The procedure for choosing protective garments can be broken down into 4 stages :

the physical state of the chemical product with which the user risks being contaminated: gas, liquid or particles

what dangerous substance risks reacting or changing physical state during the exposure

whether the risk is permanent for the user or only linked to incidents

the toxicity level of the chemical substance to which the user is exposed

how long are the employees exposed to the risk ?

does this work involve physical tasks (e.g. material transport and handling) or work in a confined area ?

do employees risk being in contact with sharp or abrasive surfaces

do the garments need to be combined with other personal protective equipment accessories, such as masks, gloves, etc.

Tyvek®

Tyvek® with coating

Spun-bonded polypropylene non-woven fabrics

Non-woven fabrics in SMS

Spun-bonded polypropylene coated with a microporous film

protection

durability

comfort

quality

respect of the environmentt

value for money

Although classed in the same category, protective garments offer very varied performance in terms of protection, life span and comfort.

Once the garment has been chosen we recommend that it should be tested by being worn in real working conditions. The feedback of information from users, if their reaction is positive, will enable the garment to be widely adopted.

Tyvek® protective fabric, used for the manufacture of Tyvek® garments, offers the optimum combination of top-performance properties in just one fabric with no need for compromise.

Exceptional resistance to particles
Tyvek® is composed of extremely fine continuous fibres offering an exceptional capacity of resistance to fine particles and fibres.

Extremely strong, resistance to tears, punctures and abrasions.

Permeable to air and water vapour thus enabling the material to "breathe". Extremely lightweight, soft and flexible .

Non-linting
Tyvek® is made from strong continuous fibres and therefore does not lint.

Particles or fibres that penetrate a coverall and reach the user's skin risk fixing on the person's skin and hair. It will then be difficult to remove them just by taking a shower. Over time, these particles are eliminated with the skin and there is then the danger that they will be inhaled. To minimize this risk of secondary inhalation, it is necessary to require the use of coveralls that are highly resistant to the penetration of asbestos fibres.

Tyvek® (ref ) offers a protective barrier against fibres of more than 1.5µm in length and very efficient protection even for fibres of a smaller size. Tyvek® garments are recommended for deflocking during maintenance or inspection works in areas where asbestos may be present and when individuals are exposed to fibres in the framework of industrial production applications.

The rubbing of a synthetic material such as Tyvek® against the skin or undergarments is sufficient to accumulate electrostatic charges. The dissipation of this charge by means of a minute spark between the garment and a surface with electric potential is sufficient to provoke an explosion if it occurs in an inflammable environment. A conducting coating or anti-static surface treatment enables this electrostatic accumulation to be prevented. These procedures are generally based on the absorption of humidity in the surrounding air, which makes the garment become anti-static. If the person wearing the anti-static garment is linked to the ground, the electro-static charge will be evacuated to the ground via the anti-static coating.

Anti-static finishing is applied on both surfaces of the Tyvek® ( ) fabric used in the Tyvek® garment range. For the dyed garments, Tyvek C and F, the anti-static treatment is applied only on the inner white surface of the garment.

The garments must be correctly and constantly linked to the ground, via security shoes that conduct electricity, a floor that conducts electricity and/or an earthing wire. Any person wearing anti-static garments will continue to be electrically charged if he is not linked to the earth in this way. When the user removes his protective garments, the earthing conditions may momentarily be ineffective, for instance if the user walks on the coated side (that is to say the non-conducting side) of the Tychem® C or F fabrics. Consequently, the clothing must not be removed in areas when there is potentially explosive vapours, gas or dust. The electro-static charges can also accumulate on auxiliary systems. The respiratory masks and other systems of this type must be earthed separately when they are used on a protective garment in the Tyvek® range. As for the majority of finishings of this type, the anti-static treatment applied to the Tyvek® garment range is based on the absorption of humidity. Consequently, care must be taken in respect to local humidity, since the anti-static treatment may fail in extremely dry environments with a relative humidity level of < 25%.

Contamination has a considerable impact on the quality and shelf life of food. It is for this reason that Tyvek® garments represent for many people the ideal solution as regards single-use coveralls, both for staff and visitors.

In the food industry, people working in the manufacturing process are a major source of risk for the products (contamination and infection). Foodstuffs are products of biological origin and, as such, the majority are the ideal prey for micro-organisms. However, there is no doubt that "a hair in the soup" is quite unacceptable.

Each individual constantly scatters particles around him, such as minute fragments of skin, dandruff, hair and droplets of liquid, which, as carriers of viruses, bacteria and germs, can represent health risks. Flu epidemics caused by inflected droplets offer the best proof of this. These micro-organisms are extremely resistant when it is a question of surviving in hostile environments. Spores (mushrooms) adapt particularly well to conditions that are completely hostile and, in the best environmental conditions, can proliferate without problem.

If a product presents a disagreeable smell or aspect, it is often brought back to the shop and changed without even been consumed. However, the consumer will rarely purchase another product from the same manufacturer, which can also be a question of survival (in this case the manufacturer's survival) in a very competitive environment.

Tyvek® garments are designed to prevent contamination by particles of dust, bacteria, spores and parasites carried by ordinary clothing. Moreover, they protect their users from dust and liquids during food preparation.

