What is a Bariquin?

A Bariquin weighs 25st or 350 pounds which is approximately 159kgs.

Each Bariquin is made up of 15 weighted parts, a jacket plus realistic looking head, hands and feet.

The heaviest component is 16kgs (less than the weight of a flight suitcase).

Carrying handles are provided on all the heaviest parts, allowing ‘Barry’ or ‘Benny’ to be transported easily.

The material used for making a Bariquin, micrAgard Plus™ has been designed to retain its antibacterial properties with very little maintenance. It can be cleaned with just water or mild soap and water. ‘Mild soap’ is the type of soap that can be used without having to protect your skin. Do not use chlorine-based products or chlorine-containing cleaning agents to clean a Bariquin.

The head, hands and feet of a Bariquin are made from silicone, so dirt and dust should wipe clean with a damp cloth or wet wipe/baby wipe as silicone is waterproof too.

 Silicone however can be stained with inks such as permanent marker or oil based paints. Fake blood should be wiped clean (although the pigment may stain if left to dry for a prolonged period of time).

If grime is ground into the surface of the rubber (damaging the silicone) this will also stain it and for any particularly heavy dirt, cleaning with IPA (isopropyl alcohol) on a clean brush or cloth may be required.

If the Silicone is tacky on the surface after using IPA simply dust lightly with talcum powder. IPA can be found easily online, at certain chemists or even computer stores will stock it.

Please note: It is expected that when using a Bariquin for moving and handling training, suitably qualified people will provide the instruction.

Bariquins do provide training courses if your organisation lacks such people. See https://www.bariquins.com/training/ for more information.

Whether you’re building the Bariquin in a supine position or sitting position, the first item to lay out is the red sweatshirt. The Velcro tapes should be unfastened and the back of the sweatshirt should be laid so that the neck-hole is approximately where the head will end up, draping the rest of the sweatshirt over the bedhead or chairback, if he’s being built on such equipment. Otherwise, lay the sweatshirt out on the floor. This inverted (front) part of the sweatshirt should have the Bariquins logo on but on the reverse side to the one that is visible.

The waist band of the black jogging bottoms (Velcro unfastened) should then be laid overlapping the waist hem of the red sweatshirt, with the middle of the rear of the jogging bottom aligning with the middle of the sweatshirt. The red sweatshirt should be behind the overlapped jogging bottoms.

The first item of the actual Bariquin to place in position is the jacket, aligning the neck area of the middle section with the neck hole of the red sweatshirt.

Generally, when building Barry or Benny, it’s best to work ‘Back-to-Front’ and ‘Inside-Out’. This means starting with the connectors at the back, inner ones first, making your way forwards and outwards, until you have finished fastening all the connectors.

Ensure that the components are in their correct positions, using the decals on each component as a guide. Most connectors are obvious. However, use the connector markings (older versions) or the colour-coded connectors (newer versions) when fastening the connectors around the hip/buttock, thigh and jacket.

Also, if you encounter any problem when trying to push the two halves of a connector together, sometimes pushing the components towards each other rather than pulling the connector eases the fasteners together.

The next set of instructions will depend whether you’re building Barry or Benny in a supine position or sitting position.

Supine Position

Take one of the hip/buttock components and place it in position, placing the hip/buttock component that will be furthest from you, first. The decal should be facing upwards.

Connect the appropriate connector at the bottom edge of the jacket to the hip/buttock connector. Take the second hip/buttock component and place it in position. Connect the appropriate connector at the bottom edge of the jacket to the second hip/buttock connector and clip the hip/buttock components to each other.

To aid fastening the jacket later, pull the jacket up so that the connector straps between the jacket and the hip/buttock components are extended.

Then build up the body with the two abdomen sections and the two shoulder sections, after which the jacket can be fastened. When the three cross-body connectors on the jacket are fastened, tighten the webbing straps that are attached to the cross-body connectors. This will help align the jacket to thigh straps/connectors. The over-the-shoulder connectors can be left until after the head has been fastened at its four connection points.

The arm and hand components, leg and feet components and stomach can now be fitted. When connecting the thighs to the hips/buttocks and jacket, be mindful of the connector markings (older versions) or the colour-coded connectors (newer versions).

Attach the head at the 4 neck connectors, plus the two over-the-shoulder connectors if these are open.

Moving onto fastening the clothing; firstly, fasten the connector fitting on the waist band of the jogging bottoms. Then fasten the Velcro tapes to each other. It is easiest starting from the wrist or ankle first and working your way back.

And now you are ready for training.

Sitting Position

Take one of the hip/buttock components and place it in position. If the Bariquin is being built in a position with entry from only one side (e.g. aircraft seat), place the hip/buttock component that will be furthest from you, first. Connect the appropriate connector at the bottom edge of the jacket to the hip/buttock connector.

Then connect the correct thigh section to the hip/buttock component via the three pairs of connectors between the two components. It helps to rest the thigh section on another chair or stool to take the weight and stop the hip/buttock component sliding off. If there’s no room for a chair, an upper arm section is a handy sized prop as an alternative weight-bearer. To assist when fastening thigh to hip/buttock, the hip/buttock component can be tipped backwards. However, once the thigh is connected, position the hip/buttock component level. Do this for the other hip/buttock and thigh components, clipping both hip/buttock components to each other.

To aid fastening the jacket later, pull the jacket up so that the connector straps between the jacket and the hip/buttock components are extended.

Then build up the body with the two abdomen sections and the two shoulder sections, after which the jacket can be fastened. When the three cross-body connectors on the jacket are fastened, tighten the webbing straps that are attached to the cross-body connectors. This will help align the jacket to thigh straps/connectors.

When connecting the thighs to the hips/buttocks and jacket, be mindful of the connector markings (older versions) or the colour-coded connectors (newer versions).

Once the thighs have been connected, the items used for propping up the thigh sections can be removed and the lower legs and feet fitted. It’s also easier if the sandals are already on the feet and the feet already attached to the lower legs.

The arm sections, hands and stomach can now be fitted.

Attach the head at the 4 neck connectors, plus the two over-the-shoulder connectors if these are open.

Now, moving onto fastening the clothing; firstly, fasten the connector fitting on the waist band of the jogging bottoms. Then fasten the Velcro tapes to each other. It is easiest starting from the wrist or ankle first and working your way back.

You are now ready for training.