Personal Protective Gear
06/01/2008
Compiled by Jason Andrukaitis and Carrie Meadows
We often focus on the importance of keeping products contamination-free, but protecting workers from the risk of contamination by products and keeping them safe while performing tasks is an equally important goal in the cleanroom. This month, we bring you a selection of personal safety gear specifically designed to ensure that worker safety is maintained at all times.
Neoprene single-use gloves
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Powder-free NeoTouch® gloves from Ansell are the first neoprene single-use gloves designed for industrial applications. A comfortable alternative to latex, NeoTouch gloves are suitable for workers with Type I allergies and are highly resistant to acids, bases, and alcohols. According to Ansell, the gloves offer excellent flexibility and elongation qualities and provide a level of comfort similar to latex and superior to other synthetic products. The gloves are more puncture-resistant than latex gloves and assure good chemical resistance, although they are not recommended for extended chemical protection. NeoTouch gloves include textured fingertips for wet and dry applications, with a polyurethane inner coating to assure easy donning. A beaded cuff promotes a secure hold, with the gloves’ green color making them easy to identify.
Ansell
Red Bank, NJ
www.ansellpro.com
Flame-resistant clothing for electrical protection
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More than 2,000 people are admitted to hospitals every year due to electrical arc flash and arc blast injuries. Protective apparel may be all that stands between an electrical maintenance worker and severe injury or even death. Such apparel has long been available for general industry, but the challenge has been how to marry the need to protect workers and protect controlled environments. ARAMARK Cleanroom Services now offers flame-resistant clothing systems compliant with NFPA 70E hazard risk category 2. The company also offers more than a dozen styles of voltage rated gloves, face shields, and insulated tools designed to protect workers from electrical arc flash dangers. The sales staff is ready to work with safety professionals as customers choose the arc flash protection that best suits their needs from among a variety of styles and options. For more information, call ARAMARK Cleanroom Services at 866-838-7498.
ARAMARK Cleanroom Services
Downers Grove, IL
www.aramark-uniforms.com
Apparel for controlled environments
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Connecticut Clean Room Corp. offers a variety of DuPont™ protective apparel for all environments and classifications ranging from industrial to sterile environments. If industry standards call for sterility and/or cleanliness in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, electronics, or medical device environments, DuPont™ limited-use apparel lines could be just the appropriate contamination control solution. Some of the products offered include DuPont Tyvek® IsoClean™, DuPont™ Suprel® LS, DuPont™ ProClean®, as well as shoe covers, boot covers, and other accessories. Choose from (CS) Clean and Sterile–clean-processed, individually packaged, and sterilized by gamma irradiation; (OS) Sterile–individually packaged and sterilized by gamma irradiation; (OC) Clean–clean-processed, individually packaged; (OO or OB) Bulk packaged; or (PI)–Individually packaged in cleanroom bags. To receive a catalog or for information call 860-589-0049 and ask the Customer Care Team for more details.
Connecticut Clean Room Corp.
Bristol, CT
www.ctcleanroom.com
Protective garments, products
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The goal of DuPont Controlled Environments is to provide high-performance solutions for today’s demanding controlled environments. Combining its rich heritage of scientific innovation and material, garment and manufacturing expertise, DuPont Controlled Environments products are specially engineered to enhance productivity in today’s demanding biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device manufacturing and electronics cleanroom environments. The company offers a wide range of protective garments and products, including DuPont™ Tyvek® IsoClean™ garments, and DuPont Gripper™ shoe and boot covers with superior coefficient of friction properties. In addition, DuPont Controlled Environments Specialists are industry experts who can help you with your site assessment and a variety of contamination control issues.
DuPont Controlled Environments
Wilmington, DE
www.personalprotection.dupont.com
Safety goggle design services
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Fabrico offers in-house design capabilities that enable custom safety goggle designs while maximizing cost-effectiveness and production efficiency. The company converts a wide variety of materials, including adhesives, foams, rubbers, and laminates from leading materials suppliers to create goggle components such as lenses, lens assemblies, and lens covers. Materials include clear plastic and foam pieces that are cut using precision die-cutting or high-powered water-jet cutting, adhesives that are laminated to other materials, and clear flexible materials that are custom die-cut. Fabrico has also helped create designs for tear-away lens covers that protect goggle lenses from becoming scratched or dirty during use.
