Ontario medical device maker develops new PPE solution

Photo Credit: The Canadian Shield

The Canadian Shield, a Waterloo, Ont.-based medical device manufacturer, has developed the Vizor, an eye shield made of 100 per cent recyclable plastic that attaches to face masks.

According to Canadian Shield officials, the Vizor aims to improve patient and worker safety in healthcare settings by offering an easily accessible additional barrier of protection. “The Vizor, which comes flat-packed for easy storage and distribution, attaches to almost any face mask in seconds,” they said. “This simple, innovative design alleviates a number of issues for frontline workers. Mainly, reduced availability of traditional combination masks, and limited space for storage and distribution of PPE.”

Available in compact, flat-packed packages of 50, a full box of Vizors takes up no more space than a traditional textbook. “With limited storage space in hospitals, and PPE carts packed to the brim, the Vizor’s slim profile takes a fraction of the space compared to 50 face shields or goggles,” they said.

And the ability to separate the Vizor from the mask body means that the Vizor can be fully recycled.

The new product comes on the heels of The Canadian Shield having partnered last month with medical mask maker Breathe Medical Manufacturing Ltd., of Kelowna, B.C., to form the Canadian Association of Medical Mask Manufacturers (CAMMM), an organization designed to help Canada’s government and industry to establish national medical mask manufacturing standards.