Chemical Protective Clothing

Overview
Your employer provides you with personal protective equipment (PPE) to help protect you from workplace hazards. Here are some things to check before you wear your PPE to perform a job. Whatever your employer requires as far as care of PPE is concerned, be sure that your PPE is functioning properly and that you wear it as designed so that it affords the protection you need to do your job safely.

Before donning PPE
Before you use protective clothing:
• Determine that the clothing material is correct for the specified task at hand.
• Visually inspect for imperfect seams, nonuniform coatings, tears, and malfunctioning closures.
• Hold up to the light and check for pinholes.

If the product has been used previously, inspect inside and out for signs of chemical attack:
• Discoloration.
• Swelling.
• Stiffness.

What must I do?
While using protective clothing, periodically check for:
• Evidence of chemical attack such as discoloration, swelling, stiffening, and softening (keep in mind, however, that chemical permeation can occur without any visible effects).
• Closure failure.
• Tears.
• Punctures.
• Ripped seams.

Before you use gloves:
• Determine that the glove material is correct for the specified task at hand.
• Pressurize glove to check for pinholes. Either blow into glove, then roll towards fingers or inflate glove and hold under water. In either case, no air should escape.

Before you wear fully encapsulating suits:
• Determine that the suit material is correct for the specified task at hand.
• Check the operation of pressure relief valves.
• Inspect the fitting of wrists, ankles, and neck.
• Check faceshield, if so equipped for cracks, crazing, fogginess.

PPE maintenance
Always be sure to follow company policy for cleaning, decontamination, and maintenance of protective clothing. Your employer may have decided that with appropriate training, each person who wears chemical protective clothing can perform these tasks him- or herself. But some decontamination and repair tasks may require special equipment or expertise and must be done by someone else or at a different location.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency