Considerations for design and selection of chemical-protective clothing

Abstract

A number of limitations and misconceptions exist for the design and selection of chemical-protective clothing involved in hazardous chemical monitoring and spill response. Of primary concern are protective clothing material—chemical compatibility, decontamination, and garment design. Current compatibility information, used for making protective clothing recommendations, is not always adequately or properly used. New methods for assessing material chemical resistance are being developed to standardize compatibility data, but extensive criteria are needed to establish appropriate selection guidelines. Equally important in the design and selection of chemical-protective clothing are material physical properties and design features. The U.S. Coast Guard is establishing selection criteria for low level protective clothing while developing improved high level protective clothing (total encapsulating suits) supported with extensive material testing. This, combined with active participation in the American Society for Testing and Materials for setting minimum protective clothing performance requirements, is helping to reduce current deficiencies in chemical personnel protection.