How to Choose a HazMat Suit

When working on jobs in hazardous environments with particles and chemicals, having a hazmat suit is often extremely important. One of the top brands of hazmat suits, Tyvek® by DuPont, ensures protection against substances like spray paints, sanding and grinding waste, lubricants, dirt, grime, oil, grease, animal waste, and fertilizers. They are also extremely effective against hazardous particles and aerosols such as: lead and asbestos, chromium, beryllium, mold, fertilizers, pesticides, fiberglass, carbon, isocyanate, and radioactive particles. Garments made with Tyvek® offer an ideal balance of durability, breathability, and comfort to protect industrial and healthcare workers.

This chart summarizes the hazardous and non-hazardous applications and environments that DuPont Tyvek, ProShield®, NexGen® and Tempro® suits are qualified for.

The DuPont Tyvek HazMat Coverall Suit with the attached hood and booties is the most popular item for professionals performing various jobs. Some of these applications include: oil and epoxy-based paint spraying, lead and asbestos removal, mold treatment, general clean up and maintenance work, healthcare, and DIYers working on home improvement projects. The TY122SVP Coverall Suit stops dangerous particles down to 1 micron in size. Another advantage of Tyvek safety suits is that they are breathable, so workers won’t get too hot or uncomfortable. Tyvek HazMat suits have been engineered for enhanced worker range of motion and durability. The DuPont Tyvek suits are disposable and cannot be cleaned or reused if there is any exposure to infected particles.

It is important to know that Tyvek can only handle a light liquid splash, so it is typically used for protecting against dry substances such as dust. If you need protection against hazardous liquids, a DuPont Tychem Suit is an excellent choice. It was designed especially for biological and chemical protection. The fabric seams are sewn and covered with a strip of compatible material that is heat-sealed. The recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa that had infected 28,000 patients and resulted in more than 11,000 deaths, resulted in a huge demand for Tychem suits to ensure healthcare workers’ safety.

Supplying our team of experts with accurate hazard, chemical, and exposure evaluation information is critical when placing your order, so you can obtain the best PPE recommendations for your application. If you have specific questions about the type of protection Tyvek and Tychem suits offer, please call us at 800-829-9580, or visit us online at pksafety.com.

To learn more about DuPont suits, please click on the links below to read the articles:

• Ebola Protection with PPE in Short Supply
• General Protection & Chemical Hazards Matrix (PDF)
• How to Make Your Tyvek Suit Even Safer
• How to Choose a Respirator and Other Personal Protection for Painting Jobs
• Preparing for the Apocalypse Is Turning Into a Huge Business
• Tyvek Coverall Suits by DuPont
• Valuable Tips for Effective Mold Remediation

Image: Courtesy of Joe Raedle