(Part of National CERT Equipment supply | Part of IBC Code Requirements | Part of IGC Code Requirements)
ibc code chemical suits
IBC Code - International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in BulkAmended by Resolution MEPC.225(64) - Chapter 14 Personnel protection - 14.2 Safety equipment
14.2 Safety equipment
14.2.1 Ships carrying cargoes for which 15.12,15.12.1 or 15.12.3 is listed in column o in the table of chapter 17 shall have on board sufficient but not less than three complete sets of safety equipment, each permitting personnel to enter a gas-filled compartment and perform work there for at least 20 min. Such equipment shall be in addition to that required by SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.
14.2.2 One complete set of safety equipment shall consist of:
.1 one self-contained air-breathing apparatus (not using stored oxygen);
.2 protective clothing, boots, gloves and tight-fitting goggles;
.3 fireproof lifeline with belt resistant to the cargoes carried; and
.4 explosion-proof lamp.
14.2.3 For the safety equipment required in 14.2.1, all ships shall carry either:
.1 one set of fully charged spare air bottles for each breathing apparatus;
.2 a special air compressor suitable for the supply of high-pressure air of the required purity;
.3 a charging manifold capable of dealing with sufficient spare air bottles for the breathing apparatus; or
.4 fully charged spare air bottles with a total free air capacity of at least 6,000 l for each breathing apparatus on board in excess of the requirements of SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.
14.2.4 A cargo pump-room on ships carrying cargoes which are subject to the requirements of 15.18 or cargoes for which in column k in the table of chapter 17 toxic-vapour-detection equipment is required but is not available shall have either:
.1 a low-pressure line system with hose connections suitable for use with the breathing apparatus required by 14.2.1. This system shall provide sufficient high-pressure air capacity to supply, through pressure-reduction devices, enough low-pressure air to enable two men to work in a gas-dangerous space for at least 1 h without using the air bottles of the breathing apparatus. Means shall be provided for recharging the fixed air bottles and the breathing apparatus air bottles from a special air compressor suitable for the supply of high-pressure air of the required purity; or
.2 an equivalent quantity of spare bottled air in lieu of the low-pressure air line.
14.2.5 At least one set of safety equipment as required by 14.2.2 shall be kept in a suitable clearly marked locker in a readily accessible place near the cargo pump-room. The other sets of safety equipment shall also be kept in suitable, clearly marked, easily accessible places.
14.2.6 The breathing apparatus shall be inspected at least once a month by a responsible officer, and the inspection recorded in the ship's log-book. The equipment shall be inspected and tested by an expert at least once a year.
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CHEMICAL
PROTECTIVE SUITSB 700 Personnel protection and medical equipment 701
Four sets of protective clothing according to the EmS Guide as given in the IMDG Code Supplement for packaged goods, or in the IMSBC Code for bulk cargoes, shall be provided in addition to the fire fighter's outfits required by Pt.4 Ch.10. (SOLAS Reg II-2.19 3.6.1)
Gas Tight Suit - Interceptor® is your first line of defense against extreme chemical hazards.
Interceptor® is the apex of Lakeland Industries’ chemical protective clothing line. Manufactured to both NFPA 1991 and CE type 1 requirements and available in encapsulating and non-encapsulating configurations, there is an Interceptor® suit for your needs be it gas, vapor, aerosol, liquids, harmful contaminants or particulate protection.
The chemical protection suit provides optimal protection against a multitude of substances, it offers comprehensive protection either for emergencies or for routine work such as: Maintenance, Repairs and tank cleaning.
Please note, the Breathing apparatus and Boots are excluded from the set.
2. Gas Protection Suit
Used with breathing apparatus and masks in emergencies involving exposure to hazardous gases and chemicals.
Please note, the Breathing apparatus and Boots are excluded from the set.
Level A HAZMAT
This is the highest protection level, meaning it is designed to safeguard against highly toxic or dangerous substances, including those that may be radioactive or biological (i.e., an infectious disease). In this case, the hazardous material poses a threat to the respiratory system, eyes, and skin.
HAZMAT suit levels correspond to the four protection levels designated by the DOT. This suit protects against chemicals and airborne particles. Level A is designed to be used to safeguard one's eyes, lungs, and skin from liquids and gasses.
EN Clothing Types Compared to OSHA Protection Levels
EN standards define 5 “Types” of application-based chemical protective clothing. But what do they mean and how do they differ from North American OSHA protection levels?
For a global business looking to standardize PPE in every regional base the need to meet multiple local standards and conventions is a challenge. When managing hazardous chemicals in the workplace an understanding of the differences between regions can be useful. This blog aims to explain the chemical protective clothing Types defined by EN standards, the OSHA Protection Level guidance used in North America, and to show where they are different or similar.
EN Standards for Types of Protective Clothing
The system launched in the European Economic Community in 1995 aimed to improve the levels of protection against workplace hazards by introducing a legal requirement that all PPE should meet minimum performance requirements. This was achieved through the publication of standards for PPE performance, with compulsory compliance being independently audited and approved by appointed “Notified Bodies”, and indicated on PPE labels by the now well-known CE mark.
The CE mark on PPE is an indication it is certified to EN standards. Yet there are many fake products in the market place – especially outside Europe in regions where CE is increasingly used. Often such product looks certified, but isn’t. How do you know? Our blog here looks at how to identify properly CE marked PPE.
