Decontamination - Recommendations And Considerations; Chemical Decontamination; Biological Decontamination; Inspection - Ansell VIKING PROTECH II Owner's Manual

18.6 Decontamination - Recommendations and considerations

Decontamination shall be performed on the scene when a dry suit has been exposed to, or
potentially exposed to, hazardous materials. On scene decontamination shall be performed
while the suit is still being worn to minimize potential contamination of the wearer during
removal.
Due to the vast number of chemicals and their different properties, no guaranteed
decontamination procedure exists. The best way to decontaminate must be decided for the
specific chemical encountered. This decision may only be made by people educated for
this task and with a good knowledge in chemistry.
The health and safety of the diver, both during and after the decontamination process, and
the health and safety of the personnel applying the decontamination agent, must be taken
into consideration.
After removal, the dry suit must be placed in a suitable container for subsequent cleaning,
additional decontamination, inspection or disposal.

18.6.1 Chemical decontamination

The minimum decontamination shall consist of spraying the garment with water and
scrubbing lightly with a soft bristled brush and using a mixture of Simple Green industrial
cleaner and degreaser, or Crystal Simple Green mixed in a ratio of 1 part Simple Green to
10 parts water. This ratio applies to either product. This process should be repeated at least
twice.

18.6.2 Biological decontamination

For biological decontamination, Ansell recommends using a 5-7% bleach solution which
will kill most biological contaminants. This method should be carried out at least twice.
In the case of removal of bodily fluids, we recommend utilising both chemical and
biological removal methods to be on the safe side.
Warm water and a non oil based soap may be used in the case of light contamination.

18.7 Inspection

An assessment of the need for additional decontamination shall be made if the dry suit is to
be reused after it has been exposed to hazardous materials and initially decontaminated.
A close visual inspection of any diving equipment used in contaminated water is essential
once the gear has been decontaminated.
63