Barrier suit

A barrier suit comprising one-piece suit for fully encapsulating a user, the suit having a main body portion for fully encapsulating a user's torso, arms, hands, legs and feet and a hood integral with the main body portion for positioning over and encapsulating user's head, the hood including an integral filter respirator through which external air can be drawn into the suit for breathing and which comprises a moulded body for positioning over a user's nose and mouth, the body have sealing portions for sealing engagement with the user's face.

A barrier suit as claimed in claim 35, in which the filter respirator comprises a filter comprising activated carbon woven fibres laminated onto a fine particulate filter felt.

A barrier suit as claimed in claim 35, in which the main fabric of the suit comprises a non-woven and non-breathable barrier laminated to a woven fabric, in which the non-breathable barrier is selected from any one or more of the following:

• Polyurethane (PU), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polyethylene (PE), Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), or the like, and/or in which the woven fabric is selected from any one or more of the following:
• Polyester derivates including Polyester Cotton (PC), Nylon and its derivatives, cotton, rayon, and linen or the like, or in which the main fabric of the suit comprises only a non-woven, non-breathable barrier material such as PVC, PU, PE, EVA, or the like.

A barrier suit as claimed in claim 35, in which any seams are sealed and non-permeable, the seals being formed for example by ultrasonic welding or tape welded.

A barrier suit as claimed in claim 35, in which the suit has an entry opening which is closed by means of an air tight sliding fastener and in which the sliding fastener comprises a first continuously extruded elongated strip attached to the suit fabric along one side of the opening, a second continuously extruded elongate strip attached to the suit fabric along the other side of the opening, the first strip having a male projection and the second strip having a corresponding groove to receive the projection to form an air tight seal, the fastener having a slider which can be moved longitudinally of the fastener in one direction to force the male projection into the groove to close the fastener and in the opposite direction to separate the male projection from the groove to open the fastener.