For chemical protective clothing several CE standards define performance requirements according to the hazard; it’s state: liquid, dust, or gas, and in the case of liquids: light aerosol, liquid, or jet sprays. These define 5 “Types” of clothing according to level and type of protection provided.
A Notified Body is an organization appointed by an EU member government to audit specific types of PPE according to relevant standards and to issue a CE certificate based on that audit.
For Safety Managers it is useful to know that certification and all required testing is conducted independently of the manufacturer.
Meanwhile in North America no such mandatory or optional standards exist for chemical protective clothing. However, OSHA, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the government agency charged with “ensuring safe and healthful conditions for workers” has issued four “Protection Levels” as guidance for choosing PPE for protection against hazardous materials in the workplace.
The PPE or the Hazard? An Important Difference
A key difference between the approaches of Europe and America is that whilst European chemical suit standards focus product – in this case clothing that protects the skin of the wearer, with respiratory and ingestion hazards dealt with by other standards, the protection levels in America address whole body protection including, and treating as primary, protection against respiratory hazards. Thus, the OSHA levels address all the required PPE, considering respiratory protection as paramount, whilst the EN standards have different standards for different PPE.
(This distinction between product and hazard is also seen in other protection types. For example, the EN standard for fire fighters clothing, EN 469, defines requirements only for clothing, with other fire-fighters PPE being addressed by separate standards. In North America however, the equivalent NFPA 1971 standard considers requirements not only for clothing but also for helmets, gloves, boots and so on. It’s title refers to “…protective ensembles…” for fire-fighters rather than “fire-fighters’ clothing”.
This means direct comparison of the EN standards and OSHA protection levels is difficult; there are no direct equivalents. However, below is an analysis of both and a summary of how they compare.
EN Standards for Chemical Resistant Protective Clothing
In EN standards all PPE is classified as follows: –
Category I
Products designed to protect against minimal hazards
Category II
Intermediate products that are neither category I nor III
Category III
Products designed to protect against hazards that may cause serious injury or are a threat to life
Note: All clothing for protection against hazardous chemicals is classed as Category III. Lightweight, breathable, single layer and low cost spunbonded polypropylene coveralls are NOT considered protective clothing as they offer little in the way of protection other than against dirt. Such garments are classed as Category I PPE.
The key standards for chemical protective clothing are: –
Type 6
EN 13034: Clothing for protection against light aerosol sprays of liquids
Type 5
EN 13982: Clothing for protection against Hazardous Dusts
Type 4
EN 14605: Clothing for protection against liquid (shower-type) sprays
Type 3
EN 14605: Clothing for protection against liquid jet sprays
Type 1
EN 943: Gas-tight Clothing for protection against gases and vapours. (This is sub-divided into parts 1 and 2, with Part 2 being clothing for Emergency Teams and featuring additional requirements)
Originally there were 6 TYPES, Type 2 being included in EN 943 and being air-fed “non-gas tight” clothing. However, this was rarely used and commonly misunderstood, so was withdrawn in the 2015 version of EN 943
Garments certified to either one or more of these standards must display the specific pictogram below to indicate “chemical protection” on the label.
However, in addition many manufacturers also use the pictograms shown in the table below to indicate the Type of clothing. Note that these Type-specific pictograms are not required by the standards but are a convention adopted by many, though not all, manufacturers. Some prefer to use their own symbols. The standards do, however, require the “Type”, standard number and date is referenced on garment label.
How is Chemical Resistant Clothing Tested?
The process for certification of clothing to these standards includes three types of testing:-
1. Tests assessing the physical properties of garment and construction.
Test methods for each are given in separate referenced test standards with the results of each classified as 1 to 6 (6 being the highest). Classifications are defined in tables in the reference standard EN 14325.
2. Tests for resistance of the fabric against either penetration or permeation of liquids or gases.
Resistance to Penetration / Repellency test for Type 6 garment fabric (EN ISO 6530)
Assesses the ability of a fabric suspended at 45o to resist penetration of four specific liquids, identifying a percentage for both penetration and repellency and classifying each as 1 to 3 (3 being the highest) with minimum performance requirements.
Resistance to Permeation of chemicals for Types, 1,3 and 4 garment fabric (EN ISO 6529)
Assesses resistance against permeation of chemicals. The standard for Type 3 and 4 does not define any specific chemicals, but those tested are dictated by the application. The standard also requires at least one test with a minimum class 1 result on a “seams exposed in use”.
The Type 1 standard for gases and vapors however specifies 16 chemicals that must be tested on fabric, seam and components such as visor and gloves and with minimum performance requirements. * see note below
3. “Type” tests on the whole finished garment.
The testing that defines the difference between the clothing Types is primarily the “Type Test” on the whole garment. The principle for each is the same: –
A test subject of appropriate size for the test garment dons a sample
A series of exercises designed to simulate a normal working environment are conducted to ensure it does not tear or damage in normal conditions
The test subject enters a spray cabin and either: –
In the case of Type 5 the cabin is filled with dust particles (Sodium Chloride of various particle size)
However, in addition many manufacturers also use the pictograms shown in the table below to indicate the Type of clothing. Note that these Type-specific pictograms are not required by the standards but are a convention adopted by many, though not all, manufacturers. Some prefer to use their own symbols. The standards do, however, require the “Type”, standard number and date is referenced on garment label.
