EPA Levels of Protection
Several classification systems exist for chemical protective clothing, some based on design and others on function or application. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency developed one of the better known systems, which the National Fire Protection Association is using as a taking-off point for its classification.
It uses four levels, broken down by the type and degree of toxicity hazard. The levels—A to D—act as guidelines for choosing protective clothing and associated equipment.
But parts of the EPA system are subject to interpretation. For example, it’s not clear whether a Level A suit must completely enclose the wearer and that person’s SCBA. In addition, the system leaves it to the user to choose a suit of appropriate durability.
These types of distinctions are essential to the development of chemical protective clothing standards. Without referencing the EPA’s actual standards, the NFPA protective clothing subcommittee plans to work with the first three categories of that system while giving them further definition:
- The EPA’s highest level, A, dictates the use of a totally encapsulating suit primarily in cases where any dermal exposure to the chemical isn’t permissible. The NFPA proposes to classify this type of clothing as vapor-protective, since the suit should protect the wearer against all forms of chemical intrusion by solids, liquids, and vapors or gases.
- Suits that the EPA recommends for its Levels B and C include oneand two-piece “splash suits.” The NFPA proposes to define this type of clothing as liquid-protective.
The reason for this distinction is to provide a different means of verifying the performance of each type of protective clothing.
