[labnetwork] Cleanroom Lab Coats

[Mary Tang]

Dear Peter --


At the Stanford Nanofab, we do the same as at Harvard.  Indeed, I 
believe that most university cleanrooms where full bunnysuit protocols 
are observed will do the same.


At SNF, we have three different kinds of dress protocols.  The main 
cleanroom is the full, standard cleanroom suit, where researchers don 
full chemical aprons, gloves, and face shields over safety glasses when 
working with chemicals at wet stations. We have several rooms where the 
cleanliness standard is a dust-free lab coat (plus bouffant, booties, 
and cleanroom gloves).  Like the cleanroom suits, the dust-free coat is 
not designed for chemical protection - researchers don acid gear when 
working with chemicals at the wet stations.  We have one room with 
standard fume hoods - it is keycard access only to researchers who 
undergo additional training.  This is not a cleanroom and in addition to 
safety glasses, researchers wear the standard 100% cotton lab coats 
which offers better protection than polymer-based dress - basically, the 
same protocols as you would use in a standard research chemistry lab.


While it is more inconvenient to have to don chemical protection over 
clean dress, I think it is actually better for lab practices.  First, it 
helps isolate chemical residues because small splashes and spray will 
get on gloves and sleeves and spread throughout the lab, wherever the 
researchers go.  (I've worked in industry labs where corroded computer 
keyboards and landline phones near wet stations were the norm.)  Second, 
by donning acid gear, people have to consciously recognize they are 
working with hazardous materials - and that mental preparedness is 
important, at least with students, who often take their well-being for 
granted.


The alternative is cleanroom grade Nomex, which at nearly $1K/suit, is 
cost prohibitive for university cleanrooms and, I suspect, uncomfortably 
hot to wear....


Mary


__

Mary X. Tang, Ph.D.
Managing DIrector
Stanford Nanofabrication Facility
Paul G. Allen Building, Room 141
Stanford, CA.  94305

https://snf.stanford.edu

mtang at stanford.edu


On 10/11/2018 6:09 PM, Hathaway, Malcolm R wrote:
>
> Hi Peter,
>
>
> So, generally, your "clean room" suit (full suit) is not intended to 
> be chemical protection, but rather cleanroom protection.  "Lab coats", 
> on the other hand, are thicker, and do offer some chemical protection, 
> but as you note, they are not usually cleanroom compatible.  In our 
> cleanroom at Harvard, in areas where serious chemical protection is 
> needed, we provide polypropylene chemical aprons, which are worn over 
> the cleanroom suit.
>
>
> What class of cleanroom are you working in?  What chemicals are you 
> trying to protect against?
>
>
>
> Mac Hathaway
>
> Safety Officer and Senior Systems/Process Engineer
>
> Center for Nanoscale Systems
>
> Harvard University
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu 
> <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> on behalf of Peter Hung 
> <peter.hung at aero.org>
> *Sent:* Thursday, October 11, 2018 6:14:30 PM
> *To:* labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu
> *Subject:* [labnetwork] Cleanroom Lab Coats
>
> Hi Everyone, I know that this had probably been discussed before, but 
> can you tell me what material/vendor you have for your lab coats? It 
> looks like what we’re currently using are more suited for ESD 
> protection for the parts and not necessary the best for protecting 
> users from chemical. The chemical lab coats we have here would seem to 
> shed and not be compatible with cleanroom. Is there some sort of 
> hybrid that you use? Or maybe just something that protects the users a 
> bit more and still suitable for cleanroom? Thanks!
>
> Peter Hung, PhD
>
> Project Leader
>
> S&T Strategy and Development
>
> The Aerospace Corporation
>
> Peter.hung at aero.org <mailto:Peter.hung at aero.org>
>
> 310.336.5238
>
>
>
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