Personal protection equipment for the personnel of radiation hazardous facilities

The article covers issues related to the specifics of requirements for the personal protection equipment (PPE) in the field of the nuclear power usage, and briefly describes the history of the PPE evolvement. This work was performed by the employees of the A.I. Burnazyan Federal Medical Biophysical Centre (former Institute of biophysics) which has been creating and enhancing PPE for the personnel of radiation hazardous facilities for more than 60 years. Successes of the PPE developers include the creation of the light respirator “ShB-1 Lepestok” which has been in use since 1950s till now in almost all industries, energy engineering, agriculture, medicine, etc., as well as the development of materials, structures, technology of manufacturing and practical application of reusable, decontaminable, physiologically acceptable insulating suits, fresh-air horse respiratory PPE, decontaminable basic and supplementary overalls and safety footwear for the personnel of nuclear industry and energetics. The system of the personal protection from radiation exposure has been proved during rectification of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl NPP. The article examines interim results of major transformation of the personal protection system for the personnel of radiation hazardous facilities in the beginning of 21st century. At the present time efforts on the creation of the PPE standardization and certification system in nuclear industry become regular again. Interstate and national standards regulating requirements and test methods for PPE and materials for its manufacturing, as well as the Technical Regulations “Safety of the personal protection equipment” have been both developed and put in practice. Methods of testing PPE with substances specific to the nuclear industry are being developed, and the Rosatom’s PPE certification system is being formed.