| Capabilities | | | | considered to be Level D. |
| Overview | | | | In Europe |
| DEA agents wearing Level B hazmat suits. | | | | Most suits used in Europe are covered by a set |
| The United States Department of Homeland | | | | EU Norms, and divided into a total of six types |
| Security defines a Hazmat suit as "an overall | | | | (levels) of protection: |
| garment worn to protect people from hazardous | | | | Type 1: Protects against liquid and gaseous |
| materials or substances, including chemicals, | | | | chemicals. Gas tight. (prEN 943 part 1). More or |
| biological agents, or radioactive materials." More | | | | less equivalent to US level A. |
| generally, hazmat suits may provide protection | | | | Type 2: Protects against liquid and gaseous |
| from: | | | | chemicals. Non gas tight. (prEN 943 part 1). More |
| Chemical agents - through the use of appropriate | | | | or less equivalent to US level B.1 |
| barrier materials like teflon, heavy PVC or rubber | | | | Type 3: Protects against liquid chemicals for a |
| and tyvek[citation needed] | | | | limited period. Liquid tight. (prEN 1511) |
| Nuclear agents - possibly through radiation shielding | | | | Type 4: Protects against liquid chemicals for a |
| in the lining, but more importantly by preventing | | | | limited period. Spray tight. (prEN 1512). More or |
| direct contact with or inhalation of radioactive | | | | less equivalent to US level C. |
| particles or gas | | | | Type 5: Protects against liquid chemicals for a |
| Biological agents - through fully sealed systems | | | | limited period. Only covers body partially. (prEN |
| (often at overpressure to prevent contamination | | | | 1513). More or less equivalent to US level D. |
| even if the suit is damaged) | | | | Type 6: Protects parts of body against liquid |
| Fire/high temperatures - usually by a combination | | | | chemicals (prEN 13034) |
| of insulating and reflective materials which reduce | | | | 1: Can be used in places where the chemical in |
| or retard the effects | | | | gaseous form isn't harmful to the body exterior. |
| The Hazmat suit generally includes breathing air | | | | Level A/Type 1 suit. SCBA is inside suit |
| supplies to provide clean, uncontaminated air for | | | | Level B/Type 2 suit. SCBA is outside suit |
| the wearer. In laboratory use, the external air | | | | Level C/Type 4 suit |
| may be provided through air hoses supplied from | | | | Type 6 glove made of nitrile rubber |
| a 'clean' location. This air is usually pumped into the | | | | Types |
| suit at positive pressure with respect to the | | | | Hazmat suits come basically in two variations: |
| surroundings as an additional protective measure | | | | splash protection and gastight suits. As the name |
| against the introduction of dangerous agents into | | | | implies the splash protection suits are designed to |
| a potentially ruptured or leaking suit. | | | | prevent the wearer from coming into contact |
| Working in a Hazmat suit is very strenuous, as | | | | with a liquid. These suits do not protect against |
| the suits tend to be less flexible than conventional | | | | gasses or dust. Gastight suits protect the wearer |
| work garments. With the exception of laboratory | | | | from basically any outside influence apart from |
| versions, Hazmat suits can be hot and poorly | | | | heat and radiation. |
| ventilated (if at all). Therefore, use is usually limited | | | | Gas / vapor protection |
| to short durations of up to 2 hours, depending on | | | | Such suits (Level A in the US) are gas or |
| the difficulty of the work. Level A (United States) | | | | vapor-tight, providing total encapsulation and the |
| suits, for example, are limited by their air supply | | | | highest level of protection against direct and |
| to around 15-20 minutes of very strenuous work | | | | airborne chemical contact. They are typically worn |
| (such as a firefighting rescue in a building). | | | | with a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) |
| However, OSHA/EPA protective level A suits | | | | enclosed within the suit. |
| ensembles are not typically used in firefighting | | | | These suits are typically constructed of several |
| rescue, especially during a building/structure fire. | | | | layers and, being airtight, include a release valve |
| National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) | | | | so the suit does not overinflate from air exhaled |
| compliant "turnout gear," and NIOSH-certified | | | | by the SCBA. The release valve does retain |
| SCBA, or CBRN SCBA, are the primary | | | | some air to keep some positive pressure |
| protection technologies for structure firefighting in | | | | ("overpressure") inside the suit. As noted, such |
| the US. | | | | suits are usually limited to just 15-20 minutes of |
| Ratings | | | | use by their mobile air supply. |
| In the United States | | | | With each suit described here, there is a |
| Hazmat protective clothing is classified as either | | | | manufactured device designed to protect the |
| Level A, B, C, or D, based upon the degree of | | | | respiratory system of the wearer while the suit |
| protection they provide. | | | | ensemble is used to protect skin exposed to |
| Level A | | | | potential, or actual dermal, hazardous agents. That |
| The highest level of protection against vapors, | | | | device is a respirator. A respirator may be |
| gases, mists, and particles is Level A, which | | | | something as simple as a headband strap filtering |
