AVS Tools, Armour and visors

Using the Database of Demining Accidents to inform me over what the needs for protection really are - I have designed a range of protective equipment over the years.

My aim has been to produce low-cost and effective equipment that can be manufactured near the point of use. As a result, while I have established manufacture in Africa, I retain no commercial interest in any of my designs and make them freely available to appropriate groups on request.

The apron concept - whereby only the front of the deminer is protected - has been taken up and adapted by many others and proved very popular in the field. My original apron design (1996) is very widely used, along with my design of blast visors. The severity of injury caused by inappropriate tools has been recognised and the use of blast-resistant tools is now recommended in the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS).There is an ongoing need for improved tools - which I continue to work on sporadically. Design engineers may like to work on this, but I recommended that they spend hours actually using any tool before blast-testing it or announcing its success.

This picture is of the mine-grab.

Frontal aprons

Blast-resistant demining
hand-tools

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