Leeds: With piracy remaining a hot topic in 2015 especially in Southeast Asia one company is promoting the idea of seafarers wearing body armour when transiting dangerous waters. And the apparel can also prevent injuries in rough weather, claims Tom Creedon, a director at SafeGuard Armour.
“There are still many misconceptions about body armour that lead people to believe that they are simply bullet proof vests. However, that isn’t the case,” says Creedon. Body armour can protect the wearer against many things besides rounds fired from a firearm. The effect of shrapnel, sharp objects and blunt force injury are also lessened by specific body armour, he says, and will highly increase the chance of surviving potentially fatal accidents at sea.
“One of the largest misconceptions of experienced men at sea,” Creedon reckons, “is that their experience will 100% protect them from injury or death and avoid accidents all together. While that is a healthy belief that makes the daily work easier, it unfortunately also isn’t true.” Creedon says many fatalities could be avoided if people were wearing body armour.
