Protective clothing

Protective clothing provides more protection than normal clothing against hazardous influences such as chemicals, pathogens, heat, wetness, cold, etc. Such functional clothing can also shield the environment of a working person: for example, in operating theaters or clean rooms from contamination, e.g., by human cells or fibers. We address two types of protective clothing here, chemical protective clothing and infection protective clothing, according to the topic. Chemical Protective Clothing: Anyone working in the chemical industry should wear clothing that protects against liquid chemical hazards in accordance with the EN 13034 Type 6 standard. Infection protective clothing: To reduce the risk of transmitting pathogens, special protective clothing is worn by personnel over their work clothes. As part of basic or standard hygiene, this prevents direct contact with blood, secretions or excretions. Protective clothing includes aprons, protective gowns, hoods, protective masks, overshoes, protective goggles and gloves, which are worn in various combinations. Some of these are single-use items which are disposed of after use, such as disposable gloves and mouth/nose protection; others, for example boil-proof gowns or protective goggles, can be reused after disinfecting reprocessing.