Protective Suits – a matter of life or death
Chemical protective suits are literally a matter of life or death. Meet John Eklund, an authority in this important niche industry.
Chemical protective suits are the final link in personal protective equipment, so major demands are placed on them,” says John Eklund, Product Manager for Asia at Trelleborg Protective Products. He is one of the foremost authorities in this area after 23 years in the industry.
John Eklund, Product Manager for Asia at Trelleborg Protective ProductsAll suits undergo comprehensive certification tests and type approval processes. The US NFPA 1991 is the toughest standard in the market.
“The standard’s minimum level is 21 chemicals plus five war agents. These have been selected to represent various groups of chemicals,” says Eklund. “Naturally, no one suit can protect against all the 10 million chemicals that are classified in the US.”
Chemical protective suits are divided into different levels. The highest, level A, protects against chemicals in liquid phase, gas forms, aerosol and in solid form. The most important properties of an A-level suit are its chemical resistance, physical strength, flexibility and flame resistance. The lowest level, D, can comprise only a visor and a pair of gloves.
“Rescue services worldwide are our predominant customer group,” says Eklund. “They have no idea what to expect at the next mission, and therefore require the most comprehensive protection. The chemical industry, however, is able to conduct a better risk assessment and can often manage with B-level suits.”
Trelleborg is still alone in the market in terms of being able to manufacture reusable and high-quality suits with only one layer, so-called single skin suits. To achieve the same protection level, competitors without this technology, use suits with different properties in double layers.
“We are involved in the polymer industry and our strength lies in the fact that we can develop and manufacture our basic material within our company,” says Eklund. “Today’s trend is laminate, in which a rubber-based material is packed with a laminated plastic and a textile for strength. This combination provides a very broad protective spectrum.”
After more than 20 years in the industry, Eklund still looks forward to traveling around the world to market and sell these life-support systems.
“I am an engineer, but I applied for a job in sales at Trelleborg,” he says. “As I understand it, I now have the longest experience in the industry, and I still find it interesting.”