The Right HazMat Coveralls For The Type of Work You Do

With so many hazards and so many types of coverall protection, it's difficult to know what's right for they type of work you do. Here are our suggestions for protective clothing for the most common workplace hazards.

I'm a big believer in the old grease monkey coveralls. I wear them when I'm working on my car or doing other non-toxic jobs. But once you move from sweeping up dust or changing the oil in your car to work with the types of particles and liquid materials you know you're better off avoiding, you'll need the proper protection. For the most basic type of protection, we recommend Tyvek coveralls from DuPont. These are the original disposable coveralls, and they're excellent for a range of protection. However, there are some differences among them, and we have a few tips for getting the most from them.

First off, there are the closures. Some Tyvek coveralls come with elastic closures around the wrist and ankles. These are handy when you're worried about keeping things out of your sleeves and boots. If you're just trying to keep clean and you're not dealing with any kind of toxic particles or liquids, I'd recommend the basic Tyvek suit TY120S. It's more comfortable and you'll find it doesn't get as hot.

For clean up work of very dangerous materials like mold or asbestos, covering as much as you can is the best idea. The Tyvek NG127S has elastic around the sleeves and booties attached to the legs. It also features a hood with elastic around the face. This isn't the most comfortable suit for long periods of work. But it does provide outstanding protection for the head, ears, and the majority of skin normally exposed.

A good tip for those who are either trying to stay clean or completely covered up is to tape protective gloves to the wrists. This way the suit doesn't slide back and expose skin while you're reaching up or performing basic tasks with the suit on.

Anther suggestion that comes from long experience with these Tyvek protective hazmat suits is to order big. Order at least one size bigger than you normally wear. The Tyvek material is remarkably strong, but bending over or squatting is likely to rip out the crotch of the coveralls if they are not fairly loose.

If you have more toxic materials or chemical exposure, consider the Tychem hazmat coveralls. We are here for you if you've got more questions about protection from hazardous materials. Call us at 1-800-829-9580. Thanks for reading.