Fabrico
Kennesaw, GA
www.fabrico.com
Polypropylene coveralls
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Guardline’s new Sureguard disposable coveralls are manufactured from polypropylene with a polyethylene laminate, affording high levels of cleanliness and tensile strength. Water vapor transmission rates exceed those of other disposables, giving excellent comfort and breathability. CE marked to 5 and 6, Sureguard provides a low cost option without sacrificing quality.
Guardline Technology Ltd.
Thetford, Norfolk, UK
www.theguardlinegroup.com
Tyvek® apparel
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High-Tech Conversions, Inc. introduces cleanroom apparel made with Tyvek®, a unique material made of a spunbond olefin which is a product of the polymerization of propylene and ethylene gases. For the products to be of use as fibers, polymerization must be carried out under controlled conditions with special catalysts that give chains with few branches. Olefin fibers are characterized by their resistance to moisture and chemicals. All apparel is Class 10 cleaned and sterile.
High-Tech Conversions, Inc.
East Windsor, CT
www.high-techconversions.com
Stretch coveralls and color-coded respirators
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Kimberly-Clark Professional has announced its new KleenGuard A30 stretch coverall, which combines comfort and dry particulate protection with a new design that features stretch panels under the arms and across the back, providing increased range of motion, quality protection, and better fit at a competitive price. The company’s iFlex stretch technology enables the coveralls to move and stretch with the wearer. Made with the same stretch material found in Huggies® brand diapers, the patent-pending stretch panel provides the same level of protection as the primary fabric. The A30 coverall is recommended for use in pharmaceutical research; tasks involving fine particle contamination; and for the aerospace, maintenance, and general manufacturing industries. The KleenGuard M10, M20 and M30 particulate respirators are available in NIOSH N95 valved and non-valved (blue strap), R95 valved (yellow strap), P95 valved and N99 valved (orange strap).
Kimberly-Clark Professional
Roswell, GA
www.kcprofessional.com
Specialty gloves include electrical shock protection
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PIP Technical offers a wide range of gloves used in the critical environment industry. Cleanteam® products range from ESD gloves, disposable nitrile, latex, pure vinyl, co-polymer vinyl gloves, nylon and polyester glove liners, cotton lisle and nylon inspection gloves and nylon knit with polyurethane coating. Rubber insulating gloves have always been one of the most important components of PPE for electrical and industrial workers. Novax gloves exceed all requirements of ASTMD120, ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations and satisfying NFPA70E requirements for protection against electrical shock hazards. Natural rubber construction offers excellent dielectric properties combined with flexibility, strength, and durability. A contoured shape reduces hand fatigue, and the rolled cuff provides increased durability during donning and doffing. For more information please call 800-262-5755.
PIP Technical
Guilderland Center, NY
www.pipusa.com
Limited-use protective gowns
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PolyCo is pleased to announce the introduction of VR™ protective gowns. For use in contamination control and cleanroom environments, the gowns are lightweight and provide employees with impervious protection against chemical and biological contaminants. The apparel has been clinically tested to offer superior resistance to chemicals such as nitric, sulfuric, hydrochloric, and hydrofluoric acids. For cleanroom applications, all VR products are processed, folded, and individually packaged. Independent tests of VR have demonstrated that VR meets Class 100 cleanroom specifications. Engineered to provide affordable limited-use protection, VR has been developed by PolyCo to replace conventional protective garments made out of vinyl and other traditional materials intended to safeguard cleanroom employees from potential chemical or biohazard contamination. The gowns feature a full frontal coverage design, seamless edges eliminating entrapment of particles or chemicals, and thumb loops providing uniform transition between sleeve and glove.
PolyConversions, Inc.
