PeRSo · 2020–2026 · Manufacture concluded
The Personal Respirator, Southampton.
A powered air purifying respirator designed in 2020 for NHS frontline staff, and manufactured in Britain by Baynhams as sole manufacturer until 2026.
Manufacture has now concluded. The certified design, the type approvals, the tooling and the brand are for sale as one package. Existing owners can still reach us for documentation.
PeRSo units being assembled in Southampton — built by staff wearing the respirator they were making.
The problem
A disposable mask is not rated for a twelve-hour shift.
In April 2020 the supply chain for multi-layered fabric face masks broke at the moment demand peaked. HSE guidance (HSG53) recommends disposable masks for less than one hour of continuous use; PAPRs are the recommended protection for extended wear, and conventional PAPRs were unavailable at any scale.
What the wards needed
Protection that fitted every face without fit-testing, that let staff be heard and understood by patients, that could be worn for a full shift, and that could be built in the thousands within weeks rather than months.
What was built
A light hood with a clear visor, fed HEPA-filtered air from a belt-mounted powered unit. No seal against the face, so glasses, beards and stethoscopes are no obstacle. Developed with the University of Southampton, University Hospital Southampton and Wessex AHSN, and manufactured on INDO's converted lighting lines.
The system
Two hoods, one powered unit.
H31
Overhead hood
Full overhead coverage for applications where complete head protection is required.
H32
Exposed-ears hood
Easier communication and stethoscope use in clinical settings, without a face seal.
PAPR
Powered unit
Belt-mounted blower with HEPA filtration and a rechargeable battery, delivering clean air for a full shift.
Record
Six years, from shortage to conclusion.
The shortage
COVID-19 overwhelms global PPE supply chains. Hospitals face critical shortages of adequate respiratory protection for staff on long shifts.
The collaboration
The University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton design the PeRSo prototype. INDO re-tools its lighting factory to manufacture it at scale.
National rollout
PeRSo respirators reach NHS frontline staff across the country. BBC South reports the rollout.
Direct supply begins
baynhams.com opens for direct orders, supplying hospitals, laboratories and businesses as sole manufacturer of the PeRSo range.
PeRSo 3
The refined third-generation system ships under HSE fast-track approval for healthcare use during the pandemic.
Full type approval
PeRSo 3.2 achieves full BSI type approval — CE 739797 and UKCA 753570, certified to EN 12941 TH2 P. An upgrade programme migrates existing PeRSo 3 fleets.
The service era
Five years of manufacture, spares and support for more than a hundred organisations across healthcare, research and industry.
Conclusion
Manufacture concludes. Baynhams begins seeking a buyer to take the PeRSo project forward.
Recognition
PeRSo respirator rolled out nationally.
BBC South
Developed with
Existing owners
If you already own PeRSo units.
Manufacture and sales have ended. This is what we can and cannot do for units already in service.
Documentation and certificates
Datasheets, the CE 739797 and UKCA 753570 certificates, cleaning and battery guidance, and confirmation of the revision your fleet was supplied at.
Technical questions
We will answer questions about filters, hoses, hoods and batteries, and point you to compatible EN 12941 consumables where equivalents exist.
New units, spares and repairs
Manufacture, sales and the spares programme have all ended. We cannot supply replacement parts or service units, and there is no stock held.
Write to hello@baynhams.com with your organisation name and the revision marked on the unit, and we will send whatever documentation we hold. Units remain type approved; approval is not withdrawn by the end of manufacture.
Acquisition
The whole project, as one package.
Baynhams is seeking a buyer to take PeRSo forward, whether that means resuming manufacture, licensing the design, or entering new markets. Serious enquiries are welcome from manufacturers, PPE distributors and healthcare groups.
Acquisition enquiry
All fields are required unless marked optional.