'Body armour' for work...

[Mighty.Panda]

So long story short... I'm a mental health care worker but my agency is in a lot of financial trouble so they're renting us out as de facto security staff at hostels. I'm working a contract at the moment where I'm essentially managing a 25 bed hostel, literally the entire site without backup and the place is infested with drug dealers, gangs, prostitutes, crack addicts, ex-prisoners etc.

Personally I can neither afford a 'stab vest' nor think I'll really need one. The most I think I'll get is a beating at some point. So I've been thinking how can I get myself some kind of torso protection geared towards protecting from 'blunt force'. I immediately came to the conclusion that sparring/sports equipment might be a good avenue considering my budget. Looked at a few hockey undervests today and they seem to be very easily concealable and provide great protection over the ribs, sternum, kidneys etc. At under £40 it seems like a sensible investment considering they'll probably get a lot of wear.

Just wondered if anyone else had any ideas/experience with this? Concealability is my main concern. Please no lectures on 'get a new job' I don't want to and I don't do this kind of work all the time, literally last week I was looking after a little girl in a day centre, week before that I was supporting two pensioners in a flat. My work is so varied but these security themed contracts are becoming a lot more common place it seems.

Cheers

 

[drop bear]

Biker gear mabye?
kevlar t-shirts.
bump cap.
cut proof gloves.

i have considered the idea but have never really done it. As i am probably just going to get punched in the face.

 

[Mighty.Panda]

Biker gear mabye?
kevlar t-shirts.
bump cap.
cut proof gloves.

i have considered the idea but have never really done it. As i am probably just going to get punched in the face.

An honest genuine response cheers! I had actually considered biker gear.. If you look at the really expensive full body suits they look like something out of a military sci fi movie haha. Biker gear in general would provide great protection but hiding it under regular clothes would be the problem.

Also the UK is a very paranoid country in that if you're found to be wearing lots of armour e.g. shin pads, groin guard, torso, knee and elbow pads etc the police will just say wow someone was looking for trouble rather than 'oh you have to go into drug dens to converse with your violent residents all alone without backup, seems sensible sir'. I don't want to be a walking battle tank it's mainly my torso that I'm worried about.

Oh and about the face... Yeah you're probably right there but either way there's no way of protecting that really. As you imply, if someone swings at your head you can either try and evade it or block it, but chances are you'll get thumped.

 

[Blindside]

How about a twofer.

Get a weight vest with the little metal plates in it. Fitness and torso protection.

 

[Transk53]

Don't for anything than certified law enforcement quality. We have vests of that quality. We don't have much occasion to wear them, but we feel safe enough that we will be safer facing a knife wearing them. I know this may sound a little wacked but go for the quality rather than cost, if you can

 

[Mighty.Panda]

Don't for anything than certified law enforcement quality. We have vests of that quality. We don't have much occasion to wear them, but we feel safe enough that we will be safer facing a knife wearing them. I know this may sound a little wacked but go for the quality rather than cost, if you can

It would be a good investment but at the same time purpose built stab vests are very recognisable and if I was ever found to be wearing one I would be in massive trouble. A rugby top with foam padding on the sides, sternum and shoulders for example would look weird if ever caught but it's far more 'blaggable'.

 

[Transk53]

It would be a good investment but at the same time purpose built stab vests are very recognisable and if I was ever found to be wearing one I would be in massive trouble. A rugby top with foam padding on the sides, sternum and shoulders for example would look weird if ever caught but it's far more 'blaggable'.

Really? Yeah I am not going to ask. Perhaps you need to get a bit creative. A bit of subterfuge?

 

[Mighty.Panda]

Really? Yeah I am not going to ask. Perhaps you need to get a bit creative. A bit of subterfuge?

I know it sounds stupid and that's because it is. The UK is such a weird kind of country for this kind of stuff. No where else in the world does wearing protection get likened to carrying a weapon or 'looking for trouble'. I'm just surrounded by violent nutters all on my own, in a job I've not been trained for. Any sane person should see wanting passive protection as a sign that a person is simply very worried for his/her safety.

 

[Transk53]

I know it sounds stupid and that's because it is. The UK is such a weird kind of country for this kind of stuff. No where else in the world does wearing protection get likened to carrying a weapon or 'looking for trouble'. I'm just surrounded by violent nutters all on my own, in a job I've not been trained for. Any sane person should see wanting passive protection as a sign that a person is simply very worried for his/her safety.

Then if I can, I offer help. PM if you want.

 

[drop bear]

I know it sounds stupid and that's because it is. The UK is such a weird kind of country for this kind of stuff. No where else in the world does wearing protection get likened to carrying a weapon or 'looking for trouble'. I'm just surrounded by violent nutters all on my own, in a job I've not been trained for. Any sane person should see wanting passive protection as a sign that a person is simply very worried for his/her safety.

cheap knock off motorcross armor?
MX Motorcross Body Armour Pressure Suit Full Jacke Adult ATV Quad Dirt PIT Bike eBay

i don't know if it works.

 

[Tez3]

I know it sounds stupid and that's because it is. The UK is such a weird kind of country for this kind of stuff. No where else in the world does wearing protection get likened to carrying a weapon or 'looking for trouble'. I'm just surrounded by violent nutters all on my own, in a job I've not been trained for. Any sane person should see wanting passive protection as a sign that a person is simply very worried for his/her safety.

Have you been stopped by the police at all? or is this a perception that is common where you live? If you explained the nature of your job I can't see why it would be a problem, door supervisors, hospital security as well as a lot of other security people wear stab vests openly and it's not a problem. I wouldn't wear what the police do however after a 12 hour shift they are very heavy and uncomfortable.

