Earlier this year, Safe Life introduced the A400 Series N95 respirator with antimicrobial protection to provide healthcare workers and other occupational users with an N95 respirator that can be comfortably worn for an entire shift. The company now is taking aggressive steps to increase its overall manufacturing capacity and production capabilities, according to Benoit Sicotte, general manager of Safe Life's manufacturing facility in Williston.

"Our top priority right now is to expand our production capacity so that Safe Life can better meet the growing demand for N95 respirators, both in the U.S. and around the world," said Sicotte. "To accomplish this, we've designed special high-tech machinery that enables us to rapidly manufacture our line of comfortable, breathable N95 respirators."

Last month, a landmark settlement was reached between Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) and the California Nurses Association, the nation's largest nursing union, as well as its national arm, the National Nurses Organizing Committee. This agreement, which included an assurance that nurses would be provided with N95 respirators and other protective equipment to stem contagion, was seen as an important step in establishing a national standard on containing the spread of pandemics. By significantly increasing production capacity, Safe Life will be well positioned to assist hospitals and other healthcare providers in similar efforts to safeguard workers who are on the frontlines in fighting the flu pandemic.