Considerations When Selecting Protective Coveralls: Ensure the Safety and Security of Health Workers

Healthcare workers rendering services in the field are exposed to several biological fluids that can transmit diseases which include those spread by several pathogens, like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, the Ebola virus, and others. The outbreak of the coronavirus has reinforced the importance of using PPE to ensure the safety and security of healthcare workers.

The disposable surgical gown online for COVID-19 is an indispensable part of protective wear for healthcare workers. COVID-19 first responders need to protect themselves from transmitting pathogens from blood and bodily fluids, and other potentially infectious materials. The use of effective fluid resistance garments plays a crucial role in this.

However, it is important to buy the right kind of fluid-resistant materials that meet standard specifications for coveralls that effectively protect them against pathogen transmission via splashes or sprays of bodily fluids. Read on further to find more valuable information on selecting the right protective clothing that is primarily used for ascertaining the fabric’s barrier properties. Additionally, before investing in buying disposable gowns for COVID-19, it is important to consider all the aspects of the garment related to design, durability, comfort, integrity, and functionality.

Important considerations before buying protective Clothing

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are three major modes of transmission of infectious pathogens:

Contact (direct and indirect)

This involves the direct transmission of microorganisms from an infected person to a healthy person.

Respiratory Droplets

This is the secondary transmission involving the transfer of droplets arising from sneezing, coughing, and talking.  

Airborne Droplets Nuclei 

This involves the transmission of pathogens via airborne droplet nuclei containing pathogens that may be inhaled.

Direct contact may occur in healthcare settings through broken skin or mucus membranes of areas, like the eyes, sweat, vomit, breast milk, feces and semen.

There is a need for thorough risk assessment to identify potential risk exposures to bodily fluids and blood. The level of risk also depends on the stage of the disease and the severity of the condition. Some important factors to consider for risk evaluation include source, pressure, and types of contact, modes of transmission, duration, and type of task.

Healthcare Protective Clothing Standards And Specifications 

Employers can find several kinds of protective clothing options in the current market that you can consider when you have to buy disposable medical gown online. It includes isolation gowns, coveralls and surgical gowns, and more.  It is necessary to consider all the available information including the potential limitations about recommended clothing before choosing the appropriate set of the personal protective equipment. Understanding the relevant standards and potential test methods is an important consideration.

Tests that Must be Conducted On Protective Clothing

Standard Test Methods To Determine the Blood and Viral Penetration Resistance

These include the ASTM test methods using the standard method of ASTM 1670 and ASTM1671 for synthetic blood penetration and viral penetration. The respective equivalents of the aforementioned tests in ISO standards and tests include ISO16603 and ISO16604 respectively.

Protective Clothing Performance Requirements

 It is important to understand that the different test methods will not give precisely the same results or performance. This is due to the difference in the conditions, test equipment and procedures used.

Various standards are used to define the performance requirements for protecting against infectious agents. Of these, ANSI/AAMI PB70, NFPA1999, EN13795and EN14126are the ones that are frequently used in the US and Europe. 

Liquid barrier performance and classification of ANSI/AAMI PB:2012

These are important parameters in healthcare facilities to be considered when one has to buy disposable medical gown online.

To learn more about the specifications, standards for protective clothing needed for emergency medical operations used for ensuring the security, and the safety of the healthcare workers in isolation ward settings and other places, reach out to the experts at Vizocare.