KleenGuard® T65 XP Protective Coveralls

KleenGuard® T65 XP

Choosing the most appropriate protective apparel for your requirements can be a daunting task. With differing standards and guidelines and a checklist of criteria including design, fit and cost, there’sa lot to consider.

At Kimberly-Clark we have a proud heritage of designing and manufacturing superior clothing.Our KleenGuard® Product range is recognised globally for quality and safety. Protection offered by KleenGuard® coveralls is far greater than traditional textiles, while offering the wearer greater comfort in use than other non-woven garments and heavy duty PVC suits.

The unique features and benefits of the KleenGuard® T65 XP coverall make it suitable for a varietyof tasks: from work with hazardous dusts, through to chemical handling. It’s especially well suited for processes such as automobile painting, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and electronic assembly.

The search for solutions

A recent market study of protective apparel users found that their most pressing needs include:

• Controlling total systems costs. • Increasing the productivity of workers who wear protective apparel. Here, issues like comfort and breathability of

the garment come into play, as a comfortable worker is usually a more productive one.• Improving worker wellness and safety. Keeping the hazards of the work environment from affecting the health

and safety of employees will always be a crucial need.

Limited-life protective clothing is the safe and cost-effective choice of work clothing to choose when:

• The process is hazardous and the worker may be harmed by contamination of the skin by substances used at work

• The process must be protected from the worker (e.g. Spray painting booths)• There is a once-off dirty task where normal work clothes need to be kept clean.

Risk Assessment

Identifying and understanding the potential hazards to which a worker may be exposed is the first step

to be taken when choosing appropriate protective coveralls.

• What hazardous substances are present in the workplace?• Are the hazardous substances particulates, liquids, gases or a combination of these?• Is the route of potential exposure respiratory, dermal , ingestion or a combination of these?• What is the frequency and duration of exposure?

Answering these questions will help to identify the process controls and work practice changes that

may need to be made to eliminate or minimize the hazards. Answers to these questions will also help

to determine if there is anything specific to the worker task(s) that will require protective apparel.

The primary responsibility of protective clothing is to protect the wearer – the critical factor in

selecting protective apparel. However, if the garment is not comfortable and breathable, there is the

chance that users may “field-modify” the garment by ripping out airholes or not fastening the garment

properly to minimise discomfort. Such modifications can compromise the protection the garment

offers.

GARMENT DESIGN

Garment Structure and Design

Much of what constitutes ‘appropriate’ apparel may be found in the garment’s design and construction.Sizing and cut are critical. If the garment doesn’t fit, the apparel itself may expose the wearer to ahazard due to rip-outs or users modifying the garment to be more comfortable (i.e. not zipping upproperly, ripping out air holes).

Look for a generous cut, especially across the shoulders and key stress areas like knees and crotch. A fuller cut will help enhance the comfort of the garment and will help to reduce pulls, tears and rip-outs. Other apparel design features that help to make for a more comfortable garment include anelasticated waist, which can act as a belt for a better fit, and a concealed zipper which offers strike-through protection.

Seam construction is another important garment design factor to consider. Seams on the garmentare as important as the fabric, because they are the most vulnerable part of the garment. Look for garments with seams on the back instead of the front. This provides more protection up front, whereit’s needed most. Serged seams (a basic stitched seam) are most common in general protectiveapparel.

It is important that garment be worn correctly, and to remember that even the best protective garmentwon’t provide protection once it has been damaged.

Strong triple stitched seam

- helps protect against tearing

Breathable fabric- increased comfort

Ultra strong silicone free fabric - over 35% stronger than the market leader

Generous cut to shoulders and legs

- Improved movement and worker safety

Longer waterproof zip - makes garment easier to put on or take off

Colour coded badge - easily identifiable protection

Wider Elasticated hood - ensures good mask fit

Wider double zip flap - for increased protection

Elasticated ankles and cuffs

- prevents ingress of

contaminants

Garment Design: Features and Benefits

The Fabric

The breathability and comfort quality of a garment are key to preventing heat stress, improving worker

productivity and helping workers comply with apparel wearing guidelines. Fortunately, recent

advances in fabric development mean that safety professionals no longer need to trade off between

comfort and protection.

SMS Technology

One type of breathable fabric used in protective apparel is an engineered multilayered laminate known

as SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond). The two outer spunbond layers are made of randomly

deposited 15 – 20 micron diameter continuous polypropylene fibres which provide cloth-like comfort

while also offering fabric strength, durability and abrasion resistance.

The inner meltblown layer provides a filter barrier and is typically comprised of 1-3 micron diameter

polypropylene fibres. The advantage of meltblown as the barrier layer is that it is permeable to both air

and moisture vapour, meaning that both air and sweat vapour can pass through the garment to keep

the skin cool and the wearer more comfortable in hot working environments. At the same time,

the meltblown barrier layer provides a great deal of particulate and liquid protection. Bonded together,

these layers result in a tough cloth-like fabric that provides a high degree of protection and comfort.

