Effective blunt trauma protection ignored by most body armour manufacturers

Effective blunt trauma protection ignored by most body armour manufacturers

Kicks, punches and blows during a physical confrontation can cause blunt trauma, blunt injury or blunt force trauma, all of which are types of physical trauma. Most common body armour manufacturers have ignored this risk and overlooked the potential horrendous injuries which can occur following such attacks.

Based on my own professional frontline experience and our extensive research I can only stress that an impact based assault is a more likely event here in the UK than an attack involving an edged weapon or even firearm.

Most body armour supplied to UK’s frontline professionals (this includes private security, local government enforcement, emergency services, hospital security and university security teams) offer UK Home Office certified bullet or edged weapon protection, but very much neglect the need for effective blunt trauma protection.

What level of protection is really essential for those dealing with potentially hostile members of the public?

There is of course no ‘golden rule’, as each of the previously mentioned services have different operational duties and face different operational risks and threats. However, here are some very simple, but nevertheless important common sense guidelines.

Blunt trauma related risks and other threats

The risk of private security, local government enforcement or prison officers facing an aggressor with a firearm is extremely low here in the UK. Much lower compared to other European countries or the USA.

The risk of frontline professionals facing an aggressor with an edged weapon, knife or hypodermic needle is reasonably low, but realistic here in the UK, and based on my professional opinion, frontline professionals require a reasonable level of protection from such threat.

The risk of frontline professionals being punched, kicked and thrown about whilst doing their job is high in the UK. Frontline professionals must be protected from such realistic and likely threat and body armour supplied to these professionals must considerably reduce the effects of blunt trauma by absorbing energy and distributing forces over a much larger area.

Let us look at prison officer for example. How likely is it that a prison officer will get shot? It is extremely unlikely. How likely is it that a prison officer is getting stabbed or slashed? That is certainly possible and realistic. The question how likely it is that one of these great professionals is getting beaten up or physically assaulted by a punch, kick or self made weapon must be answered with ‘high’. Should this indisputable fact not make us think very carefully when issuing body armour to our employees or colleagues?

You are already wearing body armour? Then ask yourself the question, will your body armour protect you effectively from someone punching you really hard in your stomach? Will it protect you effectively form someone kicking your rib cage when you already ion the floor? Will it protect you from someone hitting your back or spine with a blunt object? If not, then ask yourself the question “are you wearing the right body armour”?

However, many body armour manufacturers try to find around this and now use materials, such as ‘laminated Kevlar®’ and state that their body armour offer a good level of blunt trauma protection. I personally would be very careful with such claim. What does ‘good’ actually mean?

‘Good’ in my opinion is not good enough. The fact that spine and rip cage injuries and other blunt trauma related injuries can cause irreparable damage to the body, and the fact that anyone on the street is physically capable to commit such an assault makes me believe that body armour must offer excellent blunt trauma protection, not ‘good’ protection. Laminated Kevlar® is certainly not the best material out there and a body armour featuring such material will not protect you from a serious blow, kick or punch. It might well reduce the impact to a certain extend, but body armour using polycarbonate or similar high performance materials have taken blunt trauma protection to a completely different level without adding any cost.

My advice to all those who are charged with evaluating real operational risks and those charged with looking into the purchase of body armour is simple. Please ask your body armour manufacturer or supplier what level of blunt trauma protection their proposed body armour offers. What stops you from asking a simple question such as “Can I punch or kick you while you wear your own body armour?” As we say, ‘the proof is in the pudding’ and ‘actions speak louder than words’.

Issuing body armour means protecting your frontline staff from a realistic threat without going over the top and issuing protective equipment that is too bulky, heavy and uncomfortable. Body armour don’t need to be bulky, heavy, uncomfortable or aggressive looking. Technology and manufacturing capabilities have improved a lot over the past years, and so has effective blunt trauma protection.

Please call us if you have any question in reference to blunt trauma protection or visit our website.