While we intend the information below to be helpful, please note that our staff is not trained to discuss chemical or nuclear warfare. These are industrial products and not appropriate for that application.
What is Radiation?
Radiation is “ the energy radiated or transmitted in the form of rays, waves, or particles.” Protection against radiation is a complicated task. Scientists differentiate ionizing radiation hazards from radioactive, contaminated particle or liquid hazards. Particle radiation includes electron, proton, and neutron beams produced by splitting unstable atoms from plutonium and uranium, as in a nuclear reactor or a nuclear bomb. Special garments are designed to protect you from the radioactive, contaminated hazards. However, it is important to understand that no suit will protect you against ionizing radiation hazards (gamma rays, X-rays, radioactive particles: alpha or beta). For example, if you're standing next to a uranium reactor, a safety suit will not shield you against the ionizing radiation, but it can stop small bits of radioactive dust from getting on your skin. Safety garments are designed to minimize the penetration of radioactive airborne particles and prevent their contact with your skin. Protective suits keep radioactive isotopes out of your body, but cannot shield you against the ionizing radiation.
What will protect you against the ionizing radiation?
The standard protocol indicates that a shield made of 6.6 feet of concrete, or 1.3 feet of lead, can block the ionizing radiation.
What should you do when the radioactive emergency is announced?
Leave the area immediately, or if it is not possible, stay inside, close all doors and windows, and take a shower to wash off any radioactive particles. In addition, put on a hazmat suit and other types of PPE, such as respirators, goggles, gloves, and footwear.
What can hazmat suits do for you?
The United States Department of Homeland Security defines a HazMat suit as "an overall garment worn to protect people from hazardous materials or substances, including chemicals, biological agents, or radioactive materials."
Although HazMat suits are typically used by firefighters, paramedics, and other personnel cleaning up contaminated areas, some of our customers who are not working in toxic environments are willing to have these suits at home to protect themselves in case of emergency involving Hazardous Materials and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) substances.
What can we suggest for civilians worried about their safety? Here is a list of our recommendations. Reliable safety suits we carry include the TY122SVP HazMat Coverall Suit, the TY127SVP Tyvek suit, and the DuPont Tychem 2000 suit. The Tychem BR fabric provides at least 30 minutes of protection against 280 chemicals, including chemical warfare agents (CWA) like Sarin, Soman, or VX.
We want to make it easier and faster for you to find the best safety gear for your application, so we have assembled a Kit that you can use for the full-body protection in case of emergency, for clean up, or for your DIY projects, like mold remediation and asbestos removal.
The Kit Includes: a disposable Tyvek TY122S HazMat coverall suit, a Moldex 9000 full face respirator combo, multi-gas vapor smart cartridges, Moldex 7940 P100 HEPA-rated filter disks, Moldex 7920 piggyback adapters, MCR Safety Flex Tuff II gloves, and MCR Safety Flex Tuff II gloves.
Remember that HazMat suits can become hot when being used for a long time. Therefore, their use is typically limited to a short duration. This time should be enough to get out of the contaminated area safely.
In some cases, full-face respirators have to be worn with SCBAs. Vapors of some chemicals cannot be filtered by canister-type respirators, so wearing an SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) is required. SCBAs are also used in areas where the level of oxygen is below 19.5%.
Resources:
- Nuclear Protective Clothing
- Protecting Against Exposure
- The Dictionary of Homeland Security and Defense
- The Science of HazMat and CBRNE Emergency Response
- Photo credit: ©Prostock-Studiovia Canva.com
Photo credit: Prostock-Studio from Getty Images via Canva.com
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Not sure where to start when choosing a HazMat suit? We can help guide you through the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you actually need a hazmat suit for radiation?
A hazmat suit will not shield you from ionizing radiation itself (gamma rays, X-rays, alpha or beta particles). What a hazmat suit does is keep radioactive dust and particles off your skin and out of your clothing, so you don't carry contamination with you when you leave the area. If your concern is 'a radioactive material has been released and I might have to move through it,' then yes, a hazmat suit with a respirator, goggles, gloves, and footwear reduces contamination and skin exposure. If your concern is 'I'm going to stand next to a radiation source,' no suit will help — you need distance, time, and dense shielding (concrete or lead).
Can a hazmat suit block gamma rays or X-rays?
No. Gamma rays and X-rays are high-energy electromagnetic radiation that pass through fabric, plastic, and even most metals. The only practical protection is distance from the source and shielding by very dense material — typically lead or thick concrete. For typical industrial or medical gamma sources (Cs-137, Co-60), several inches of lead or a couple of feet of concrete provide meaningful attenuation; the higher the source energy, the more shielding is required. Alpha particles are stopped by a single sheet of paper or the outer layer of skin, and beta particles are stopped by a few millimeters of aluminum or plastic — so a hazmat suit will actually stop those two — but gamma and X-rays go straight through.
What does a hazmat suit actually do in a radiation emergency?
It prevents contamination — the physical contact between radioactive particles in the environment and your skin, hair, and clothing. Radioactive isotopes on your skin continue emitting radiation until they're removed (which is why decontamination showers are the first step after leaving a contaminated area). By keeping those isotopes on the suit's outer surface instead of on you, you limit both your immediate exposure and how much contamination you carry home. The suit is discarded after use; you shower off any residual particles.
What PPE do you need in a radiation emergency?
Full-body coverage: a disposable hazmat coverall suit (like the Tyvek TY122SVP or DuPont Tychem 2000), a full-face respirator with combination cartridges (multi-gas vapor cartridge plus a P100 or HEPA filter for particulates, like the Moldex 9000 full-face with 7940 P100 filters), chemical-resistant gloves (MCR Flex Tuff II or similar), and rubber boots or shoe covers. A full-face respirator is preferred over a half-face because ionizing radiation isn't your only concern — volatile compounds and mucous membrane exposure often accompany a radiological release, and the full-face protects your eyes.
What should you do if a radioactive emergency is announced in your area?
Follow official evacuation orders. If evacuation isn't possible, shelter in place: go inside, close all doors and windows, shut off HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems that pull outside air in, and stay away from windows and exterior walls. If you were outside during the release, remove your outer clothing before coming fully inside, seal the clothing in a plastic bag, and shower thoroughly. Monitor official emergency broadcasts (NOAA Weather Radio, local emergency management) for further instructions. The CDC's Radiation Emergency Medical Management (REMM) site has authoritative guidance for civilians.
Can you use a hazmat suit for mold remediation or asbestos removal?
Yes — the same category of disposable coverall works for both applications, along with a matching respirator and glove combination. For mold remediation, a Tyvek TY122SVP (or equivalent) with a half-face or full-face respirator carrying P100 particulate filters is the standard setup for a heavy remediation. For asbestos work, OSHA's asbestos standards (29 CFR 1910.1001 general industry, 29 CFR 1926.1101 construction) require P100 or HEPA filtration at a minimum and PROHIBIT the use of N95 or other filtering-facepiece disposable respirators — upgrade to a reusable half-face or full-face model with P100 filters. Fit testing every 6 months is required by OSHA for tight-fitting respirators used in asbestos work.
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