helping you help yourself Product Helpline: 1800 655 542
Protect yourself from snakebite this season. The Need OHS policies affecting councils, landscape contractors and other businesses require adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees. Protection for outside workers from snakes is an issue fast becoming a recognised critical need. As this requirement for protection from snakes has been increasing for some time, we approached the manufacturer of Clogger chainsaw protection about the need for a snake chap. The Threat Snakes are a threat in Australia. Many snakes have the capability to inflict a fatal bite. Some facts not very well known are shown below which underline the urgent need for outside workers to wear sufficient protection. The common Eastern Brown Snake is the cause of most instances of snakebite in Australia. Some victims of a bite from an Eastern Brown Snake do not even feel the bite. The Test Five of the most common venomous Australian snakes were put in the vicinity of Snakeprotex and encouraged to bite the fabric which was fitted to a realistically sized dummy leg. The snakes used were: Eastern Brown Snake, Mulga Snake, Tiger Snake, Redbellied Black Snake, and Southern Death Adder. None of the bites resulted in venom penetration through the garment. To quote from the test report provided by the herpetologist; In all cases when a snake bit the gaiter on the model leg or bit the gaiter separately, no venom was detected on the inside of the gaiter, even when examined under magnification. The Product The result of several months investigation, design and testing is Snakeprotex. This is a pair of gaiters designed to protect the lower leg (knee to ankle). This garment has been tested by a professional herpetologist. We do not claim that Snakeprotex is snake-proof, as there are too many variables involved for us to claim this. However we do claim that Snakeprotex will assist in protecting a person from snakebite if the garment is worn correctly. The garment is supplied with a diagram showing how to simply and correctly wear the garment. The above image was taken during the test showing a Tiger Snake striking the Snakeprotex prototype. 2 2 Prices shown are GST inclusive and are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier when ordering. Product Helpline
Why Snakeprotex is so good This product was designed for protection from Australian snakes and rigorously tested for performance. Alongside this critical need, the garment had to be tough enough to withstand the tough Australian outdoors. Shown below are some of the product features that are incorporated in Snakeprotex. Product Code: SPC11 An elastic flap at the top of the leg is secured and held firm against the leg to stop debris from entering the garment. Tough outer material is extremely durable. This garment will stand up well to normal wear and tear. A heavy duty plastic zip holds the garment together while being worn. The zipper is at the bottom when closed, using gravity to keep the zip closed. Velcro strap covered by a tough outer material. Horizontal Ankle Fastening Vertical Strap holds garment down One horizontal fastening keeps the garment tight around the ankle. A vertical strap under the boot keeps the garment in position vertically, stopping the garment from riding up the leg. The elastic strap has a very hard wearing cover. Built tough. These gaiters must be worn over suitable trousers and boots (definitely should not be worn with shoes). The zip fastens from the top to the bottom so gravity keeps it zipped. The garment should be worn with the zip on the outside of the leg. Freecall 1800 655 542 Prices shown are indicative only. 3 Goods may be subject to freight and handling charges.
The Rogues Gallery - test images Left: Tiger Snake, (Notechis scutatus). Size of specimen: 1150mm total length. Above: Mulga (aka King Brown) Snake, (Pseudechis australis). Size of specimen: 1665mm total length. Right: Red-bellied Black Snake, (Pseudechis porphyriacus). Size of specimen: 1395mm total length. 4 4 Prices shown are GST inclusive and are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier when ordering. Product Helpline
Left: The Mulga snake biting the strap. Above: The Tiger again. Left: Eastern Brown Snake, (Pseudonaja textilis). Size of specimens: 1480mm & 1050mm total lengths. Prices shown are indicative only. Freecall 1800 655 542 5 Goods may be subject to freight and handling charges.
Did you know...? Below are some interesting facts about the snakes used from the herpetologist s test report on Snakeprotex. Eastern Brown Snake Eastern Brown Snakes occur frequently in many agricultural and urban areas of Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria and eastern parts of SA. This species is known to cause the most snake bites and fatalities in Australia. These snakes are secretive, timid, easily aroused, and reluctant to bite. They are unpredictable; they can be relatively placid or very active and fast, ready to strike at a moment s notice. A defensive pose with forebody raised off the ground and forming a figure S is typical of this species. Above: An Eastern Brown Snake. Right: A Southern Death Adder. Brown Snakes may become active at night after a very hot day, & in fact during the hottest months of the year they may be rarely seen because they move around early in the day or later (evening or night) to escape the heat Red-bellied Black Snake Distributed throughout the eastern parts of Australia, from Adelaide and the Mt Lofty Ranges of SA, Victoria, ACT, NSW and eastern Queensland. Inoffensive by nature and prefer to move away or bluff when threatened. There are no authenticated fatalities from this species in Australia. Mulga Snake Found Australia-wide except extreme southern parts of WA and SA, Victoria, Tasmania, and eastern NSW & ACT. If provoked, may become very defensive, dorsally flattening forebody in a striking stance. Have a tendency to hang on and chew when biting. Also produces the largest quantity of venom of any Australian snake. Capable of inflicting a fatal bite. Tiger Snake Normally inoffensive unless aroused. When provoked gives plenty of warning with an impressive threat display, flattening neck and forebody and hissing loudly. Historically caused the most bites and deaths but this has not been the case for a number of decades. Capable of inflicting a fatal bite. Southern Death Adder When threatened, body is flattened and held in a rigid coil, from which it may strike repeatedly. have long fangs compared with the size of their body. Capable of inflicting a fatal bite. It is believed that snakes can assess the level of threat which may then impact on the amount of venom ejected. 6 6 Prices shown are GST inclusive and are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier when ordering. Product Helpline
Snakeprotex is a product designed to provide protection from Australian snakes. We do not claim that the product is snake-proof, as mentioned earlier in this document. There are too many variables involved for us to claim this. We also cannot guarantee that a snake may not strike the body above the top of the garment, though it would be unlikely. The wearing of this product is not a licence to deliberately stay in the vicinity where a snake is known to be. This product is designed to assist if a snake strikes defensively when disturbed (even unwittingly) by a person. Extensive testing has shown that large specimens held in captivity were not able to penetrate this protection. On this basis, and with the support of a very experienced herpetologist, we are willing to release the product on the Australian market. Photos and images used in this document may show slight variations in the product. This is a result of the rigorous testing and alterations which followed. However the fabric itself didn t change. Above & right: A Mulga Snake biting the boot. This snake stayed in one position for up to twenty seconds while the action of the musles inside the jaw could be seen pumping the venom glands. The venom can be clearly seen (circled). Prices shown are indicative only. Goods may be subject to freight and handling charges. Freecall 1800 655 542 7
Just look at how effective it is... Below: This image was taken during the test. This is a Mulga Snake (also known as King Brown) biting the garment. After the Mulga Snake was removed from the garment, large amounts of venom were found on the surface. This is shown in the image to the left. Right: On the underside of the same bite location, there was no evidence, even under magnification, of any venom penetration. Order now from your nearest distributor 8 Copyright 2010 Woodchuck Landscape Systems. All rights reserved.