 

[Transk53]

I know it sounds stupid and that's because it is. The UK is such a weird kind of country for this kind of stuff. No where else in the world does wearing protection get likened to carrying a weapon or 'looking for trouble'. I'm just surrounded by violent nutters all on my own, in a job I've not been trained for. Any sane person should see wanting passive protection as a sign that a person is simply very worried for his/her safety.

Not stupid at all. Thinking about one's safety is not confined to anything. The stab vests that we have, are ex police surplus I think. They are quite bulky, but there ones that are more discreet I believe. This may well sound a little silly, but humans also respond to colour. Our tabards mark us out as security, but that of course is the point. A bit of reverse psychology, just perhaps there is something you can do. look a bit more official or something.

 

[Transk53]

I wouldn't wear what the police do however after a 12 hour shift they are very heavy and uncomfortable.

Yeah, tell me about. They chafe at the shoulders too. We would only wear them if facing a nutter or something. Thankfully we have only ever had one incident where they would have been needed. The boys and girls in Blue responded quite promptly.

 

[Tez3]

Yeah, tell me about. They chafe at the shoulders too. We would only wear them if facing a nutter or something. Thankfully we have only ever had one incident where they would have been needed. The boys and girls in Blue responded quite promptly.

You should try the hats lol, the women's hat gives you a bad headache at the end of the shift. It is good if someone hits on the head while wearing it, its hardened, but dear me it's hell on a hot day and cold in winter.

 

[Transk53]

You should try the hats lol, the women's hat gives you a bad headache at the end of the shift. It is good if someone hits on the head while wearing it, its hardened, but dear me it's hell on a hot day and cold in winter.

Yeah. I have worn one of those briefly. Always figured they would be great for a headbut lol.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Yeah, tell me about. They chafe at the shoulders too. We would only wear them if facing a nutter or something. Thankfully we have only ever had one incident where they would have been needed. The boys and girls in Blue responded quite promptly.

I've never been able to wrap my brain around statements like this. When you realize you're facing "a nutter or something", are you supposed to say "Hang on a moment" and go put it on?
It's kind of like people who carry a gun but don't have a round in the chamber.
Have you looked at and/or can you get things there such as the "Second Chance" vest? Pretty comfortable, though not as protective. There's always a tradeoff...

 

[Transk53]

I've never been able to wrap my brain around statements like this. When you realize you're facing "a nutter or something", are you supposed to say "Hang on a moment" and go put it on?
It's kind of like people who carry a gun but don't have a round in the chamber.
Have you looked at and/or can you get things there such as the "Second Chance" vest? Pretty comfortable, though not as protective. There's always a tradeoff...

No no. To put you in the picture. We have a casino on site where I work. One night the casino door staff alerted us to the fact that a knife had been seen under a car (they have their own in front parking) so they called us. The police then contacted our control room to alert us that an MOP had phoned to say that a nutter was running around with a knife. It did not transpire that way, the knife owner was in the casino, and the police on a grade one call arrived very promptly. In this scenario DD, the guys did come back to get ready to put the vests on. All that H&S garble.

 

[jks9199]

I've never been able to wrap my brain around statements like this. When you realize you're facing "a nutter or something", are you supposed to say "Hang on a moment" and go put it on?
It's kind of like people who carry a gun but don't have a round in the chamber.
Have you looked at and/or can you get things there such as the "Second Chance" vest? Pretty comfortable, though not as protective. There's always a tradeoff...

If you need protection -- you need protection. Don't substitute some half-baked adaptation "when you think you need it" because you won't have time, and it won't do the job properly. Either suck it up, and buy it yourself, or get your bosses to pay for it, and get the right sort of protection for your safety. You're worth it... and it's a damn sight cheaper than the costs if you get hurt.

 

[Buka]

So long story short... I'm a mental health care worker but my agency is in a lot of financial trouble so they're renting us out as de facto security staff at hostels. I'm working a contract at the moment where I'm essentially managing a 25 bed hostel, literally the entire site without backup and the place is infested with drug dealers, gangs, prostitutes, crack addicts, ex-prisoners etc.

Personally I can neither afford a 'stab vest' nor think I'll really need one. The most I think I'll get is a beating at some point. So I've been thinking how can I get myself some kind of torso protection geared towards protecting from 'blunt force'. I immediately came to the conclusion that sparring/sports equipment might be a good avenue considering my budget. Looked at a few hockey undervests today and they seem to be very easily concealable and provide great protection over the ribs, sternum, kidneys etc. At under £40 it seems like a sensible investment considering they'll probably get a lot of wear.

Just wondered if anyone else had any ideas/experience with this? Concealability is my main concern. Please no lectures on 'get a new job' I don't want to and I don't do this kind of work all the time, literally last week I was looking after a little girl in a day centre, week before that I was supporting two pensioners in a flat. My work is so varied but these security themed contracts are becoming a lot more common place it seems.

Cheers

Panda, one of the dojos I go to has some small (by small, I mean not at all bulky) body gear for sparring. I've haven't paid much attention to them but will check them out next time I go.

In the meantime, if you find something you can't easily get there, I might be able to get it here. Keep me posted.

Stay safe, bro.

 

[LibbyW]

maybe something like this?
Blitz Standard Reversible Block Body Armour - Martial Art Shop

Under a baggy sweatshirt or something it might not be too obvious.
I totally get what you mean about the UK and it's attitudes towards...well anything really.
Got stopped once walking to the park carrying a cricket bat to - guess what - play cricket. My friend had the ball, stumps and wickets, but apparently I was carrying a dangerous weapon. Go figure
L