Most suits on the market require an overcover to achieve NFPA 1991 (2005 ed.) certification, the highest level of C/B protection. However, many hazmat professionals don’t wear the overcovers because they’re heavy and awkward, leading to a false sense of security. Suits certified to the lower NFPA 1994 (2007 ed.) standard visually resemble the under-garment of the higher NFPA 1991 ensembles, and not all manufacturers are clear in explaining where their suits, garments or ensembles fit in terms of certification, further muddying the waters.

As the only manufacturer whose entire product line is fully certified to NFPA 1991 (2005 ed.), Saint-Gobain wants to make sure every person who puts his or her life on the line to deal with spills, accidents and other dangerous situations understands

the benefits of fully certified protection, and how to ensure that the suits they wear meet the highest standards.

In fact, we put together a brochure, “Understanding Certification,” that explains in detail the important differences between NFPA 1991 and NFPA 1994. An article titled “Advances in Chemical Protective Ensemble Technology,” written several years ago with cooperation from Saint-Gobain, also examines a number of issues related to certification.

We urge anyone who is unclear about the issues surrounding certification to read this material, and to contact us if you have further questions.