Tyvek® protective coveralls are ideal when spraying or handling herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, biocides, fertilisers or other chemical products used in farming. Designed to be thrown away after use, these garments prevent any risk of cross-over contamination.

If you handle highly toxic chemical substances or organophosphate compounds, you should envisage using Tychem® C or Tychem® F coveralls that provide a high-performance barrier against chemical substances.

Tychem® Coveralls are also ideal for farmers, veterinary surgeons and other such visitors working with cattle, thus limiting the contamination from one herd to another. Skin, hair and garment particles are, in fact, carriers of numerous viruses that can remain active for long periods.
Tyvek® also plays a preventive role in the transmission of diseases due to human interaction, by providing an excellent barrier against dangerous substances and preventing the circulation of particles. The garments used during visits or work in infected operating areas can simply be incinerated on the spot, since Tyvek® does not contain any halogens.

Tyvek® garments are used in industries preparing and finishing surfaces by painting or coating surfaces by spraying or gilding.

A question of protection

Paint provides a protection for the surfaces of automobiles and many other products, but it can be harmful for the health of workers who are exposed to it. Paint spraying, indeed, generates aerosols originating in the liquid paint and vapours due to the liquids employed. The solvents can also go through the coverall, coming into contact with the user's skin, which, in the long term, can cause dermatitis and other illnesses.

To limit these risks the most appropriate protective garment must be selected, i.e. the garment that is resistance to penetration and permeation by chemical substances, not only at the level of the fabric but also at the level of the seams and areas around zips.

If the painters are never exposed to solvent or isocyanate concentrations exceeding the exposure limit values, the Tychem® Coveralls made from Tyvek® (ref. ) are adequate and enable the user to remain clean. However, if technical staff require protection against toxic solvents or isocyanates (for instance during the preparation or mixing phases), the use of the Tychem® C or Tychem® F coverall is recommended, since these provide an efficient barrier against the chemical substances generally contained in paint.

A question of quality

Fibre and silicone particles can cause process and product contamination problems.
All Tyvek® garments are tested to check that they do not contain silicone and that they produce very little lint. They pass the automobile sector's "crater test" and thus contribute to ensuring a perfect surface and the best quality.

During operations carried out in clean areas of nuclear installations, power stations and research laboratories, Tychem® Coveralls help prevent liquids and particles of radioactive dust reaching the body and undergarments. The decontamination of used garments or their elimination avoids secondary contamination. However, at the time of interventions involving exposure to toxic and corrosive chemical substances, the use of Tychem® C or Tychem® F coveralls may be found necessary, since these provide better protection.

Industrial cleaning concerns both standard maintenance and tank cleaning, presenting numerous different risks, and work conditions that can be difficult and sometimes extremely dangerous. Apart from the immediate danger linked to vapour inhalation or exposure to chemical substances or dangerous particles, the long-term health risk must also be taken into account. It is essential to choose the protective garment that is the best adapted to the specific hazard.
Industrial cleaning often implies working in confined areas such as silos, piping, airplane wing profiles or underground tunnels with safety equipment and harnesses, in situations that require considerable physical effort. Tyvek® garments are extremely lightweight, breathe and come in various sizes. Some models are specially designed to be compatible with other parts of the safety equipment.

In a whole range of sectors, such as the pharmaceutical, food or electronics industries, and the application of surface coatings, it is not so much individuals as products or procedures that must be kept clean and non-contaminated.

Whilst systems of access, ventilation and air decontamination contribute to the respect of international standards on particle control, the choice of the appropriate type of protective garment largely contributes to limiting the risk of contamination from employees' skin and hairt.

Tyvek® garments are very well adapted for use in cleanrooms by operative staff, maintenance and cleaning teams, and even visitors. There are several models specifically designed by E.I.F. for different applications, for instance coveralls with integrated over-boots, optimised style and comfort, and reinforced seams that are covered or bonded. These models can also be pre-cleaned and come in double wrappings produced in sterile conditions.

Taking into account model characteristics and cleanroom conditions, Tyvek® garments are compatible with use in practically all categories of cleanrooms up to class 100 included. The large choice of garment models, with seam finishings, and sterilisation and pre-washing options, enable you to select the garment that is the most reasonably priced and the best adapted to your specific work environment. In addition, the choice of single-use Tyvek® garments simplifies the handling of the latter for you, since you no longer have to deal with the cleaning cycle, and ensures constant top performance from these garments.

Tyvek® garments are destroyed by incineration and present no danger for the environment. They can also be buried in any controlled waste landfill centre. The restrictions concerning the garment's elimination solely depend on any polluting materials that may have entered into contact with the garment during its use.

No, they cannot be washed. Washing can alter the garment's protective properties (by making, in particular, the anti-static properties disappear).

Yes, it is inflammable. It must be kept away from flames and any source of intensive heat; Tyvek® melts at 135°C.

These gloves are shaped by dipping a ceramic hand in baths of different compounds, depending on the type of materials used (latex, PVC, nitrile, etc.). They are baked in ovens and then undergo finishing treatments. Non-supported tempered gloves refers to gloves made by dipping the ceramic hand directly in the bath, whereas supported gloves refer to gloves that are made by dipping the ceramic hand, covered with an interlock or jersey knit glove in the bath.

Average Quality Level (acceptable quality level). Using a representative sample of a production batch, the number of holes acceptable for 100 gloves is determined according to standard ISO 2859.