During the process of evaluating a chemical suit, we often hear customers ask for permeation test breakthrough results on a specific chemical hazard.
The common process of choosing a chemical suit often uses this data as the sole indication that a suit will keep workers safe – but permeation test breakthrough data does not give the full story:
Permeation test data breakthrough times are useful when comparing the performance of different suit fabric performance, as this is what the tests were truly designed to measure.
However, these tests are entirely inadequate for confirming that a chemical suit is safe to wear and for how long.
The Directory of Chemical Producers estimates over 21,000 different chemicals are produced globally to be used as feedstocks, processing agents, catalysts, or end-use products in industry worldwide. Many are hazardous, with even limited contamination having potential to cause a range of chronic and often life-changing health consequences.
On request, Lakeland Fire + Safety experts can produce a comprehensive report that features:
All of the information provided is specific to Lakeland chemical suits within your specific application and reflects the effects of changing conditions, such as temperatures, with data provided. Safe-wear time estimates are Powered by PermaSURE.
In conjunction with ChemMax® 3, ChemMax® 4 Plus, and Interceptor® Plus, our report provides users with an ability to assess how long a chemical suit is safe to wear against over 2,400 widely-used chemicals.
Our Safe-Wear Time assessment indicates an effective maximum period a suit may be worn in a specific application before possible leakage may result in harm to the wearer, based on a total inward leakage derived from both fabric permeation and possible suit inward leakage, on the parameters of your application (such as temperature) and on the defined toxicity thresholds (TL’s shown in the tab above) for the chemical.
A simple smartphone app with an advanced molecular modeller at its heart, PermaSURE® is available for iOS and Android devices.
It enables quick calculation of Safe-Wear Times for Lakeland chemical suit options with over 2,400 chemicals. Safe-Wear Time is the maximum time a wearer should remain with potential exposure to the chemical and in varying conditions. Contributing to a Lakeland Safe-Wear Time Report PermaSURE allows easy selection of the least expensive suit option that provides effective protection for the required period, and enables users to better manage tasks involving toxic chemicals and more effectively ensure workers remain safe.
Current selection of chemical suits is often focused on the permeation resistance test breakthrough. While this test (ASTM F739 or EN 6529) makes a useful contribution, used as a sole selection tool it is flawed for several reasons:
Permeation testing provides limited and insufficient information to make sound judgment about whether a chemical suit is safe to wear. The safe-wear time report address all these by: