Choosing a DuPont® Garment

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Choosing a DuPont® Garment

Choosing a Garment
Different jobs require different levels of protection. So DuPont Personal Protection offers a full spectrum of protective fabrics, garments and accessories to meet those varying needs. At DuPont, safety—and comfort—is our business. The design and sizing of our garments are enhanced for a better fit and increased mobility, diminishing stress on the wearer, so they can concentrate on the job at hand. From dust and dirt protection to tough, durable Tychem® Reusables™ to Tychem® Responder® CSM suits, designed for dealing with chemical warfare agents, we’ve got you covered. Both DuPont manufacturing facilities are certified to ISO 9001-2000. The following information will help you make an informed decision on which garments best suit your requirements. Additionally, DuPont™ SuitSmart® is an easy-to-use interactive tool that can help you select the appropriate garments. Our highly-trained technical sales support staff can assist you in choosing the right garments for your needs. Give us a call at 1-800-931-3456 for an assessment, and/or to schedule training.

DuPont™ SuitSmart®
DuPont™ SuitSmart® is an easy-to-use interactive softwear tool that provides the information you need to make informed decisions about appropriate protective apparel. Our databases include hundreds of chemicals, including warfare agents and the ASTM F1001 standard list of challenge chemicals. Accessory recommendations are also given to help meet the needs for worker protection. Descriptions of industry standards and regulations and a glossary of industry terms are included for your convenience. SuitSmart can can be easily accessed through Dupont’s website at www.PersonalProtection.DuPont.com.

1. Fabric
When it comes to protective apparel, it is crucial to know which hazardous chemicals can penetrate and/or permeate the protective fabric. Penetration testing measures the flow of a gas, liquid or solid through a hole or opening in an otherwise solid material. Penetration tests are used to see if a fabric will leak or be able to block the passage of a particulate or chemical. Permeation occurs when a chemical is absorbed until it saturates one side of the material and then desorbs, or diffuses to the other side of the material. A hole or opening in the fabric is not necessary for that to happen. Permeation testing is critical for fabrics that are exposed to hazardous liquids, vapors or gases.

2. Visibility
High visibility can be either a help or a hindrance for emergency responders. For example, in hazardous situations, it is critical that emergency responders can be easily seen. In addition, hazardous-material emergencies do not often occur in well-lit environments—thus the need for high visibility is obviously an important feature. The colors chosen for DuPont fabrics were based on extensive visibility research. For example, the lime yellow and safety yellow colors of Tychem® fabrics can be seen in a wider range of the visible spectrum than other garments. On the other hand, there are instances when being visible is as dangerous as the chemical or biological agent that will be encountered. When discretion is preferred—or required—special low visibility fabrics, such as our Tychem® CPF® line or Tychem® LV provide a camouflage effect against a variety of environments.

3. Seam Construction
Even the best protective fabrics in the world are useless without strong, tight seams. One loose thread or gap, and the barrier between you and your environment unravels—leaving you vulnerable.

Serged or Sewn
A seam produced when three threads are interlocked around the raw edges of two pieces of material for a strong stress-resistant seam.

Bound
Tightly sewn with a reinforced outer binding to increase seam strength and barrier. For potential light splash of non-hazardous liquids or particle penetration through the seam.

Ultrasonic or NSR®
A sealed seam produced when materials are lapped and thermally welded. There are no fillers, thread or needle holes.

Taped or Thermobond®
Both sewn and taped to provide strong chemical resistance against heavy liquid splashes and tough seam stress. A sewn seam is covered with a strip of compatible material by heat-sealing.

Double Taped or Thermobond® Max
Sewn, then taped on the inside and the outside of the seam for a very strong chemical and stress-resistant seam.

4. Garment Style
Different jobs require different styles or configurations of protective garments. That’s why DuPont offers a wide variety of garment styles—from hoods and vests to aprons, coveralls and fully encapsulated suits (Level B and Level A). Fully encapsulated suits are available in front or rear entry with a flat back for airline accommodations or an expanded back for SCBA accommodations.

5. Garment Construction
Our safety garments have a number of components and options.

Hoods
In addition to our standard hood designs, many of our garments offer a respirator fit hood. These hoods are designed with a longer zipper, extending up over the chin for complete coverage of the neck area. Standard hoods only extend to the neck.

Faceshields
Different situations call for different styles of faceshields. In addition to a standard faceshield, DuPont has several styles that offer a greater field of vision enabling the wearer to see more of what they are dealing with, reducing missteps, allowing more natural movement and better eye contact and communication. The EX (extra-wide) faceshield features a wrap-around design that provides ample room for a mask-mounted regulator (MMR). This faceshield is wider and longer, providing expanded peripheral and vertical viewing. And, the three-layer faceshield provides a better seal and allows more time to get to a safe zone.

Valves
Many DuPont fully encapsulating suits feature extra-low-pressure exhaust valves with covers that provide extra protection against inward leakage and over-inflation. Valve covers allow for safe and easy access to the valve during pressure testing. A testing adapter connects directly to the exhaust valve, allowing suit-pressure testing to be performed without entire valve removal. This means testing can be conducted quickly and safely.

EX faceshield
The ultimate option for peripheral vision. Our unique wrap-around design allows a panoramic view with no visual obstructions. Only from DuPont. Wide enough to allow for mask-mounted regulator (MMR) respirators.

Respirators
Fully encapsulated suits are available in front or rearentry, with a flat back for airline accommodations or expanded back for SCBA accommodations.

Loose-fitting Sleeves
A loose fit allows the wearer to pull their arm into the garment and access the faceshield and SCBA.

Attached Gloves
Several types of systems are available from DuPont, including: a standard ring and clamp system that provides a liquidtight seal between the garment sleeve/cuff and glove, a field replaceable system and a dual glove system.

Airtight Closure
Vapor- and liquid-splash protective zipper closure is covered by two storm flaps and fastens securely
with a Velcro® closure.

Storm Flap
The storm flap covers the zipper/closure area for added protection, and fastens securely with Velcro.®

Attached Boots and Sock Boots
Attached boots refer to oversized boot feet which may be worn inside or outside of standard work shoes. Attached sock boots are to be worn inside the user’s own chemical-protective boots. The outer boot splash cover is for additional protection.

Please call your Calolympic Representative for more information and pricing on DuPont Suits. 1-800-421-6630

This information is provided “as is” and is not to be considered a warranty of product performance or as an authoritative informational page. Due to the diverse field conditions and other variables which can affect a product’s performance, Calolympic Safety disclaims all warranties (expressed and implied) as to any product’s performance or any information provided.

1-800-421-6630 • 1720 Delilah St. • Corona, CA 92879