Part one of our two-part series focusing on Protective Coveralls, 3M PPE Specialist Maurice Gould takes host Mark Reggers through the considerations employees and workers must be familiar with when it comes suitable and appropriate PPE Coverall protection.

Besides the obvious role of coveralls in keeping workers and their clothes clean, coveralls’ main role is usually to avoid workers’ skin being impacted by unwanted chemicals and dust. The skin is a route of entry for many harmful substances to impact the body, and when all other controls have been exhausted or are simply not possible, the last line of defence in the hierarchy of controls could be a PPE coverall. We must be sure coveralls are fit for purpose, with the right level of protection provided, robust enough to resist things like scrapes and tears and fit suitably to avoid loose-fitting garments increasing danger by potentially getting caught in machinery.

If your workplace uses coveralls, or you are considering undertaking work that might require coverall protection, these two episodes will ‘cover all’ you need to know to make sure you make the right choices when selecting and using PPE coveralls.

Guest Bio:

Maurice graduated with an Honours Degree in Economics from Nottingham University many years ago. The first part of his career was in banking & finance but then he saw that you could have a more exciting career & joined a UK company called Dailys who manufactured Protective Clothing. In 2010 Dailys & Maurice were acquired by 3M – a not too unexpected move as Dailys had manufactured coveralls for 3M for many years.

He is an active member of the British Standards Institution (BSI) PH/003/03 Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear Personal Protective Equipment Committee, and represents 3M at the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) Protective Glove and Clothing Product Group.

Maurice lives in Manchester, is married to Della, & has 3 children, the oldest of whom got married last year. Away from work & family life Maurice enjoys nothing more than long walks in the Cheshire countryside with his dog, Monty!

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In this episode, Mark & Maurice discuss the following:

• Where do coveralls sit in the hierarchy of control and why?
• Why should workplace be focused on covering the skin route of entry?
• Are there specific industries or applications where coveralls are used or may be used?
• What are factors that impact coveralls selection?
• What are the different types of coverall protection type e.g. Type 5, 6, etc.?
• Are coveralls tested as a whole suit or is only a material sample tester or a combination of both?
• How is whole suit testing done?
• How are some of the material test conducted and why these types of tests? Is it just a pass/fail type tests?
• Where can the listeners go and get further information about what we have discussed today?

Our skin is literally the largest organ in the human body and it's also one of the most complicated. Coveralls are used in all sorts of industries and applications. All have very specific needs and it's important to select the correct coverall that offers the best protection for that application, and one that has passed the various tests to ensure it complies with the standards dictated by that coverall’s ‘Type’ classification.

Additional Resources:

• Podcast Transcript
• WorkSafe NZ – PPE
• 3M Chemical Test Library
• Video - Donning a 3M Coverall (UK)
• Video - Doffing a 3M Coverall (UK)
• Video – Breathability Demonstration non-woven materials
• 3M New Zealand

Contact a 3M Safety Specialist at scienceofsafetyanz@mmm.com for more information.