Clothing Reuse
Chemicals which have begun to permeate clothing during use may not be removed during decontamination and may continue to diffuse through the material towards the inside surface, presenting the hazard of direct skin contact to the next person who uses the clothing.
Where such potential hazards may develop, clothing should be checked inside and out for discoloration or other evidence of contamination (see next section, Inspection). This is particularly important for fully encapsulating suits, which are generally subject to reuse due to their cost. Note, however, negative (i.e., no chemical found) test results do not necessarily preclude the possibility some absorbed chemical will reach the suit's interior.
At present, little documentation exists regarding clothing reuse. Reuse decisions must consider the known factors of permeation rates as well as the toxicity of the contaminant(s). In fact, unless extreme care is taken to ensure clothing is properly decontaminated and the decontamination does not degrade the material, the reuse of chemical protective clothing contaminated with toxic chemicals is not advisable.
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4-7. What is a potential hazard associated with reusing protective clothing ensembles?
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