The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) has awarded research associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Ohio State University, Jeremy Seidt, a $500,000 Workforce Safety Innovation Grant to develop a wearable air purifier for miners and firefighters.

The Oxygen Concentrating Self-Rescuer (OCSR) designed by Seidt is an advanced personal air purifier that filters toxic gases such as methane and carbon monoxide from the environment, providing users with breathable air. This innovative device addresses the limitations of traditional Self-Contained Self-Rescuers (SCSRs), which provide only a limited supply of oxygen, typically lasting 30 to 60 minutes.

Source: Ohio State University

Seidt’s OCSR draws oxygen from the surrounding air, using a series of molecular and electrolytic sieves and a catalyzing zeolite bed to remove harmful gases. This approach offers a potentially unlimited supply of clean air, giving trapped workers more time to escape hazardous environments. The device could be particularly transformative for firefighters, offering a lightweight alternative to current breathing apparatuses and reducing the risk of respiratory diseases.

In collaboration with industry partners, Seidt and the Ohio State University research team are working to provide proof of concept, with hopes of advancing to the prototype development phase in the near future. Collaborators are optimistic that this work will lead to groundbreaking personal protection equipment for workers in high-risk industries.