Current Healthcare Protective Clothing Standards and Specifications

When the transmission route is defined as “direct contact transmission,” such as in the case of Ebola and HIV, employers should consider gowns and coveralls that demonstrate resistance to synthetic blood, as well as passage of virus. Standard test methods can be used to evaluate the resistance of fabrics or seams/closures to synthetic blood penetration and viral penetration.

The United States commonly uses American Society of Testing and Materials International (ASTM) methods, like ASTM F1670 / F1671; while Europe commonly uses International Organization for Standardization (ISO) methods, like ISO 16603:2004.