Description
Liquid Barrier Performance PPE Surgical Gown (Standard Design: AAMI PB70:2012).
Warning: Liquid barrier performance is not related to the strength of the material. This standard references several other standards
Classifies a gown's ability to act as a barrier to penetration by liquids or liquid-borne pathogens based on four levels.
The critical protective zones for surgical and non-surgical gowns are defined differently by the standard.
While the critical zones designate different protective areas for the different gowns, the levels of protection are the same for both surgical and non-surgical gowns
Level 1:
- Used for MINIMAL risk situations
- Provides a slight barrier to small amounts of fluid penetration
- Single test of water impacting the surface of the gown material is conducted to assess barrier protection performance.
- Applicability: basic care, standard hospital medical unit
Level 2:
- Used in LOW risk situations
- Provides a barrier to larger amounts of fluid penetration through splatter and some fluid exposure through soaking
- Two tests are conducted to assess barrier protection performance:
(1) Water impacting the surface of the gown material
(2) Pressurizing the material
- Applicability: blood draw from a vein, suturing, intensive care unit, pathology lab
Level 3:
- Used in MODERATE risk situations
- Provides a barrier to larger amounts of fluid penetration through splatter and more fluid exposure through soaking than Level 2
- Two tests are conducted to test barrier protection performance:
(1) Water impacting the surface of the gown material
(2) Pressurizing the material
- Applicability: arterial blood draw, inserting an IV, emergency room, trauma
Level 4:
- Used in HIGH risk situations
- Prevents all fluid penetration for up to 1 hour
- May prevent VIRUS penetration for up to 1 hour
- In addition to the other tests conducted under levels 1-3, barrier level performance is tested with a simulated blood containing a virus. If no virus is found at the end of the test, the gown passes.
- Applicability: Pathogen resistance, Infectious diseases (non-airborne), Large amounts of fluid exposure over long periods
