Larbert High School is now producing protective equipment for care staff

Creative - and brave - teachers are using their skills and knowledge to turn the technology department of Larbert High School into a DIY manufacturing facility for vital personal protective equipment (PPE) for care workers.
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The school’s art department, under the supervision of Mhairi McAinsh, has been sourcing the raw materials of acetate and acrylic to allow the tech department – teachers Stefan Slater and Rebecca Elliot to use its laser cutter to create a practical face shield, following the Prusa Protective Face Shield design.

Initially using a 3D printer the whole process took between three and five hours to manufacture just one face shield, but after switching to the laser cutter they were able to create four shields every 20 minutes.

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Rebecca said: “It’s our own little production line – really just me and Stefan in separate rooms keeping up with the social distancing rules.”

Larbert High School design and technology department teachers Rebecca Elliott (24) and Stefan Slater (23) producing their face shieldsLarbert High School design and technology department teachers Rebecca Elliott (24) and Stefan Slater (23) producing their face shields
Larbert High School design and technology department teachers Rebecca Elliott (24) and Stefan Slater (23) producing their face shields

Joining the 3dcrowd online group, the school sent word out it was producing the face shields and required materials to continue the good work.

Mhairi said: “We actually had a lady drive all the way from the Vale of Leven to deliver some acrylic.”

The materials Larbert’s DIY production operation received from Our Lady St Patrick’s in Dumbarton is make 120 face shields and St Modans High School in Stirling has also made acetate available, while SSERC in Dunfermline, has been very helpful in sourcing materials.

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Falkirk’s Grahamston House, which cares for people with dementia, has asked for 50 face shields to be delivered and Mhairi has been in contact with Forth Valley Royal Hospital to see if they need any extra face shields.

An NHS Forth Valley spokesperson said the school had been in touch, however they were not going to take them up on the offer as they have their own suppliers.

If you have any acetate or acrylic materials to allow Larbert High to continue its production of this vital protective equipment then you can deliver it to the school reception area, observigin current social distancing guidelines.

Visit www.3dcrowd.uk is you require Larbert High School’s protective visors.

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