Mask and you will receive
More than 500 ‘mask clips’ have been produced and distributed to NHS workers, thanks to the formidable skills of engineers Peter Sadler and Jamie Russell, from Tyneside Mail Centre.
Engineering team coach, Peter Sadler is currently mid-way through an Engineering Design degree (Mechatronics) at the University of Central Lancashire as part of his Engineering Development Program (Level 6).
‘As part of the program, I have learned how to 3D print and 3D model in CAD,’ he said. ‘Since the covid-19 outbreak, I have designed and printed more than 600 “touch-free” door openers and distributed them to everyone at Tyneside Mail Centre to help reduce colleague contact with high-risk areas such as pull-type door handles.
‘After talking to some friends of his who are nurses, my colleague, Jamie Russell, came up with the idea to design a device to help alleviate the strain on the ears of NHS workers who are having to wear protective face masks all the time.
‘I got back on CAD and designed a clip to be worn on the back of a mask wearer’s head, to remove the ear strain caused by the straps. After printing a handful off followed by a bit of testing and tweaking, we went into production, and over the past few weeks, have donated as many as we can to local NHS staff and key workers.’
Peter and automation maintenance engineer, Jamie have worked closely together since Jamie started as an apprentice more than five years ago. Like Peter, Jamie is also on an engineering development program and is currently studying at Training 2000, to gain his HNC Level 4 qualifications.
‘When this idea was just a thought, I knew Peter was the one to share it with as I know I can count on him to deliver,’ said Jamie. ‘Before I knew it, he had brought my idea to life and designed a first version mask clip. Once that was done, I made a request on social media for advice on how to get the clips to frontline NHS workers, care home staff and anyone else, who is required to wear a mask for long periods of time.
‘Since then, the project has snowballed into something much larger than either of us could possibly have imagined, with requests coming in from as far afield as Manchester General Hospital, University Hospital of Oxford, and even a care home in Essex.
‘We’re lucky enough to have two 3D printers, one provided by management, and the other, paid for solely by Peter himself. Peter and I also split the costs of the filament roles required to print and the bags we use to package them up. As a team, we print around 10 mask clips an hour, followed by the long and tedious process, done in our own time, of quality inspection and ensuring there are no sharp pieces of 3D filament left on the mask. Once they have been cleared to our standards, I then go through the process of sanitising, packaging and hand delivering the masks to the NHS sites that have requested them.
‘The aim going forward is to ensure that every NHS worker who requests a mask clip, is provided with one in an effort to make those long shifts slightly more bearable by not having to deal with the pain and stress caused by a mask pulling on the backs of one’s ears.
‘With a total of 514 (and counting) mask clips delivered to various locations around the North East of England, completely free of charge, this project has given us the chance to give back to the wonderful key workers who are currently helping this country defeat the coronavirus crisis.’
Tyneside plant engineering manager, Paul Smith, said: ‘It’s clear to see why the business is investing in Peter and Jamie in terms of their continued professional development.
‘I’m really looking forward to when the Tyneside engineering team get the opportunity to support our parcels automation strategy, as I’m confident the talent I have throughout the team will support Royal Mail in continuing to win in parcels and deliver for our customers.
‘Finally, a big thank you to our service delivery leader (SDL) Mathew Mangan for funding a printer to support production.’
