CCM Hockey producing protective hoods for front-line healthcare workers

CCM Hockey is the latest hockey equipment manufacturer to join the battle against the spread of COVID-19, with the company announcing Mondaythat it hasconvertedits facility to producepersonal protection equipment (PPE)for healthcare workers in Quebec.

Once approved by health authorities, the company will produceup to 150 units per day for as long as supply and market conditions allow.

The full-head protective hood provides a strong defence againstaerosolized and airborne particles, and it can be worn for multiple hours at a time while being poweredby an air-purifying respirator.

'Most important battle of our time'

"We are deploying our culture of innovation and craft, which normally protects the world's best hockey players doing battle on the ice, for a new purpose: protecting our healthcare workers on the front lines of the most important battle of our time," said Rick Blackshaw, CEO of CCM Hockey, in a press release.

The hood was designed by Dr. Ren Caissieof the Hpital du Sacr-Cur de Montral, in collaboration withIndustrie Orkan, a Canadian leader in high-efficiency particulate air handling systems.

After developing a prototype in his garage, Dr.Caissieasked the hockey gear companyif it could produce the device at scale.

CCM Hockey recently donated 500,000 surgical masks to assist front-line healthcare workers, but the engineering team took things further and shifted to produce the protective hoodafterDr. Caissiereached out to the company for help.

Manufacturing blueprints for the protective hood will be sharedon the hockey equipment company's website to allow other manufacturers to join the fight against COVID-19.

CCM Hockey currently equips more NHL players than any other company, includingConnor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, John Tavares and Carey Price.