We are saddened by the passing of Bruce Thompson in late October 2021.
Bruce was a mechanical engineer who had unparalleled knowledge and experience in all aspects of the testing of fume cabinets, biological safety cabinets, cleanrooms, in fact, anything to do with controlled environments testing. He also had expertise in PPE, air and gas filters, fans and blowers and engine exhaust emissions.
Bruce worked for a number of organisations in these areas for over twenty years before starting his own engineering consulting business in the 1980s. Bruce was appointed as a Technical Assessor in 1987 and was very much in demand in this role. Lead Assessors valued his expertise and practicality enormously.
He was both generous with his knowledge, and unflinching in his expectation that facilities should follow methods correctly. Bruce and Marcel did the first mask assessments under difficult conditions in the ‘big’ Melbourne lockdown in August/September last year, just before Bruce’s diagnosis. He was also an active member of the Mechanical Testing (later PPT) AAC until a serious, and ultimately fatal, illness forced him to terminate all his NATA activities last year. NATA has expressed its sincere sympathy to his wife and family.
