Firefighters rely on respiratory protective equipment that must remain operationally reliable while being cleaned and disinfected following use. MEIKO’s TopClean respiratory protection workshop system provides a two stage process for cleaning and disinfecting breathing apparatus and PPE while reducing manual contact with contaminated equipment.
The process combines the TopClean D washer with the TopClean M washer disinfector, creating a controlled workflow intended to reduce exposure risks for SCBA technicians.
Controlled cleaning of breathing apparatus
During the first stage, the TopClean D can accommodate up to four complete SCBA harnesses connected to MEIKO’s patented compressed air system. BA masks are positioned on dedicated plastic heads, protecting their interiors while exterior surfaces are cleaned.
Three programmes accommodate different contamination levels, with cycles lasting four, eight or 16 minutes. Water, cleaning agent and reversing wash pipes are used to remove contaminants including soot. The reversing pipes are designed to reduce spray shadows and provide consistent coverage.
Following cleaning, BA masks are disassembled and transferred to the TopClean M. Smaller components are placed in dedicated racks, while masks are suspended from rack handles to enable internal and external treatment.
TopClean’s capacity
The TopClean M can process up to 40 masks or 80 regulators per hour, supporting fire stations and central respiratory protection workshops handling significant equipment volumes.
MEIKO’s patented compressed air connection is designed to prevent moisture entering regulators during processing.
Compared with manual methods, the TopClean workflow reduces the amount of time technicians spend handling contaminated PPE and limits exposure to fumes from cleaning agents.
Water, energy and chemical consumption are controlled during processing, with cleaning chemicals dosed according to manufacturer specifications to support consistent results while limiting resource consumption.
The TopClean systems are engineered in Germany and have been developed in collaboration with professional fire services for use within respiratory protection workshops.
