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The third edition of AIHA’s Chemical Protective Clothing, released in May 2025, describes the implementation of a protective clothing and equipment program. The editors of this comprehensive resource, Robert N. Phalen, PhD, CIH, CSP, FAIHA, and Derek A. Newcomer, DrPH, CIH, CHMM, CSP, REHS, will present a webinar on Sept. 30 that discusses the main kinds of chemical protective clothing for workers, relevant performance standards, and the principles of chemical resistance and barrier integrity. Frequent contributors to The Synergist, Phalen and Newcomer are coauthors of several of the articles discussed below, which serve as background reading for the webinar.

Chemical Protective Clothing 101

This introductory article explains the concepts behind the three main types of tests used to assess the chemical resistance of protective clothing. Permeation is the movement of a liquid or gas through a material; penetration is the flow of a chemical through zippers, weak seams, or imperfections in a material; and degradation is a change in the physical properties of a material after contact with a chemical. The authors describe relevant test methods and standards for each of these concepts. Read the article in the April 2022 Synergist.

Our First Line of Defense

The description of protective clothing as a last line of defense, befitting its position at the bottom of the hierarchy of controls, is so common as to be nearly cliché. This article, authored by Phalen, turns the familiar phrase around to examine the organ that protective clothing is intended to defend: human skin, our body’s first line of defense. The article characterizes common skin diseases, explains concepts such as absorption and the calculations used to measure it, and describes ACGIH and NIOSH efforts to identify skin hazards. Read more in the September 2023 Synergist.

Dual Hazard Protection

Sometimes, chemicals aren’t the only hazards OEHS professionals need to account for when selecting protective clothing. Fire hazards are also present in environments such as refineries and petrochemical plants. “The key issue,” the authors state, “is that each hazard often requires different types of protection, and the protections may not always be compatible.” Some materials that protect against chemicals melt in high heat; other materials that protect against fires are ineffective against chemicals. For a discussion of options that OEHS professionals can consider in these situations, read the article in the June/July 2018 Synergist.

Not All Gloves are Created Equal

Chemical protective gloves offer additional complications to OEHS professionals who are trying to select the right kind protective clothing for their workers. Gloves can be made from several polymers, and sometimes more than one. General guidelines about which gloves are suited to which environment are not always applicable and may not reflect actual performance. This article offers guidance OEHS professionals can apply to ensure adequate protection. Read more in the December 2018 Synergist.

Selecting Protective Clothing for Mixtures

Chemical mixtures present unique challenges. In environments where workers may be exposed to mixtures, OEHS professionals can consider using multiple types of gloves based on the chemical components of the mixture. It may be appropriate to select the glove that best protects against the chemical with the highest concentration in the mixture; an alternative approach is to use the glove with the most conservative breakthrough time for the chemicals in the mixture. For more information on these options, read the article in the November 2021 Synergist.

The AIHA University webinar “Chemical Protective Clothing Performance, Selection, and Program Management” will be held Sept. 30 from 1 to 2 p.m. Eastern time. To order the third edition of Chemical Protective Clothing, visit the AIHA website.