Tips on how to wear cleanroom garments correctly in the GMP environment

A cleanroom is a room in which there are fewer particles than in normal rooms. Cleanrooms are divided into classes that differ in terms of how many particles of a certain size are permitted per cubic meter. The respective room class determines which cleanroom garments must be used.

Cleanroom clothing includes in particular

• Hoods and beard protection
• Underwear
• Face mask
• Overalls, jackets and coats
• Shoes, overshoes and overboots
• Gloves
• Safety goggles

Depending on the cleanroom class, a different procedure must be followed when putting on cleanroom clothing. Based on the so-called GMP classes, a distinction can be made between up to three cleanroom airlocks or zones that must be passed through before entering a cleanroom.

GMP classes A and B apply to sterile production and therefore have the highest level of protection, followed by GMP class C (area with work preparation equipment) and class D (work preparation area). Depending on the cleanroom class, more or less cleanroom clothing must be worn and one, two or three cleanroom airlocks must be passed through.

Putting on cleanroom garments in cleanroom class D is also the first step for cleanroom garments in classes C, B and A. Make-up and jewelry may not be used when working in cleanrooms.

Before you start, you must wash your hands and then disinfect them. You must not speak while putting on the cleanroom clothing to prevent contamination from droplets. It is even more important not to cough or sneeze while putting on the protective clothing.

Before putting on the outer cleanroom garments, you must put on the cleanroom-compatible intermediate garments, i.e. the undergarments, and put on a simple hood. The hood must cover all hair.

Now put on the outer cleanroom garment, which corresponds to class D, but must not touch the floor or the undergarments with the outside.

To put on your cleanroom shoes, sit on the step-over bench (also known as the step-over bench) and only touch the floor with your cleanroom shoes on the other side of the bench.

Now disinfect your hands and any glasses again. Bearded people wear a special beard protector before disinfecting their hands.

For cleanroom class C, you must first put on the cleanroom garments for class D and enter the class C cleanroom airlock. Now take off the cleanroom coat, the cleanroom trousers and the cleanroom shoes so that you are only wearing the undergarments (intermediate garments) and the hood.

Then put on gloves up to the ends of the underwear. These gloves must now be disinfected . Then put on a face mask. Pull a second hood over the existing hood.

For the C area, you must now put on a suitable cleanroom overall over the undergarments and again make sure that the overall does not touch the floor or the outside of the undergarments that have already been put on.

Then you sit down on the swivel bench and put on the cleanroom shoes for the C area. Check in the mirror that everything fits correctly and then disinfect the gloves again. If you wear a beard , you must first put on the beard protector.

To put on cleanroom garments correctly in cleanroom classes A and B, you must first pass through the cleanroom airlocks for classes C and D. At the beginning of the donning procedure in cleanroom classes A and B, only undergarments, hood and shoes are worn; the rest of the cleanroom garments donned so far are removed.

Now the donning procedure begins in cleanroom classes A and B, which is the same for both classes: After disinfecting the hands, you must put on gloves (up to the ends of the undergarments). The gloves are now also disinfected. You should then proceed according to the sequence listed here:

• Put on a face mask
• Put on the full protective hood (hood)
• Put on overalls
• Put on safety goggles
• Putting on overboots on the swivel bench
• Put on cleanroom gloves (up to the ends of the overalls)
• Disinfect cleanroom gloves

The new cleanroom garments for GMP classes A and B are a full protective hood (hood), safety goggles, overboots and a second pair of gloves. After putting on the overboots , put on the actual work gloves over the already used changing gloves.

Once you have left the cleanroom and want to discard the cleanroom garments , simply proceed in the opposite direction. When discarding the cleanroom garments, you should note whether they are disposable or reusable cleanroom garments and separate the discarded items accordingly.