Personal Protective Equipment

(PPE)
 Objective

Gain knowledge and familiarization with the different

types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and their
uses for radiological emergency response operations.

1
 Goals

• Understand the purpose of using PPE

• Review the factors that determine PPE usage
• Review the types and levels of protection
• Review the proper dressing (donning) and
undressing (doffing)
• Provide an overview of personal
decontamination procedures

2
 What is the purpose of PPE?

• To prevent contamination
• To minimize skin and clothing
contact
– Avert spreading contamination
– Minimize the possibility of
skin/clothing becoming
contaminated

3
 Factors to Determine PPE Usage

There are four basic factors to

determine the type and extent of
PPE:
1. Type and form of contamination
2. Levels of contamination
3. Type of work being performed
4. Hazard type

4
 Additional PPE Factors to Consider

• Types of clothing
• Potential for increased contamination
(resuspension)
• Areas of the body at risk
• Competing hazards
• Respiratory protective equipment

5
 Contamination Control is Important

• To control the contamination:

– Establish a “hotline” prior to entry

– Use appropriate Personnel Protective Equipment
– To protect your skin from contamination
– To protect from internal contamination (use a
respirator)
– To protect from other hazards that may be
collocated with the radiological contamination
– Conduct surveys to determine where contamination is
located and isolate area

6
 Types of Protection

• Whole body protection

– Level A, B, and, C
– Fire fighter turn-out gear

7
 Types of Protection - Level A

• Level A PPE consists of a Self-

Contained Breathing Apparatus
(SCBA) and a totally encapsulating
chemical-protective suit
• Level A PPE provides the highest
level of respiratory, eye, mucous
membrane, and skin protection

8
 Types of Protection - Level B

• Level B PPE consists of a

positive-pressure respirator SCBA
or supplied-air respirator and non-
encapsulated chemical-resistant
garments, gloves, and boots,
which guard against chemical
splash exposures
• Level B PPE provides the highest
level of respiratory protection with
a lower level of skin protection

9
 Types of Protection - Level C PPE

• Level C PPE consists of an Air

Purifying Respirator (APR) and non-
encapsulated chemical-resistant
clothing, gloves, and boots
• Level C PPE provides the same
level of skin protection as Level B,
with a lower level of respiratory
protection
• Level C PPE is used when the type
of airborne exposure can be
adequately guarded against by an
APR
10
 Types of Protection - Level D

• Level D PPE consists of

standard work clothes without a
respirator. In hospitals, Level D
consists of surgical gown,
mask, and latex gloves
(universal precautions)
• Level D PPE provides no
respiratory protection and only
minimal skin protection

11
 Hand Protection PPE

• Surgical gloves
• Rubber gloves
• Neoprene gloves
• Cotton gloves
• Leather or canvas
work gloves

12
 Foot Protection PPE

• Booties • Shoe covers

– Plastic and cloth – Plastic or rubber

13
 Respiratory Protection

• Full-face masks
• Powered-Air Purifying Respirator
(PAPR)
• Supplied air systems
• Self-Contained Breathing
Apparatus (SCBA)

Requires medical approval, training,

and fit testing!

14
Demonstration of Dressing (Donning)
and Undressing (Doffing) in PPE

15
 Undressing or Removing PPE
Order of removal:
• Rubber overshoes
• Outer gloves
• Hood
• All exposed tape
• Dosimetry
• Coveralls
• Shoe covers
• Respiratory equipment
• Surgical gloves
16
 Dressing (donning) in PPE

Order of dressing:
• Shoe covers
• Coveralls
• Dosimetry
• Overshoes
• Surgical gloves
• Outer gloves
• Hood
• Respiratory equipment

17
 Contamination Control

• Procedures for exiting a contaminated area

– Report to hot line exit area
– Health physics personnel will guide and assist in the
proper removal of PPE to minimize the spread of
contamination
– Place equipment in the designated drop area
– Health physics personnel will conduct a
contamination survey
– Health physics personnel will decontaminate and
resurvey as appropriate

18
 Five Point Survey

• A survey of hands, feet, and

face/head quickly evaluates
personnel for gross contamination
• First verify the instrument is
turned on and operational
• Hold the probe about 0.5 to 1 cm
from the surface to be surveyed
• Avoid touching the surface with
probe
• Move the probe slowly, about 2.5
to 5 cm/second

19
 Contaminated Clothing

Advise the individual to refrain from moving around

or touching the contaminated area
• Contain or remove areas of gross contamination
• Carefully remove and store all contaminated
clothing
• Resurvey clothing after each tape press to
evaluate effectiveness
• Save contaminated clothing for future analysis if
internal contamination suspected
• Perform a whole body survey

20
 Skin Contamination Assessment

• Survey/measure skin contamination

• Determine level of contamination
• Determine size of the contaminated
area
• Determine length of time on skin
• Identify radionuclides involved

21
 Decontamination

There are three factors that determine the

course of action to be taken for decontamination:
1. Physical condition of the worker
2. Activity of radionuclide(s) present
3. Location of contamination on the body

22
 Skin Decontamination

Precautions
• Prevent contaminated
water from entering body
openings
• Use only lukewarm water
• Medical care takes precedence
• Modesty issues need to be
addressed
• Use biohazard bags and
gloves

23
 Decontamination or Transport of
Injured Personnel

Decontamination factors to consider:

• Treatment of a major injury take
precedence over decontamination
• Taking off all outer clothing may
remove up to 90% of contamination
• Ease with which decontamination
can be accomplished
• Potential for spreading contamination
• Contaminating a wound
• Added dose by delaying decontamination
• Inform hospital of radiological issues

24
 Documentation

Develop a “Real-Time" history:

• Activity of contamination
• Location of contamination
• Area of contamination
• Decontamination method used
• Effectiveness of
decontamination method
• Estimated exposure time when
contamination on skin

25
 Summary

• Review of the purpose of using PPE

• Factors that determine PPE usage and levels
• Proper dressing (donning) and undressing (doffing)
procedures
• Provided an overview of personal decontamination

26
Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE)

Questions/Discussion