(photo: copyright Hohenstein)
Since April last, testing services provider Hohenstein has been testing and certifying protective clothing in two new areas: protective suits and gloves against chemicals and infectious agents.These items are covered by Regulation (EU) 2016/425 and can be considered personal protective equipment (PPE).
Protective suits against infectious agents are being used in many jobs: for example, when working on sewage systems, waste disposal, caring for animals, disposal of hazardous waste from hospitals, etc. Employees are exposed to at times unknown infectious agents, such as microorganisms and parasites. The protective clothing is to protect a wearer from the substances that contain the microorganisms, such as liquids, aerosols or solid dust particles.
A chemical protective suit (Chemikalienschutzanzug = CSA) is a personal protective equipment that protects the person wearing it from chemicals that surround them in gaseous, liquid and/or solid states. CSA are classified into 6 types with different protection levels from gas-tight to limited liquid-tight. The company stated to test and certify the following types:
EN 14605: Protective clothing against liquid chemicals: liquid-tight (type 3) or spray-tight (type 4) and partial protection types PB[3] and PB[4]
EN 13982-1: Protective clothing against solid particles: Type 5
EN 13034: Protective clothing against liquid chemicals: Type 6 and PB[6].
