Cleanrooms are vital to many different industries, including the medical research and biochemical engineering fields. A cleanroom is just that: a room that provides a clean, controlled environment. Everyone and everything that is brought into the room has its role in limiting the number of contaminants that enter the facility. When working in a cleanroom environment, it is important to have the right cleanroom apparel and cleanroom garments to ensure that delicate products in the area are not compromised.
There are a number of active companies that provide uniform services to various businesses. However, not all cleanroom uniform companies are alike, and it is important to choose wisely. Prudential Overall Supply has an incredible reputation.
Prudential Overall Supply sells and rents a wide variety of work uniforms, including an excellent selection of cleanroom garments managed by our specialized division, Prudential Cleanroom Services (PCS). Certain cleanroom garments and cleanroom products can be reused, if they are cleaned and sterilized in the right ways, and PCS has the tools and expertise to ensure that these tasks are done properly.
It is especially important to have a trusted cleaning service when it comes to work uniforms. With cleanroom garments, there are special protocols and procedures that companies must follow in order to ensure that their cleanrooms remain clean, controlled environments. Let’s take a closer look at this topic.
KEEPING CLEANROOMS CLEAN
The term “cleanroom” has come to define a variety of spaces designed to control the level of airborne particles, temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors. These spaces are used in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and electronics manufacturing, where maintaining a contaminant-free environment is essential for product quality and safety. While organization and cleanliness in any workplace is important, this is especially true for cleanrooms.
The basic premise of a cleanroom is that the airborne particulates are minimized to extremely low levels, and keeping these particulate levels in check is all about controlling the people and objects that come in contact with these rooms.
That means that supplies or people coming into a cleanroom can pose a risk of contaminating products being manufactured or treated, in a way that can cause irreversible harm that prevents them from functioning according to their intended purpose. Compromised products can be rendered useless (in the case of electronics) or unsafe (in the case of medical vaccines). And it is all too easy to cause this kind of destructive contamination.
Specific Items and Their Dangers
In cleanrooms, even minor, seemingly insignificant contaminants can compromise the integrity of processes and products. Therefore, it’s essential to be aware of the risks posed by common items that can trigger contamination, such as:
- Pens – Ink can leak, introducing chemicals into the cleanroom environment, and sometimes harbor mold.
- Pencils – Graphite and wood particles can shed, contaminating surfaces and air.
- Paper – Paper fibers can become airborne, carrying contaminants and disrupting cleanroom air quality.
- Personal Items – Jewelry, watches, and accessories can harbor skin cells and other contaminants.
- Cosmetics – Makeup particles can flake off, introducing biological and chemical contaminants into the cleanroom.
- Non-Cleanroom Approved Clothing – Fibers and particulates from regular clothing can contaminate cleanroom environments.
- Food and Drink – Particles and biological contaminants from food and beverages can severely impact cleanroom sterility.
- Electronic Devices – Heat generated by electronic devices can attract dust, and the devices themselves can emit particles.
- Cardboard Boxes – Fibers and dust from cardboard can shed and become airborne.
- Plastic Bags – Static electricity from plastic bags can attract dust particles and release them into the cleanroom.
- Staplers and Paperclips – Metal particles from these items can cause physical and chemical contamination.
- Adhesive Tape – Adhesive residues can collect dust and other particles, which can then be transferred to cleanroom surfaces.
- Fabric Materials – Non-approved fabrics can shed fibers and particles that compromise air quality and surfaces.
- Loose Hair and Skin Cells – Human biological contaminants, including hair and skin cells, can easily become airborne and settle on critical surfaces.
- Perfumes and Lotions – Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from these products can off-gas, contaminating the air and surfaces.
- Footwear Not Designed for Cleanrooms – Regular shoes can track in dirt, dust, and biological contaminants.
- Writing Pads and Notebooks – Paper fibers and ink particles can be sources of contamination.
- Non-Antistatic Materials – Items that are not antistatic can attract and release dust particles due to static electricity.
- Non-Sterile Cleanroom Cleaning Supplies – Using cleaning supplies that are not approved for cleanroom use can introduce additional contaminants instead of removing them.
- Fabric-Covered Chairs – These can shed fibers and harbor dust and other particles that can become airborne.
Controlling these potential sources of contamination is vital for maintaining the strict air quality standards required in cleanrooms. One key way to do this is by mandating the use of clothing and accessories that are specifically designed for cleanroom environments.
