Feature PPE A guide to donning and doffing


Ian Samson, EMEA regional training specialist for DuPont, provides a guide to choosing and wearing personal protective equipment particularly the selection and correct procedures for the donning and doffing of personal protective coveralls


T


he aim of protective coveralls is to provide a defence against cont- amination in hazardous working environments. These could include liquid and solid chemicals, oils, non-toxic liquids, airborne sub- stances, dusts and fibres. However, simply wearing coveralls is no guaran- tee of protection and in order to ensure that the chosen suit delivers the level of protection required, there are sev- eral factors that need to be considered.


Selection and use


Due to the number of coveralls on the market, choosing the correct one for any given scenario can be difficult. Every selection should begin with a risk analysis to determine the type of risk (chemicals, non-hazardous liq- uids, radiation etc), the length of expo- sure and level of protection required to protect against both elements. The more detailed the risk analysis, the easier it is to decide which protective suit is to be used.


When you select protective gar- ments, the key issues to be taken into


account are: ●


Barrier protection (penetration and


permeation). ●


Resistance (garment robustness). ● Quality of the garment (material,


zipper, seams, comfort, size and fit). ●


user friendly). ●


should be safe and cost effective). ●


solely on price). ●


Convenience (garments should be Environmental compatibility (disposal


Cost (although it is not recom- mended to make a decision based


Tests and utilisation (once a garment has been analysed and it meets the necessary requirements, an in-use test under real working conditions should be performed).


Choosing the correct size is a pre- requisite, not just for greater comfort, but for greater safety. Choosing the wrong size can have fatal conse- quences - if it’s too big it can get stuck in production machinery, if it’s too small it can tear or considerably restrict mobility. It is important that a coverall is chosen that not only offers the correct protection but also fits the person properly.


16


Donning the coverall While putting on clothes is second nature for the major- ity of people, care must be taken that a protective cov- erall is donned correctly. Once the appropriate cover- all has been chosen, a cont- amination-free changing room should be made available away from the workplace for workers to get dressed. Any objects that could obstruct work should be removed from pockets and left in a secure environment. The user should first sit on a chair and remove his/her footwear. Each of the user’s feet should then be placed carefully into each leg one by one before putting on and securely lacing safety shoes or boots. It’s at this point that the appropriate gloves for the application should also be put on (if two sets of gloves are being used this is when the first set should be put on). The user should then stand up and pull the suit up to his/her waist and place their arms into the sleeves. Before zipping up the suit, any gog- gles, masks etc should be put on and fitted correctly, making sure they are comfortable and there are no gaps. The hood should be pulled up over the head and the coverall should be zipped to the very top, with the zip being pushed down to lock. It is here where a second set of gloves (if needed) are worn - these are put on over the first pair of gloves, covering the wrist and sleeves of the coverall. It is recommended that all gaps and joins should be sealed with adhesive tape, including the ends of the gloves and around the face where the hood meets the facemask. A colleague should be present to check that the suit is donned correctly and that all gaps are sealed.


Doffing the coverall


Unless great care is taken in the removal and disposal of single use protective garments, there is a risk of cross contamination from the sur- face of the garment to the wearer’s skin or hair or to other people. Thus, the protective suit should be removed in a contamination-free space. Before taking off the protective clothing, it is


advisable to clean the gloves and boots in order to prevent dust being thrown up. Masks and zip covers should be wiped clean too. Any protective items removed, such as adhesive tape, should be immediately disposed of in a chem- ical waste container provided for this purpose. With the protective gloves still on, the wearer should begin rolling the hood back, taking care not to let the outside of the coverall touch the head. The cov- erall should then be unzipped and rolled down-


Above: putting on a protective coverall correctly is


instrumental to the performance of the garment


wards over the shoulders.


Below: before zipping up the suit, put on any goggles, masks etc and ensure they are fitted correctly, are comfortable and there are no gaps


Both hands should be placed behind the back and each arm pulled down until completely removed. The user should then sit down and remove each shoe then roll the coveralls down (ensur- ing the contaminated side is not touched or comes into contact with clothing) over the knees until completely removed. Finally discard the suit in the bag provided and remove gloves. When discarding the protective suit, it is important to hold it by the non- contaminated inner surface in order to prevent contact with the hazardous substance. The process of removing the suit results in contamination of the workplace, so this area must be cleaned as well. Leaving the danger zone whilst still contaminated poses a risk not only to the wearer of the pro- tective suit, but also to others who are not involved in the procedure.


Summary


DuPont provides training for cus- tomers and distributers on how to put on personal protective clothing and how to remove it correctly to avoid cross contamination. It is important to remember that only people who have received specific training should be authorised to wear, remove and dis- pose of contaminated clothing. The world of disposable protective coveralls can be a confusing one, especially when trying to distinguish what type of material will give your employees the best level of protec- tion for the job. DuPont has pro- duced a series of short videos to explain the difference between the various materials so an informed decision can be made on your protective coveralls.


Dupont www.differentprotection.tyvek.com T: 07879 437 055


SPRING 2013 Industrial Compliance


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28