Provides strength and durability to the garment

Excellent barrier to chemicals and particlesNon-fiberous – ultra low lint

Anti-static to EN1149-1Non-woven

Film

4 Advantages of KleenGuard®T65 XP fabric

LEVELS OF PROTECTION

Different Classifications of Protective Clothing

• Protective clothing may be divided into 6 different levels of protection, according to European Standards.

• Each of these levels is determined by the minimum barrier and physical properties to be met by the individual garment.

What does T65XP stand for?

“Type” protection T65 X - extra

P - protection

Primary Protection

Outstanding chemical protection Secondary Protection

across a wide range of Particle hold of greater than 99% of

chemicals fibres greater than 1 micron

PARTICLE PROTECTION

ANTI-STATICPROPERTIES

LIMITED SPLASH PROTECTION

RADIOACTIVE DUST PROTECTION

CHEMICAL PROTECTION

KleenGuard® T65 XP offers:

Product Performance Data

There are several fabric / garment performance tests that illustrate protection levels:

• Chemical Surface Tension is measured using test method EN368• Resistance to penetration by liquids in the form of a light spray (mist test) is measured by

Test Method EN468 (modified)• Anti-Static / Surface Resisitivity Properties are measured by Test Method EN1149-1• Process Protection: Linting is measured by Test Method BS6909• Trapezoidal Tear Resistance is measured by Test Method ISO-9073-4• Radioactive Dust Contamination Protection is measured by Test Method En 1073-2• Abrasion Resistance is measured by Test Method EN 530 M2• Flex Cracking Resistance is measured by Test Method ISO 7854 M8• Puncture Resistance is measured by Test Method EN 863• Burst Resistance is measured by Test Method ISO 2960 (50cm²)• Resistance To Ignition is measured by Test Method EN 1146• Seam Strength is measured by Test Method ISO 582• Resistance To Aerosols / Fine Particles is measured by Test Method prEN ISO 13982-2

See Broadsheet for all test results.

Liquid Chemical Penetration and Repellency

• The European test standard EN368 is used to measure liquid penetration through a fabric, as well as liquid repellency by a fabric.

• This test is also know as the ‘gutter test’.• Method: The fabric to be tested is placed in a gutter which is inclined at a 45 degree angle. This gutter is lined

with and absorbent fabric.• 10ml of liquid is poured in 10 seconds onto the top of the test fabric via a nozzle.• Any liquid that manages to penetrate the fabric via the fabric pores within one minute is expressed as a

percentage of the original quantity poured onto the fabric.• The amount of liquid collected in the collector beaker after one minute is also expressed as a percentage of the

original quantity and is a measure of the repellency of the fabric.

RESULTS

Property Test Method Class (1) or result

• REPELLANCE TO LIQUIDS EN368 (10% NaOH) 3

• RESISTANCE TO PENETRATION EN368 (10% NaOH) 3

Pen

etra

tion

% (

Pro

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Chemical Surface Tension Test Method: EN368

KLEENGUARD T65XP

MARKET LEADING PRODUCT

Chemical Protection

Resistance to Light Liquid Spray

• Test EN 468 (modified) measures resistance to penetration by liquids in the form of a light spray (mist) test.• The test involves exposing the entire suit to an intense spray of a water-based liquid (with a surface tension of

57 m N/m). A total quantity of 1.9 litres of this liquid is sprayed as an aerosol for one minute. • No pressure is exerted by the fine spray on the suit. • While being sprayed, the wearer of the suit will perform relatively gentle arm and leg movements while turning

around so that the entire suit is exposed to the spray.• The liquid used in the spray is coloured, so that any inward leakage will stain the garment. • If the total stained area inside the garment is either three times smaller (or less) than the calibration stain, the

garment will pass the test. The calibration stain is the stain produced by 0.02ml of the coloured test liquid.

RESULT

KleenGuard T65XP’s resistance to Mist Test EN468 (modified) gains a PASS

Anti-static Properties / Surface Resistivity

• Anti-static properties / surface resistivity properties are measured by test EN1149-1.

• Electrostatic charges can build up on the fabric of a protective garment due to rubbing against the skin of the wearer / rubbing against undergarments.

• By adding an anti-static treatment to the garment, a charge dissipation via a tiny spark may be avoided. This could be dangerous should the spark be transmitted to the surface of an object with an opposite electrical potential in a flammable environment.