CLEANROOM SERVICES AND SUPPLIES: THE BASICS
Work clothes in cleanroom environments must be able to control the contaminates that naturally and continuously emit from the human body. Cleanroom garments help contain the human skin flakes and oil that are naturally dispersed from our bodies at all times. These particles are not harmful in most situations, but in a cleanroom, they can compromise these highly controlled environments.
Cleanroom products and apparel are specifically designed to keep these contaminants at safe levels. Not only do these products help to manage contaminants, they are made of highly durable materials that, because they do not flake off or deteriorate, will not themselves add contaminants to the environment.
There are various suppliers that offer these kinds of products. That brings up a natural question: Which cleanroom supplier is best for your needs?
When it comes to outfitting your company with cleanroom supplies, choosing a uniform supply company with experience and a trusted reputation is important, and helps ensure that the cleanroom products you and your employees are using are really cleanroom-safe. Prudential Cleanroom Services is a very well-regarded company in the field, with an array of cleanroom products that meet all of these standards.
CLEANROOM SERVICES: THE PRUDENTIAL STANDARD
Prudential Cleanroom Services, also known as PCS, has provided cleanroom apparel and services since 1960. PCS, a subset of Prudential Overall Supply, is dedicated to supporting these kinds of critical environments.
Cleanroom Apparel from Prudential
Prudential was one of the first work apparel companies to offer uniform rentals, so that start-up businesses could look professional without having to spend a lot of money. Today, running a business that is reliant on cleanrooms can be an expensive endeavor. The apparel alone can add up to a large expense. Prudential aims to offer cost-effective reusable cleanroom garments that are certifiably clean and sterile (where required), saving you money, without compromising the quality and integrity of the work being done in these cleanrooms.
Traditionally, cleanroom apparel and cleanroom supplies were used once and then discarded. With advances in technology, cleanroom garments have been engineered to sustain multiple uses with proper cleaning procedures.
Prudential has a number of cleanroom products that can ensure many use cycles without loss of functionality. PCS also keeps track of the number of times that a cleanroom garment has been laundered and takes appropriate action when it is no longer suitable for use. This ensures that all garments sent to the customer remain safe for use in these controlled environments. In this way, PCS’ ISO 9001:2015-certified cleanroom garment laundry service furthers sustainability initiatives and aids the environment.
Prudential’s inventory of cleanroom apparel includes:
HD ESD Sterile and Non-Sterile uniforms – The HD ESD cleanroom garments from Prudential Cleanroom Services are designed to provide both electrostatic discharge protection and contamination control. Available in both sterile and non-sterile options, these garments are made from high-density polyester fabric, ensuring durability, non-linting (or non-shedding) properties, and liquid resistance.
AB4800 ESD uniforms – AB4800 ESD cleanroom apparel is designed to provide high-level protection against static discharge and contamination. These garments are made from high-density polyester fabric that is non-linting and durable, which offers excellent particle filtration and liquid resistance.
NFPA 70E FR uniforms – NFPA 70E FR cleanroom garments are designed to provide protection against electrical arc flashes while maintaining cleanroom standards. These garments are made from flame-resistant materials that comply with NFPA 70E standards.
AB5800 ESD uniforms – AB5800 ESD cleanroom garments offer advanced electrostatic discharge protection and contamination control. Made from high-density polyester, these garments provide excellent particle filtration and liquid resistance.
Prudential’s cleanroom garment cleaning program can keep these uniforms in pristine condition.
The Prudential catalog also includes a variety of additional cleanroom apparel, such as:
- Cleanroom Tube Socks – Designed for cleanroom use to reduce particulate contamination.
- Cleanroom Shoe Covers – Protective covers to keep footwear clean.
- Cleanroom Goggles – Protective eyewear for cleanroom environments.
Other Cleanroom Equipment & Accessories from Prudential
Prudential also offers a variety of non-garment reusable products and services, such as a sterile and non-sterile reusable mop program. This allows a participating business to use sterile cleanroom mops for cleaning, and then reuse the same mop after it has been properly treated by a Prudential cleanroom laundry cleaning facility. This not only saves business owners time and money—it is also better for the environment compared to single use disposable products.
Prudential can validate the sterilization process of cleanroom garments and other non-garment items (including face masks, goggles, and hoods), and even provide reports verifying that this process has been performed properly. After these items are cleaned according to certain stringent procedures, they are gamma irradiated with a 10-6SAL (Sterility Assurance Level).
From cleanroom gowns to efficient laundry services, Prudential is the partner you can trust.