Achieve Ultimate Safety With a Durable Sandblasting Suit
Blasting can be an integral component of industrial processes, yet it presents serious safety hazards. By adopting appropriate equipment and protocols for blasting operations, workers can achieve maximum productivity without jeopardizing their health or well-being.
CE-approved blast suits provide workers with comprehensive protection from all of the potentially abrasive elements associated with this hazardous work environment. Their reinforced areas at key impact points help prevent abrasive rebound while their elastic and adjustable closures help keep dust at bay.
Protective Clothing
Sandblasting requires protective equipment that includes blast suits, helmets, gloves and breathing protection (respirators). These pieces are essential as the fine dust particles produced during blasting can pose risks both to physical health and respiratory system health.
To minimize this hazard, blasting suits must provide full coverage so that fine dust cannot penetrate through any openings in their garments and cause any secondary hazards such as chemical fumes to come into play. This design feature will also limit exposure to secondary hazards that may exist such as chemical fumes.
Functional protective clothing research involves an interdisciplinary effort spanning protection research, textile science and garment engineering. Garments must offer resistance against chemicals while meeting specific test requirements such as water permeability and air permeability test requirements as well as comfort and efficiency criteria (Khalil 2015). An advanced type of protective apparel called an Environmentally Controlled Abrasive Blasting Suit (ECAB) encases workers within an envelope of clothing complete with respirator and separate helmet that speeds up donning/doffing processes during sandblasting projects while increasing durability/wearability over time (Khalil 2015).
Helmets
An operator needs a blasting helmet as one of their key pieces of protective equipment in order to safely use their blasting machine, protecting their face, ears, eyes, upper torso and upper body from rebounding abrasives, excess noise and harmful dust particles.
An effective blast helmet must feature an inner EPS (expanded polystyrene foam) shell, designed to crush upon impact to minimize head injuries, with an outer shell composed of plastics, fiberglass or fiber materials such as polycarbonate that is durable enough to withstand strong impacts without shattering or cracking under pressure.
At blast helmets are designed with safety in mind; however, an operator viewing window also helps reduce fatigue and increase productivity by providing clearer views of their work area. A tinted or clear visor should protect eyes from debris, sunlight and impacts; additionally chin bars help secure it securely in its place.
Gloves
Gloves provide protection from exposure to chemicals, infectious agents, heat, cold, abrasive materials and cutting objects. Selecting suitable gloves depends on chemical compatibility, thickness and permeation rate as well as degradation indicators such as hardening, stiffening, swelling shrinkage or cracking of material used for manufacturing gloves.
Higher glove thickness generally confers greater dexterity; however, thinner gloves may provide faster break-through time and increased flexibility. It is best practice to confirm chemical resistance of glove materials using manufacturer specifications or consulting with EHS professionals.
MCR Safety offers heavy-duty gloves to meet a range of performance needs. For instance, our 6932 safety mechanics gloves feature tough yet rugged black neoprene polymers for exceptional abrasion and cut protection as well as multiple-dipped technology with an ANSI contact heat level 5 score and permeation rating A rating; additionally they resist degradation well – our 12″ long gloves give users ample coverage while still offering maximum levels of safety.
Respirators
Respiratory protective equipment can dramatically lower a worker’s exposure to airborne contaminants that could have harmful health impacts, but its effectiveness may be compromised when not selected and worn consistently and correctly as per work situation or maintained and inspected regularly.
Filters and cartridges are available to protect workers from various airborne contaminants, including carcinogenic dusts, fumes, smokes, mists and gases. Filter selection depends on a number of factors including exposure level as well as type and level of contaminant present.
Dry blasting requires using a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to protect users from breathing in contaminated air. Ear protection must also be worn due to loud noises generated from blasting equipment and compressors that could potentially cause permanent hearing loss. Additional safety features include nose cups for reduced lens fogging as well as lens covers that protect lenses against paint splash, minor chemical spillage or scratches.