Chemical protective clothing standard test method development. Part 1. Penetration test method.

Abstract

A "round-robin" interlaboratory study was conducted to validate the relative precision of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F-903 test method for measuring the resistance of protective materials to penetration by liquids. The study utilized seven independent laboratories performing three trials of five protective clothing materials challenged by five widely used commercial liquids. The level of overall agreement for interlaboratory results suggests a relatively high confidence in the precision of the method. Systematic errors, however, may reduce the confidence of this method for certain materials and solvents. Recommendations to eliminate or reduce variability due to systematic errors include reduction of test pressure, use of a support screen, reporting of permeation evidence as a failure, and the use of a fluorescent dye to enhance visibility.