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Always Use the Buddy System
Never enter a contaminated area alone. A minimum of two people should enter
contaminated areas together with two additional people, in equally protective garments
available to affect rescue of the entry team.
You Must Be Physically Fit
You must be physically fit to wear a Tychem
®
garment. You should be examined by a
physician to see if you are sufficiently fit to wear a chemical protective garment.
Manage and Prevent Heat Stress
Chemical protective clothing interferes with the natural regulation of body temperature.
This can lead to a rise in core body temperature and heat stress. You can take several
steps to limit and/or prevent heat stress, such as the use of a cooling system, and
implementing a conservative work/rest schedule.
You should be aware of the symptoms and treatment of heat stress. If you or your co-
workers have symptoms of heat stress such as nausea, dizziness, high heart rates, or
excessive heat build-up, you should leave the work area immediately and remove the
ensemble as quickly as possible after decontamination and seek professional care.
The maximum time the ensemble can be worn depends on such variables as the air
supply, ambient condition, climate inside the ensemble, physical and psychological
condition of the wearer, work rate and work load. The TLV™ pocket guide from the
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH, Cincinnati)
provides corrected heat stress limits for some garments. Similar information is available
on the federal OSHA web site (www.OSHA.gov). The WBGT correction factor for
chemical protective garments is at least 10° C or higher for chemical garments made of
impervious film and covering the entire body (hooded coverall or encapsulating designs).
Chemical Permeation Data
Before using a protective ensemble in a chemical situation, consult the chemical
permeation data appropriate to the garment material. Note that seams, visors and closures
will generally have lower or different permeation times than the garments’ material. This
information is to be used as a guide only. The permeation performance of any material
depends on a number of factors including chemical concentration, temperature, time and
amount of exposure. Due to the large number of variables, it is impossible for all
ensemble materials to be tested against all chemicals, all combinations or mixtures, and
all temperatures at which the chemical might be encountered.
Chemical permeation tests are performed under laboratory conditions -- not actual
workplace conditions. They address chemical breakthrough characteristics and do not
account for physical performance characteristics that affect a barrier such as abrasion,
flex fatigue, puncture, tear, oxidative degradation, or degraded performance due to
previous contamination.