| consists of a fully encapsulating chemical entry suit | | | | facepiece respirator (FFR), to a headharness |
| with a full-facepiece self-contained breathing | | | | negative pressure fullface respirator (Air-Purifying |
| apparatus (SCBA) or a supplied air respirator | | | | Respirator (APR)), to a full face, tight fitting, |
| (SAR) with an SCBA escape cylinder. A crew | | | | closed breathing air, or open circuit, self-contained |
| member must also wear boots with steel toes | | | | breathing apparatus (CC-SCBA or SCBA). |
| and shanks on the outside of the suit and specially | | | | Splash protection |
| selected chemical-resistant gloves for this level of | | | | Such suits (Level B in the US) are not vapor-tight |
| protection. The breathing apparatus is worn inside | | | | and thus provide a lesser level of protection. They |
| (encapsulated within) the suit. To qualify as Level | | | | are, however, worn with an SCBA, which may be |
| A protection, an intrinsically safe two-way radio is | | | | located inside or outside of the suit, depending on |
| also worn inside the suit, often incorporating | | | | the type of suit (encapsulating or |
| voice-operated microphones and an earpiece | | | | non-encapsulating). They more closely resemble |
| speaker for monitoring the operations channel. | | | | the one-piece Tyvek coveralls often seen used in |
| Level B | | | | construction and demolition work. Yet, Level B |
| Level B protection requires a garment (including | | | | splash suits may also be fully encapsulating suits |
| SCBA) that provides protection against splashes | | | | which are simply not airtight. |
| from a hazardous chemical. Since the breathing | | | | Lesser protection (Level C in the US) suits may |
| apparatus is worn on the outside of the garment, | | | | be coveralls of treated material, or multi-piece |
| Level B protection is not vapor-protective. It is | | | | combinations, sealed with tape. This kind of |
| worn when vapor-protective clothing (Level A) is | | | | protection is still "proof" against many non-invasive |
| not required. Wrists, ankles, facepiece and hood, | | | | substances, such as anthrax. |
| and waist are secured to prevent any entry of | | | | In fiction |
| splashed liquid. Depending on the chemical being | | | | Hazmat suits have long been used as an |
| handled, specific types of gloves and boots are | | | | important device found in fiction, especially science |
| donned. These may or may not be attached to | | | | fiction, to dramatize the deadliness of lethal |
| the garment. The garment itself may be one | | | | environments. Common dramatic situations usually |
| piece or a two-piece hooded suit. Level B | | | | involve a suit failure leading to rapid death in films |
| protection also requires the wearing of | | | | such as The Andromeda Strain or Outbreak. Plot |
| chemical-resistant boots with steel toes and | | | | resolutions usually make the removal of a suit a |
| shanks on the outside of the garment. As with | | | | pivotal moment, signifying the end of the threat. |
| Level A, chemical-resistant gloves and two-way | | | | The anonymity provided by Hazmat suits has |
| radio communications are also required. | | | | often been used to accentuate sinister motives. |
| Level C | | | | The scientists in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial are a |
| Level C protection differs from Level B in the | | | | good example of this, as are the farcical squad of |
| area of equipment needed for respiratory | | | | Hazmat encased characters in the animation |
| protection. The same type of garment used for | | | | Monsters, Inc.. |
| Level B protection is worn for Level C. Level C | | | | Hazmat suits are also commonly found in video |
| protection allows for the use of respiratory | | | | games, used to navigate otherwise dangerous |
| protection equipment other than SCBA. This | | | | areas. Popular game series which feature |
| protection includes any of the various types of | | | | Hazmat-like suits include Maniac Mansion, Half-Life, |
| air-purifying respirators. Crew members should not | | | | Hitman: Contracts, Saints Row 2, The Conduit, |
| use this level of protection unless the specific | | | | Doom, Fallout 3, Deus Ex, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of |
| hazardous material is known and its concentration | | | | Chernobyl its prequel S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky and |
| can be measured. Level C equipment does not | | | | Left 4 Dead 2.. |
| offer the protection needed in an oxygen | | | | See also |
| deficient atmosphere. | | | | Bunker gear |
| Level D | | | | Demron |
| Level D protection does not protect the crew | | | | Fire proximity suit |
| member from chemical exposure. Therefore, this | | | | NBC suit, military equivalent |
| so-called level of protection can only be used in | | | | Suitport |
| situations where a crew member has no | | | | References |
| possibility of contact with chemicals. A pair of | | | | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
| coveralls or other work-type garment along with | | | | Hazmat suit |
| chemical-resistant footwear with steel toes and | | | | ^ Dictionary of Homeland Security and Defense, |
| shanks are all that is required to qualify as Level | | | | The (excerpt via Google Books) - O'Leary, |
| D protection. Most firefighter turnout gear is | | | | Margaret R.; iUniverse, Inc. |