From the ubiquitous “yellow suits” seen across any chemical plant or refinery, to gas-tight hazmat suits used during a hazmat incident, protective clothing is one of the most visible yet often misunderstood aspects of a PPE program.
Like anything that presents a complex challenge to manage efficiently, reviewing best practices can save both lives and money.
In an effort to address some common questions that arise about the selection, management and budgeting for flame-retardant and chemical-protective apparel — not to provide guidance on specific clothing applications — some of the misconceptions and best-practice advice for chemical garments should be made known to both production and safety personnel. With that, questions were posed to senior leaders of the technical service team at Kappler, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of protective clothing. The responses were based on Kappler’s decades of experience with all types of protective clothing and hazard scenarios.
The first question asked was, “What do PPE specifiers and users commonly overlook when selecting gear?” The response was the explanation that one of the most misunderstood aspects of protective clothing is testing, whether it’s documenting a fabric’s ability to hold out certain hazards or being familiar with the testing requirements for industry-wide standards. Testing provides baseline apples-to-apples criteria for a suit’s performance.
Protective clothing users may also fail to appreciate the importance of storage requirements which can vary widely by type of garment. Storage space alone can affect an organization’s inventory needs and can make a big impact on the planning and budgeting process.
A multi-hazard suit like DuraChem 200 combines chemical, FR, arc flash and other protections to simplify PPE inventory.
Users should also keep in mind additional PPE required to use the garments properly. Whether it’s boots, gloves or breathing protection, rarely is a protective suit used by itself. Compatibility with other PPE is critical.
The service aspects before and after purchase can often be as important as the product itself — how knowledgeable the manufacturer’s people are and how quick to respond to questions about care and use are among the many important factors. Responsiveness is a big factor that can literally carry life or death implications.
The next inquiry was about tips that help ensure the best performance of a suit. Kappler leaders laid down rule one: Read and follow user manual instructions. Make sure all inspections and testing are done in clean environments. Never don or doff the suit without protective matting, especially on the ground or gravel. Sock boots attached to the suit, which go inside protective boots, are very vulnerable to abrasion and puncture damage when this is not followed.
Train in the garment, or a training-suit version of it, to understand the limitations on mobility, visibility and other factors. Also, be sure to inspect any garment before use to confirm correct size and condition. Always use the buddy system to don and doff, which is especially critical to prevent cross-contamination issues.
Finally, always follow the best practices for whatever hazard scenario is involved, from proper donning all the way through to decontamination and safe doffing procedures.
The next question: Single-use, multi-use and reusable — what’s the difference? The terms “single-use” and “reusable” are confusing and somewhat antiquated as they relate to chemical protective clothing.
The term “reusable,” if not qualified, is risky, as it carries the connotation that any contaminated suit can be cleaned and made safe for reuse. The fact is, there is no way to determine if a chemical hazard has permeated into the fabric itself. This is especially true for emergency response work because any hazmat suit that becomes contaminated should be disposed of following established protocols.
That evaluation, however, varies somewhat when a launderable garment, such as Kappler’s DuraChem® 200 is used against a specific known hazard. Such suits may be considered reusable under certain hazard scenarios and a specified number of washings, which is a situation that can be relevant for day-today petrochemical operations.
A concept Kappler pioneered back in the 1980s, known as “multi-use, single-exposure”, helps clarify the usage question, and offers a best-practice for safety protocols. It is based on the understanding that a suit that has not been exposed to hazardous materials and not damaged in any way is okay to wear again with proper cleaning for hygiene purposes.
What should users know when evaluating suit testing results? Whole suit testing typically only applies to certain NFPA standards where multiple aspects of garment performance are subjected to standardized protocols and must meet requirements ranging from “pass or fail” to more specific results. Fabric testing, on the other hand, applies to virtually any protective garment, and provides a baseline indicator for a suit’s ability to protect against a certain hazard for a specific amount of time. Understanding the difference between these types of testing, and how to evaluate the results, is important for anyone specifying or using protective clothing.
For fabric testing, be sure to understand the difference between permeation and penetration testing. Both are used and can be appropriate for a given situation or for meeting a specific standard, but it’s easy to get the two confused.
With permeation data, unless specified differently, chemicals are tested at the highest concentration levels of a chemical at room temperature. Results are typically reported as breakthrough time in minutes, with 480-minute holdout the max test period per appropriate ASTM test methods. The holdout time is relevant as it relates to the expected time of exposure for a given hazard scenario.
Penetration testing is just as valid for appropriate standards and applications. A product such as Kappler’s DuraChem® 200, a unique multi-hazard, multi-certification Hi-Vis FR garment, is a good example of where penetration testing is the preferred method because it is consistent with the job functions in which the garment is designed for.
It is important to note that testing methods used by different suit manufacturers are the same, based on standardized test methods and reporting data. Always verify that published data is based on third-party testing to ensure objectivity.
How can buyers evaluate suit performance related to dexterity and wearer comfort? Each user’s application and situation are different and the only way to determine those things is by evaluating a sample of the garment itself. In Kappler’s case, customers can work with their regional managers to request a suit for evaluation to facilitate that process. Fabric and seam samples can also be used to help determine the impact of a certain fabric on user dexterity, which definitely differs based on the level of protection a fabric and garment offer
Regardless of the exact garment, manufacturers and users should consider the heat stress factor. Always follow proper protocols based on specific working conditions, temperature and other factors.
What questions should buyers ask before deciding what protection level they need in a suit? Always perform a hazard assessment — what are the hazards they expect to encounter and what is the specific scenario in terms of level of exposure and length of time exposed? Kappler offers a free app called HazMatch® that provides an easy way to do this, and simultaneously retains the results to meet OSHA’s hazard assessment requirements.
The free HazMatch suit selection app makes choosing the right protective garment safer and easier.
Also consider whether you’re purchasing for a specific task or application, or should the garment be able to be used in a wide range of scenarios? Not only does this aspect of assessment help ensure a safe garment choice, it also helps to select the most cost-effective solution for the intended use without paying for more protection than needed.
How should a facility budget for hazmat versus other chemical protection suits? One critical aspect is the frequency of events that require hazmat suits versus other needs and requirements of the team. Consider the number of high-level gas-tight hazmat suits versus less protective garments that are appropriate for less demanding activities or for decontamination teams. This falls into making projections necessary to establish a realistic protective apparel budget.
For hazmat suits, this analysis could include average number of incidents per year, understanding and cataloging potential hazards within a facility, the annual budget and similar factors. For other protective suits used in production and maintenance, consider data based on number of workers by function and the facility’s requirements based on production levels or planned maintenance schedules — and other aspects to help develop good budget guidelines. These analyses should be based on historical reviews of previous use levels which help provide a good baseline for considering additional factors.
For more information, visit www.kappler.com or contact customerservice@kappler.com or (800) 600-4019.
