What are the standards of coveralls?

Coveralls are tested according to EN 14126, the standard which determines the performance requirements of protective clothing against infective agents. This standard focuses on the medium containing the bacteria or other infective agent, such as a liquid, aerosol or solid particulate and does not define performance requirements for specific infective agents. The standard consists of five tests which are conducted against fabrics only, and not the completed garment. This needs to be considered when selecting appropriate protective clothing for the workplace as hazards may be small enough to enter the suit through the opening of sewn seams for example, so welded seams may be the most suitable option.

Here is the content list:

The 5 tests for testing standard of Coveralls

Types and Standards of Coveralls 

Different Types of coveralls

The 5 tests for testing standard of Coveralls

The 5 tests are:

ISO 16603: Resistance to penetration by blood and bodily fluid using synthetic blood. This is a screening test which determines what pressure the ISSO 16604 should be conducted under.

ISO 16604: Resistance penetration by blood-borne pathogens using a bacteriophage

EN ISO 22610: Resistance to wet microbial penetration by biologically contaminated liquid

ISO/DIS 22611: Resistance to liquid aerosol penetration by biologically contaminated liquid aerosols

ISO 22612: Resistance to penetration by biologically contaminated dry, solid particles

Fabrics are given a class rating dependent on their performance in each of the above tests and how long it takes for the infective agent to penetrate the fabric, which can be found on their individual data sheets; the higher the class the higher the level of protection. If the fabrics pass one of the above tests, they will be certified as EN 14126.

Protective suits which have been constructed with EN 14126 compliant fabrics will then need to meet the requirements of their “Type” standard (more on this below). The table below outlines the standards for each type of coverall. Coveralls who have met the standards of their Type as well as the EN 14126 standard will be marked with the appropriate Type as well as “-b” which indicates that it is certified EN 14126.

Types and Standards of Coveralls 

Type Classifications

As well as the above testing standards, coveralls are also subject to rigorous testing to determine their ‘Type’. A coverall’s Type indicates its suitability for certain environments and its level of protection against different hazards. Tests must comply with the above standards and will measure the coverall’s performance against a number of variables including:

Abrasions

Cracking

Tensile strength

Liquid repellence

Tear, puncture, chemical, ignition, spray and aerosol resistance

Dependent on their performance under these testing conditions, suits are classified into Types, ranging from one to six.

The different types of Coveralls

The different types of coveralls are: Type 1: Gas Tight Type; 2: Non-gas Tight; Type 3: Protection against; Liquid Type 4: Protection against Liquid Spray; Type 5: Protection against Airborne Particles; Type 6: Protection against Liquid Chemical Splash.

And more details about different types of coveralls are stated in another article.