Best Hazmat Suit For Virus Protection

In late December 2019, the novel coronavirus was discovered in China when hundreds of people got sick particularly in the city of Wuhan. The virus slowly spread in Asia with hundreds getting sick in Thailand, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong in early January.

Eventually, the virus reached other continents. Currently, the U.S., Spain, Italy, Germany and France surpassed China in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. On March 11, the World Health Organization characterized the situation as a pandemic.

There are over 1.3 million COVID-19 cases in the world with close to 75,000 deaths—and counting! That means that a lot of people are in the hospital needing care and our healthcare workers need protection in order to remain healthy and continue caring for the sick. But there is a worldwide shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) caused by people panic-buying the stuff even if they don’t necessarily need it because they are not frontliners.

With that, the World Health Organization estimates that manufacturers need to increase their production of PPEs. A lot of these hazmat suits, a form of PPE, are often used against hazardous chemicals. But with the COVID-19 pandemic, these suits are needed in hospitals.

Here are some of the best hazmat suit brands for virus protection:

⭐ DuPont Tyvek 400

DuPont is a multinational company engaged in various industries like safety, healthcare, nutrition and electronics, among others. At this point, though, it is its capability in producing safety gear that has taken centerstage. The brand gladly answered the call to product more PPEs for healthcare workers around the world. DuPont is running its Tyvek manufacturing 24 hours a day in its manufacturing facilities worldwide.

The brand has the trademarked Tyvek, which is a lightweight and versatile material used for protective gear. It is a wonderful material for a hazmat suit because it is durable and resilient. The material is effective in protecting people against chemical threats and other hazardous elements. Now, it is also being used as protection against the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

This DuPont Tyvek 400 coverall has a respirator-fit hood, elastic wrists, attached skid-resistant boots, and elastic waist to ensure that the virus or any kind of biohazard will not get inside the hazmat suit. The respirator-fit hood, for example, is made snug so it will cover the neck and chin while also allowing enough space for a respirator mask. To complement that, it has a long zipper to completely cover the neck. The product also has serged seams to prevent fraying. The coverall is also quite comfortable.

Pros

• Durable
  
• Resilient
  
• Comfortable
  
• Respirator-fit hood
  
• Elastic wrists
  
• Skid-resistant boots attached
  
• Serged seams to prevent fraying

Cons

• The suit and boot sizes may not be congruent.
  
• Suit should not be exposed to large amounts of liquid.
  

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• Dupont

⭐ 3M Protective Coverall 4510

3M started in the mining industry over a century ago. In fact, 3M means Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. The company admits that it was a failure as a mining company so it tried something new and eventually found something it can be successful at. Now, 3M is a Fortune 500 company that produces over 60,000 products that people can use at home, in various businesses, school, corporate settings, and hospitals.

This leads us to the important hazmat suits. In answer to the call for more PPEs, 3M is increasing its production of N95 respirators, and is partnering with other companies in order to supply more. The brand also ensures that it is doing what it can in order to combat price-gouging. When it comes to hazmat suits, 3M focuses on breathability, comfort and protection when it comes to creating coveralls. All these have a lot to do with the fabric. 3M’s PPE fabrics have been tested to ensure the wearer’s skin will be protected from any kind of chemicals and other biohazards.

The brand’s hazmat suit, the Protective Coverall 4510, is manufactured from microporous PE laminate material. The material will make it hard for the virus to penetrate. To complement that, this coverall also has two-way zipper with sealable storm flap. This will give users extra protection against virus, other germs or contaminants. It can be used in other industries as well. The coverall is also easy to wear and comfortable. It has an elastic cuff, elastic waist and elastic ankle.

Pros

• Durable
  
• Comfortable
  
• No silicone or rubber latex components
  
• With anti-static treatment
  
• Can withstand light liquid splashes
  
• Versatile

Cons

• No boot attachment
  
• Contains Proposition 65 warning (for California residents)
  

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• 3M

⭐ Lakeland MicroMax NS General Purpose Coverall

Lakeland Industries aims to always be at the forefront of protection. It has been in the business of designing and manufacturing technologically advanced PPEs for close to 40 years. Among the brand’s hazmat suits provide protection against chemicals and petrochemicals, among others. They are used in fire services, cleaning of various rooms, and in healthcare.

The Lakeland MicroMax NS Microporous General Purpose Coverall has achieved the highest class in four tests under the EN 14126. But what is the EN 14126? It is the standard test for garments that will be used as protection against infections agents. There are four tests covered under this specific standard in order to determine if the material used will be able to withstand the penetration of bacteria or viruses.

The coverall is made from microporous film laminate. It is lightweight and flexible. That allows you maximum comfort so you can move with ease. The product is also quite easy to put on. There are elastic cuffs as added protection against possible penetration. The product also has serged seams to prevent fraying. While right now the immediate use for the coverall is as PPE for healthcare workers, this specific product is also great for other uses: painting, agricultural use, industrial protection and even in automotive repair.

Pros

• Received highest class in EN 14126 tests
  
• Lightweight
  
• Flexible
  
• Elastic cuffs
  
• Serged seams
  
• Versatile

Cons

• No boot attached
  
• Inadequate neck protection
  

• Amazon
• Lakeland