Ah summertime, a time to relax and enjoy the sun, sand, surf or mountains for vacation. For me it is new summer experience, since I’m retired from DuPont after 37 years of service. I retired on June 30th and am working out of my home as an industrial hygiene consultant. I continue to teach part time and will continue my columns in Lab Corner. I’ll miss the people, but still will be involved in protective clothing testing and evaluation. I plan to continue participating in ASTM Committee F-23 and the AIHA Protective Clothing and Equipment Committees.
The ASTM F-23 Protective Clothing committee met in June in Kansas City, MO. I attended and chaired the F-23.70 radiological subcommittee meeting where we discussed drafting a standard method on the “Lead Equivalency Test” for Lead Aprons used in radiation healthcare for protection against X-rays. There was considerable interest in getting this method drafted for review and subcommittee ballot before the next meeting in January. One of the concerns was that manufacturer’s labels on the lead aprons passed this test even though there is no consistent test methodology or consensus standard for them to follow. In chemical subcommittee, F23.30 another round robin was planned to include some new laboratories and participants. Once again the need was expressed for the 16 mil stock Fairprene neoprene reference material originally used in the first round robin tests for the F739 Permeation test Method in 1983. Since the meeting both Rich Pesce and I have been able to locate a supplier and have procured the reference material for use. It is available in 1’x 1′ ft 2 sheets from Pesce Lab Sales upon request. A certificate indicating that it has been tested comes with it. It should be helpful to those just beginning to get into the permeation testing business and want to compare their breakthrough time and permeation rates. It also can be used by current users for quality control purposes to check out their permeation system as well as train a technician in the method. In other F23 subcommittee activities their progress reports given and an update on publications accepted from the 8th International Symposium on Protective Clothing held last January.
In the AIHA Protective Clothing Committee there is interest in developing a basic tele-communications course on protective clothing. This course would be offered on-line to safety practitioners and would serve as primer for those involved in protective clothing standards, testing, selection and evaluation of performance. I worked on the early development of this course and will work with the committee to get it into the accepted AIHA format for a professional development course on-line. I have received no word yet from Atlas Industries on a training video on protective clothing permeation testing that I produced while at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas in May, but will continue to contact them for any information about its availability.
That’s about all I can think of now, so enjoy the rest of your summer. If you have any protective clothing test method questions or are in need of directions please give Rich Pesce a call so that I can get back to you with information. Take Care.