This document describes laboratory test methods to determine the resistance of materials used in protective clothing, including gloves and including footwear, when the footwear is an integral part of the clothing, to permeation by liquid or gaseous chemicals under the conditions of continuous contact. This test method is referred to in ISO 16602-3.

Method A is applicable to testing against liquid chemicals, either volatile or sufficiently soluble in water (such that detection limits are possible that allow breakthrough times and/or cumulative permeation parameters to be measured), that are expected to be in continuous contact with the protective clothing material.

Method B is applicable to testing against gaseous chemicals expected to be in continuous contact with the protective clothing material.

These test methods assess the permeation resistance of the protective clothing material under laboratory conditions in terms of cumulative permeation, permeation rate and breakthrough time. These test methods also enable qualitative observations to be made of the effects of the test chemical on the material under test.

These test methods are only suitable for measuring permeation by liquids and gases. Permeation by solid challenge chemicals is beyond the scope of this document.

NOTE            It can be difficult or impossible to normalize the results of permeation tests carried out against solid challenge chemicals. The normalized rate of permeation is dependent on the area of fabric exposed to the challenge chemical. In the case of solids this will, in turn, depend also on factors such as particle size, size distribution, particle shape and packing considerations.

These test methods address only the performance of materials or certain materials' constructions (e.g. seams). These test methods do not address the design, overall construction and components, or interfaces of garments, or interfaces between garments and gloves or garments and footwear, or other factors which can affect the overall chemical protection offered by protective clothing, gloves or footwear or combinations of chemical protective clothing, gloves and footwear.

It is emphasized that these tests do not necessarily simulate conditions to which materials are likely to be exposed in practice. In most cases the conditions of the permeation test will be far more challenging than expected workplace conditions.