What about spray suits, Indeed?

Anybody on a diet would love to wear them because they really take the pounds off! But should they be so hot?? The most popular and advertised material these suits are made of is Tyvek, which is a synthetic total barrier-like material that will really keep everything out. These are the suits that the environmental guys use to clean up the deadly acid spills on the highways.....but are we required to use it for spraying?

Let's go back a little and look at what we are doing:

We dilute and mix our spray chemicals, which are very concentrated, into the tank using the required PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) which is gloves, masks, eye protection, aprons etc., and then we go out to spray this solution, where the concentrate has been broken down maybe 500 times, and have to wear what the labels can call "overalls, coveralls, spray suits".

Now, do we really have to wear the Tyvek suits, or can we comply with the label and be a little more comfortable in suits that can actually "breathe" and yet keep pesticides and most airborne particles from reaching our skin and clothes?

Comfortable Spray Suit Option

Every body sells Tyvek. But a more comfortable option is out there and available. Kimberley Clark (the people that brought you Kleenex) make a spray suit out of a polyolefin weave they call "KleenGuard", while UPC of Purvis, MS, makes a suit called the "BP Suit" (Basic Protection Suit).

The label on the UPC suit says that it complies with ANSI/SEA Standard #101-1996, and both claim to "breathe" while still offering adequate protection from foreign matters. This weave makes you at least a little more comfortable when having to spray in hot areas, although it is not as strong and tear resistant as the Tyvek material.

Since there are several options and types of spray suits available, it is important to know which one will give you the adequate protection, according to the materials you are spraying. Labels will indicate that you must wear a coverall or spray suit, but do not generally define the material. Consequently, contact the dealer or manufacturer for the data sheet on the suit they are selling you so that you are sure that you are not only protected, but complying with the WPS.

There are also several different features to the suits, such as, elastic wrists and ankle, integral boots, and hoods. Tight wrists and ankles generally are not necessary since you want to be able to wear the sleeves over the gloves and the pants legs over your rubber boots. (tucking the pants legs inside the boots will allow the pesticides to trickle down and seep into your socks), The only time you tuck the sleeves into your gloves is if you are spraying upwards such as at tall trees, otherwise, you wear the cuffs outside the gloves to keep the pesticides from seeping into your hands.

Hoods are certainly recommended as they protect the sensitive skin areas of the neck, ears and scalp. Integral boots are not necessary if you are wearing rubber or vinyl boots.