Rantoul, IL
www.PolyCoUSA.com
Protective barrier fabrics
Polymer Group, Inc. unveil an expanded family of protective apparel fabrics and converted garments that deliver enhanced safety and greater comfort for workers. The new lineup includes coated and laminated fabrics with high barrier properties and finishes to protect workers against fire, dangerous air particulates, toxic chemicals, blood transfer, and other hazards. These breathable and durable materials are resistant to toxic chemicals and surface resistivity and meet ASTM, anti-static, and other requirements. The company’s product lineup includes Pentamax® with five layers of polypropylene, PolyBreathe® composite fabric offering a barrier for extremely fine and normal dry particulate and liquid spray, Poly-Safe® designed for splash protection against a variety of toxic and harmful chemicals, and Poly-Bond® designed for general-use applications.
Polymer Group, Inc.
Charlotte, NC
www.polymergroupinc.com
Disposable eye and full-face shields
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Qosina introduces face and eye protection to its expanded selection of disposable lab wear. Both the eye shields and full-face shields can be worn over surgical masks or eyeglasses. The downward angle of the shield protects wearer from splashes and sprays. Top and bottom openings prevent fogging and allow for unobstructed peripheral vision. The full-face and eye shields have a distortion-free optical grade lens and are sold with a removable protective film to prevent scratches. Lightweight polypropylene frames are offered in a choice of black, white, pink, yellow, or red. Eye frames have a wide band for a comfortable fit, even over eyeglasses. An additional frame style has a polypropylene clip and adjustable evoprene tubing, providing a secure fit. The frames are available with polycarbonate shields in eye (goggle) or full-face styles.
Qosina Corp.
Edgewood, NY
www.qosina.com
Filtering respiration mask
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Tronex’s N95 filtering respiration masks are specially designed to help guard against dangerous viral, bacterial, and other particulate contaminants. The Tronex N95 particulate respirator conforms to NIOSH 42CFR Part 84 Standard as N95 class, 95% effective against particulate aerosols free of oil. It effectively protects against the transmission of airborne pathogens such as avian influenza, tuberculosis (TB), and sub-micron particulates. While the mask efficiently shields against particle inhalation and exhalation, it does not hinder breathing or speaking. The one-size-fits-all mask with latex-free head strap, PP smooth lining, and contour fit is designed for extended wear, maximizing user comfort. For more information, please call 973-335-2888 or e-mail [email protected].
Tronex Co.
Parsippany, NJ
www.tronex.com
Flame-resistant coveralls
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Universal Overall Co. has expanded its product offerings to include a full line of cleanroom apparel made with Burlington C3 and Integrity 1800. The company will also feature flame-resistant coveralls, hoods, and shoe covers featuring Filament Nomex® fabric with carbon grid for ESD. The apparel meets NFPA Standard ATPV 5.3 Cal/cm2 and provides multi-layer protection, two-way Nomex taped brass zippers, no pockets or pass-through openings, concealed snaps at waist and collar, and full concealed elastic cuffs.
Universal Overall Co.
Chicago, IL
www.universaloverall.com
Standard and customized protective apparel
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Vestilab Clean Room Control has been manufacturing cleanroom garments for 25 years. The company uses high-quality fabrics and accessories according to IEST-RP-CC003.3. Depending on the features of the working area or final product, technical fabrics are used to protect not only the quality of the final article but also the user from hazardous products (hormones, vaccines, cytostatics, chemical agents) or heat sources. Vestilab has a wide range of both standard and customized garments to meet all the customer’s established requirements. Garments are supplied with bar codes or microchips in order to allow their traceability during the garments’ lifetime.
Vestilab, S.A. CRC
Barcelona, Spain
www.vestilab.com
Traceable anti-static jumpsuit
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X&Y introduces a new jumpsuit for contamination control applications including those in the electronics, microelectronics, semiconductor, LCD, pharmaceutical, biotech, constructions, optoelectronic, and aerospace industries. The anti-static garments are made with a high-quality, long-fiber polyester material that allows cleanliness, filtration, comfort, durability, and easy dressing. Imported conductive fibers ensure the anti-static performance of the products. The jumpsuits are cleanroom Class 10 laundered. A barcode tracing system is used to track the status of the garments. Advanced test instruments and methods are combined with a strict quality control system to ensure the high quality of each finished product.
X&Y International Industrial Co., Ltd.
Shenzhen, China
www.xing-ye.com