This British Standard provides guidance on the selection, use and maintenance of chemical protective clothing where it is has been established that the use of such clothing in one form or another is necessary for the task to be undertaken.

The standard is primarily intended for users, specifiers and others who have responsibility for the procurement and provision of chemical protective clothing.

The standard is intended to assist in choosing the correct type of chemical protective clothing for the task to be undertaken, and to help ensure that it is used in the correct manner and continues to provide the protection for which it was intended during the lifetime of the clothing.

For the purposes of this standard, chemical protective clothing is clothing which is used to protect the skin against contact with solids, liquids and gases. This includes asbestos but excludes microbiological or radioactive hazards. The standard does not relate to clothing intended to protect either a product or an environment from contamination by personnel wearing the clothing.

Chemical protective clothing can be a combination of specific individual items or garments. This standard contains advice relating to some such individual items but excludes advice on certain other items where such advice is to be found elsewhere, for example eye protection, boots and gloves (see Annex B).