NCJ Number
189831
Journal
The Beacon Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: January 2001 Pages: 4-5
Date Published
February 2001
Length
2 pages
Annotation
The Domestic Preparedness Program uses two different tests to assess the performance of personal protective clothing (PPC) systems in chemical environments.
Abstract
Although measurements of both tests are called protection factors, the quantities are different and have different meanings. Infiltration tests or absorption tests are used, depending on the PPC system’s characteristics. Level-A protective systems are designed to minimize all exposure to materials in the environment. For Level-A systems, infiltration tests are applied. These tests measure the amount of chemical that gets into the protective clothing system from the environment. The test shows how much leakage occurs when the individual moves around and conducts normal activity. Infiltration tests best apply to fully encapsulating, Level-A, protective systems, because these tests measure overall system leakage and show how long it takes the leakage to infiltrate the system. Man-In-Simulant (MIS) tests tell if leakage creates a toxic hazard to the wearer. MIS tests are best suited for systems that are not fully encapsulating. These protective systems do not provide protection factors as high as Level-A systems. MIS tests are used with these systems to evaluate the toxic hazard associated with using the system in a contaminated environment. For protective systems receiving MIS testing, protection factors are not as large as those for Level-A systems, however protection factors should be large enough to reduce toxic hazards to an acceptable level for the given emergency situation. These tests are both provided so that responders can compare PPC system performance and better determine how various PPC systems can be used safely, in emergency response.