RESULT

KleenGuard T65XP Surface Resistivity to Test Method EN1149-1 gains a PASS

Better Process Protection: Lower Linting

Market Leader KLEENGUARD® T65 XP

Par

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Test method: BS6909

LINT – LOW AVERAGERESULT

Trapezoidal Tear Resistance

64

30.635

26.1

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Machine Direction Cross Direction

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

KLEENGUARD® T65 XP

Market Leading Product

Test method: ISO9073-4

Market leader

T65 XP suits

67%67% 33%33%

User Preference

67% of users* preferred the KleenGuard T65 XP suitover the market leading product

*Results gained from independent market research of 100 garment users in March 2002

User Preference:

Innovative Packaging

• The garments are vacuum packed in order to reduce storage and display space• Product legislation data insert is polypropylene • Packaging is individually bar coded for easy sale • Smart package design improves merchandising opportunities

•Advantages:

• Reduced transportation costs• Reduced storage space• Environmental benefits - reduced packaging materials• Opportunities to sell into new segments & channels: Laboratories, Cleanrooms DIY section in Hardware Stores• Helps to increase in the perceived value and product distinctiveness

CUSTOMERS

Where to Sell, and Who to Sell to:

When you’re considering which type of customer to target, these are the key industries that require Protective Clothing:

• Chemical • Automotive • Energy• Off-shore operations e.g. oil rigs• Pharmaceutical• Electronic• Medical

Who to Sell to:

• Health and Safety Officer• Risk Assessor• Works Factory Manager• Production Manager• Quality Manager

Global Customers

Global customers include:

• Ford Motor Co.• General Motors Corp• Daimler Chrysler AG• Volkswagen AG• BMW• Toyota• Goodyear• Johnson & Johnson• Pfizer, Inc• Eli Lilly• Bayer AG• Bosch GMBH• Siemens AG

Customer Needs Analysis

It is important to ascertain the customer’s precise needs. This is done by asking key questions e.g. :

• What type of industry do you operate in? e.g. Chemical processing, Electronics, Painting/finishing, Pharmaceuticals• What hazards are your workforce exposed to? e.g. Propionic Acid, Isopropyl Alchohol, Acrylic Paint, Motor Oil• What would the potential route of entry be? e.g. Respiratory, Dermal, Ingestion• What is the frequency and duration of exposure to these hazards?• What type of protection do you need? e.g. Dry particulate protection, liquid splash protection, low lint environment protection• What is your most important need? e.g. Safety, Productivity, Image, Cost• How do your current garments meet your requirements?• If you could improve your current garment, what would you change?• How important is breathability in a garment?• To what extent is freedom of movement important to your workers?• How interested would you be if we could offer you a garment with greater comfort, better material and seam strength?

If possible you should also try to find out the price that they are currently paying and the quantity that they buy.

A New Safety Paradigm:Personal Protection as a Business Advantage

For years, Safety Suppliers have focused on technical performance (chemical barrier and physical

properties) when selling Personal Protective Apparel (PPA).

While such data will always be key PPA selling points, and while the health and safety of workers

should always be the top priority, Safety Suppliers should consider a new paradigm for evaluating

PPA. Instead of looking at PPA only as a necessary cost of doing business, help purchasers

understand how PPA can help them to create a competitive business advantage.

Absent from this paradigm is the “one material for any application” mentality, which compromises

benefits like improving productivity, controlling costs and enhancing a company’s image.

PPA as a Productivity Improver

Keeping employees healthy and working is key to improving productivity. Thus, a protective garment

must protect the worker from workplace hazards. This is where particle-holdout, chemical permeation

and chemical penetration performance data apply. If the garment does not protect the worker,

problems could result, impacting the work group’s productivity and worker’s compensation costs.

Assuming that the garments your customers purchase protect appropriately (versus under or over protecting)against workplace hazards, they should also consider how the garment comfort can affect productivityand safety. If a garment is not comfortable and breathable, users may rip out airholes or not fasten thegarment properly in order to minimise discomfort, thus compromising protection.

PPA as a Cost ControllerReturn on investment is compelling. Help your customers understand that they can protect their employeeswhile meeting cost goals.Ask your customers how many garments they throw away due to rip-outs? Garments designed to minimum sizing standards can rip when stress is applied to knees, elbows, crotch or seat. Seam or zipper failure are other frequent problems. If ten percent of garments purchased are unusable, then return on investment is less. Customers that understand this as a cost issue may be willing to pay more for garments that prevent rip-outs. In the process, worker safety and protection remain uncompromised.Is the customer overpaying for protection that they don’t need? Sometimes, apparel purchasers overprotect workers and overpay in the process. As a Distributor, you can help your customers evaluate hazards withintheir workplace.

PPA as an Image EnhancerThe company that cares for its employees by providing appropriate hazard protection and a comfortable working environment attracts the best employees, top tier customers and the public’s trust. You can help your customers improve employee morale and well-being and lower costs associated with lost work timeand worker’s compensation insurance.