What PPE must be worn in a rubber area or during contact contamination work?

• A. A full face shield is required in all zones.
• B. Cotton coveralls.
• C. A plastic suit must be worn when entering a rubber area or when doing contact contamination work.
• D. No special clothing is required.

Answer: (C)

Protection against contamination hinges on using a barrier garment that seals out contaminants from skin and clothing. In a rubber area or during contact contamination work, a plastic suit provides that impermeable barrier, protecting you from both splash and particulate contamination and helping prevent transfer to other surfaces when you doff it.

Cotton coveralls aren’t sufficient because they’re not impermeable and can allow contaminants to pass through or cling to fabric. A full face shield isn’t the baseline protection for this scenario; it protects the face but doesn’t offer the same barrier to skin and clothing as the plastic suit. No special clothing would leave skin and street clothes exposed to contamination.

Usually the plastic suit is worn with gloves and boot covers, and sometimes a hood or additional respiratory protection may be required depending on the procedure. The key point is that entering a rubber area or performing contact contamination work requires a plastic suit to provide the necessary barrier.