Personal Protective Equipment For Hazardous Materials Incidents: A Selection Guide

For the protection of persons engaged in the control of hazardous materials incidents, several selection algorithms were developed to aid in the selection of respiratory protective devices, protective clothing, and accessories. These included step by step guides for selecting respiratory, chemical protective clothing and ancillary equipment needed to protect workers exposed to hazardous chemicals. Methods were presented to aid in calculating tolerance times based on heat stress. These included data on metabolic heat stress rate, environmental heat stress rate, total heat stress rate, required coolant supply, coolant duration, mission duration without cooling, air consumption rate and open circuit duration, required air supply, oxygen consumption rate, employee fitness, employee duty factor, and a work rest regimen. Methods were also included for calculating the service life of the various pieces of equipment. Training, administrative, and emergency programs were included.

Personal Protective Equipment For Hazardous Materials Incidents: A Selection Guide