June is National Safety Month. It's also the beginning of summer. For employers in industries such as hazardous waste remediation, petrochemical refining or pharmaceutical manufacturing who need their employees to wear disposable chemical protection apparel, balancing safety and heat can be a challenge.

In association with our partners at Kimberly-Clark Professional, here are four things to consider when purchasing chemical

safety apparel for your employees.

1. Suit Integrity: Like any kind of apparel, the strength of safety apparel is not just measured by the materials used, but by the care taken in construction. For example, how strong are the seams in your protective apparel? Will they hold together under stress or rip apart? Even something as small as the design of a zipper can impact the safety of your employees. Making sure your safety apparel is well-designed can improve safety outcomes.
2. Chemical Protection: All chemical protection apparel is not created equal. Before selecting chemical selection apparel, it's important to ask yourself:

• What chemicals do I use in my workplace?
• What are the risks if two or more of these chemicals interact?
• Has my apparel been tested to protect my employees against these risks?

            Knowing the answers to these questions can help you to select chemical protection apparel                that can stand up to the challenges of your workplace.

3. Keeping Comfortable: While chemical safety apparel may be a necessity, it may not always be comfortable. Having apparel that is too small can constrict movement and make employees less effective. And buying a larger size doesn't always alleviate the problem. Safety apparel that is too long in the legs or sleeves can also interfere with an employee's ability to perform their work safely.

           If safety apparel doesn't fit, employees may be tempted to "alter" their apparel by tearing                     seams, rolling up sleeves or using tape to adjust the shape and fit of their suit.

           These "alterations" negate the safety benefits of the apparel. Instead, having safety apparel                 that is designed to fit a range of body types, and allows for greater freedom of movement can             make all the difference.

4. Keeping Cool: As temperatures rise outside, employees may be tempted to leave zippers open, remove all or part of their chemical safety apparel or rip open seams to improve airflow. Not only does this put your employees at risk, it reduces the effective life of your suit. This means more suits are needed over the long term and that impacts your bottom line.

          One way to alleviate this problem is by using chemical resistant apparel with a wick-away                    lining. This helps draw sweat away from your employee's skin while they work. This helps                    them stay cool and helps prevent heat-related injuries and illness.

The KleenGuard* Solution

One of our partners who understands these challenges in Kimberly-Clark. This is why we're proud to carry their KleenGuard* A70 line of protective equipment.

These garments offer their users:

• Made of a 1.5 mil polyethylene-coated fabric that resists many water-based liquids, greases and oils and liquid chemical splashes
• Reflex Design that offers fuller cut and freedom of movement beyond ANSI standards
• Wick-away lining for enhanced comfort
• Seamless front for more protection in the primary exposure area
• Liquid-resistant, extra-long zipper.
• Bound seams are 7.5 times less likely to rip out compared to minimum ANSI standards
• Tested against more than 60 common industrial chemicals

Looking for more ideas on how to create a safe workplace for your employees? Talk to one of our safety advisors today.

Arbill is a safety solutions company. We are all about protecting your workers in the workplace. Our mission is to keep workers safe and return them home safely at the end of the day. Visit arbill.com for more information about being safe and subscribe to Safer Every Day, the definitive digital magazine for workplace safety.