Industry Standards
Protection You Can Count On!
When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated
the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA)
to be responsible for the health and safety of workers in and around areas
of hazardous materials and contaminated waste, OSHA responded by formulating
an all encompassing compendium of safety regulations that prescribe operating
standards for all aspects of OSHA projects. Almost 2 million people are
affected by the OSHA Standard today.
In 1990, additional standards proposed and developed by the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) were accepted by OSHA. NFPA
Standard 1991 set performance requirements for totally encapsulated vapor
tight chemical suits and includes rigid chemical and flame resistance
tests and a permeation test against 21 challenge chemicals.
The basic OSHA Standard calls for 4 levels of protection, A through D,
and specifies in detail the equipment and clothing requited to adequately
protect the wearer at corresponding danger levels.
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Level A represents the greatest danger
of respiratory, eye or skin damage from hazardous vapors, gases, particulates,
sudden splash, immersion or contact with hazardous materials. It calls
for total encapsulation in a vapor tight chemical suit with self-contained
breathing apparatus (SCBA) or supplied air and appropriate accessories
Lakeland Level A chemical protective clothing can also be manufactured
to meet NFPA 1991 specifications. |
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Level B situations call for the highest degree
of respiratory protection but a lesser need for skin protection. It
calls for SCBA or positive pressure supplied air respirator with escape
SCBA, plus hooded chemical resistant clothing (overalls and long sleeved
jacket; coveralls; one or two piece chemical-splash suit; or disposable
chemical-resistant coveralls. |
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