helping you help yourself

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 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.
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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 above image was taken during the test showing a Tiger Snake striking the
Snakeprotex™ prototype.
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.
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.
Tough outer material is
extremely durable. This
garment will stand up well
to normal wear and tear.
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.
Freecall 1800 655 542
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.
Prices shown are indicative only.
Goods may be subject to freight and handling charges.
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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.
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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.
Freecall 1800 655 542
Prices shown are indicative only.
Goods may be subject to freight and handling charges.
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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.
“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.
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Prices shown are GST inclusive and are subject to change without notice.
Please check with your supplier when ordering.
Above: An Eastern Brown
Snake.
Right: A Southern Death
Adder.
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.”
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).
Freecall 1800 655 542
Prices shown are indicative only.
Goods may be subject to freight and handling charges.
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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.
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