Designing of Individual Protective Equipment for Personnel, Working in Safety Cabinets Instrumented with Pneumatic Line

Abstract

Objective of the study is to demonstrate technical and operational characteristics of the specialized suit, its protective efficacy in relation to respiratory organs and skin at different air-injection rates through analyzing the possibility to utilize individual protective equipment, connected to pneumatic line, from the viewpoint of biological safety. Materials and methods. Tested has been specialized suit of a combined type. Investigations have been conducted in an aerosol cabinet, involving volunteer researches, who performed controlled medium physical activities within 4 hours term. In the course of the studies analyzed have been the following physical parameters of the test operators: heart rate, respiratory rhythm, body temperature. Identification of layer-by-layer contamination of the specialized suit (external and internal surfaces), linen and skin of the volunteers has been carried out applying washing techniques and triple agar prints. Results and conclusions. Testing of the designed suit has revealed that its utilization provides for proper solid protection of healthcare personnel from microbial aerosol, and adherence to desired speed of air-injection into interlayer (under-suit) space, ≥ 250 l/min, allows for maintaining high working capacities.