There were 5,190 fatal workplace injuries in the US in 2021.
As a small business owner, providing a safe environment for your workers should always be one of your main priorities. Smart management means following procedures, training your employees, and providing the proper safety equipment for all tasks. Hazmat suits can be essential for many jobs to help maintain workplace safety – but how do you determine the best hazmat suits for your business?
For a rundown of the different types of hazmat suits available, keep reading.
Hazmat Suit Levels
A hazmat suit is a garment that covers the entire body to protect people from hazardous substances and materials. This typically includes things like:
- Chemicals
- Radioactive materials
- Biological agents
On top of providing these for your employees, you’ll need to make sure they know how to use them and any other PPE they need. OSHA respiratory training online is a great example of suitable training to help improve health and safety in the workplace.
There are 4 levels of hazmat suits with varying degrees of protection. You’ll need to get the appropriate level depending on what your workers may be exposed to.
Level A
Level A hazmat suits offer the highest level of skin, eye, and respiratory protection available. These are necessary when hazards pose a high threat in these areas. These include the following features:
- Positive pressure (PP) full-facepiece self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or supplied-air respirator with escape SCBA
- Chemical-resistant safety boots
- Chemical-resistant gloves
- Fully encapsulated vapor and chemical-protective suit
- Two-way radio communication system
There are also optional features such as outer gloves, a hard hat, and an in-suit cooling system available. You may also want these depending on the particular application.
Level B
Level B hazmat suits have a lower level of skin protection than level A, but the highest level of respiratory protection. They also protect from liquid splashes, but not against vapors and chemicals. This type of hazmat suit is best for environments where chemicals are present and the primary hazards are liquids (with no vapors).
These include:
- PP supplied air respirator with escape SCBA or PP full-facepiece SCBA o
- Inner chemical-resistant gloves
- Splash-resistant suit
- Chemical-resistant safety boots
- Hard hat
- Two-way radio communication system
Optional elements include outer gloves and a cooling system.
Level C
These offer the same skin protection as level B with a lower degree of respiratory protection. They’re an ideal solution when the contaminants present aren’t harmful to the skin.
Level C consists of:
- Full-face, air-purifying respirator
- Chemical-resistant safety boots
- Chemical-resistant gloves
- Hard hat
- Two-way communication system
An escape SCBA and face shield are optional additions.
Level D
Level D offers the lowest level of protection, and is generally used where hazards are minimal. This includes things like splashes, possible inhalation, or direct contact with chemicals.
These are made up of:
- Coveralls
- Safety boots/shoes
- Safety glasses or chemical splash goggles
Optional elements include an escape SCBA, gloves, and a face shield. Note that level D hazmat suits aren’t suitable for chemical emergency response.
Finding the Best Hazmat Suits
It’s important to have the right protective equipment for all of your employees so that they won’t be at risk while working. Assessing the needs within your business will help you find the best hazmat suits for every situation.
For more health and wellness articles, check out some of our other blog posts.
