles can provide breathable air for up to 45 minutes. If you need to supply clean air for a longer period, you can use a hose system. This allows for a practically unlimited clean air supply. Wearing-time restrictions and average air consumption of individual users are also important factors.
Escape time
Every company has its own emergency response plan. This defines the time window for an escape in case of specific emergency scenarios. Escape devices must be able to operate safely for (at least) this time window.
Cost-effectiveness
In addition to safety-related aspects, cost is an important topic to consider. In many cases, one piece of equipment can be used for more than one purpose. However, this does not necessarily mean that it would be the best option in terms of cost. By evaluating all relevant factors, you can make a better decision on which solution is the safest and most cost-effective.
5 tips for safe evacuation with respiratory protection
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- Regular training is indispensable. Training exercises must be performed under stress and at least at the regular intervals prescribed by law.
- Continual monitoring/employee self-monitoring: Is the employee physically fit enough to wear respiratory protection equipment both in their everyday jobs as well as in emergency situations?
- Equipment inspections: Respiratory protection devices used for emergency escape must always be ready for immediate use. That means they must not only be regularly maintained, but also tested during the interim between maintenance intervals.
- Regular safety meetings to ensure equipment fits properly: Which factors can prevent equipment from fitting properly? How can workers test the equipment themselves to ensure a proper fit?
- Forming squads or appointing security officers (who are trained to use respiratory protection gear) to protect employees who work in areas where there is a risk of hazardous substances.
Every second counts
Let's be honest: If an emergency were to occur, how long would it take you to put on the escape device that is used at your work site? We hope it won't take you much longer than the test subject in our video...
The fact is, every second can save lives. That's why we have made further improvements to the Dräger PARAT® 5500 escape hood, making it even more intuitive to use.
Knowledge to go
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The best equipment for your emergency response plan
Every hazard scenario poses specific demands. Find out more in our infographic and see the right respiratory protection for different emergency response scenarios.
More on respiratory protection
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Light respiratory protection: Filtering devices
Even light respiratory protection can help prevent inhalation of many types of hazardous substances. Here you can see which type of filtering device can protect you from particles, gases and vapours.
Heavy respiratory protection: Isolation systems
These are used in areas where there are high concentrations of hazardous substances or a lack of oxygen. They provide the wearer with a safe air supply.
Safely using respiratory protection
Respiratory protection can only work reliably when used correctly. We have compiled a collection of practical tips and background information for you from our respiratory protection experts.
Get in touch with Dräger
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No. 6, Jalan 15/22, Taman Perindustrian Tiong Nam, Seksyen 15, 40200 Shah Alam,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
2504-C West Tower, Tektite Towers, Exchange Road, Ortigas Center,
Pasig City 1605 Metro Manila, Philippines
Not all products, features, or services are for sale in all countries. Please contact your local Dräger representative for more information.