GARMENT SELECTION: A LIFE SAVING CHOICE There are many different chemical protective suits commercially available, and although they are CE certified, there are very wide ranging performance differences for products meeting the same certification ‘Types’. Faced with a bewildering choice and the complexity of the certification information, what criteria should be used to select the right protective clothing? A short summary of the European standards for chemical protective clothing and a chemical protective clothing selection guide is provided to assist you in this task. CE MARKING To facilitate the choice of garment, the European Union has defined harmonised product standards for six levels of protection (referred to as ‘Types’) within Category III Chemical Protective Clothing (see table below). The certification of a suit to a particular protection type represents its overall tightness against a particular form of exposure (gas, pressurised liquids, sprays and dust).
It should be noted that its certification does not necessarily mean that the suit is 100% impervious to this type of exposure. It only means that the suit meets the minimum requirements of the specific product standard. The manufacturer is also obliged to state the performance levels of the constituent materials and seams, known as performance 'Classes'.
CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, CATEGORY III
PRODUCT STANDARD & YEAR OF PUBLICATION
PICTOGRAM
DEFINITION AND EXPOSURE LEVEL
LIQUID TIGHT Protective clothing against liquid chemicals. Exposure to pressurised jet of liquid.
EN 14605:2005/A1:2009
Type 3 3
SPRAY TIGHT Protective clothing against liquid chemicals. Exposure to a liquid spray aerosol (unpressurised).
EN 14605:2005/A1:2009
Type 4
SOLID PARTICULATES Protective clothing against solid-airborne particulates.
EN ISO 13982-1:2004/A1:2010
Type 5
LIMITED PROTECTIVE PERFORMANCE AGAINST LIQUID CHEMICALS Potential exposure to small quantities of fine spray/mist or accidental low volume splashes and where wearers are able to take timely adequate action in case of contamination.
EN 13034:2005/A1:2009
Type 6
OTHER RELEVANT STANDARDS
PICTOGRAM
DEFINITION
STANDARD AND YEAR*
**
EN 1149-5
Protective Clothing with Electrostatic properties – material performance and design requirements.
EN 1149-5:2008
***
EN 1073-2
EN 1073-2 :2002
Protective clothing against radioactive contamination.
Protective Clothing with protection against heat and flame-Limited flame spread materials, material assemblies and clothing. Three ‘Index’ (levels) of protection are defined Index 1/0/0 Index 1 performance, single use and no pre-cleaning or laundering. Index 1 materials limit the flame spread, but will melt and must always be worn on top of Index 2 or 3 garments.
EN ISO 14116**
EN ISO 14116:2008
Index 1
EN 14126
Protective clothing (fabrics) against infective agents (indicate by a ‘B’ e.g. Type 3-B) and comprising several fabric protection test methods.
EN 14126:2003
* As standards are continuously revised the year of publication is subject to change. ** Antistatic treatments on DuPont Chemical Protective Clothing are only effective in relative humidity >25% and when the garment and wearer are continuously and correctly grounded.*** Does not protect against ionizing radiation.
54 I PERSONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT CATALOGUE VOL 2
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