What is ISO 16603?

ISO 16603:2004 describes a laboratory test method for measuring the penetration resistance of clothing materials to blood and body fluids. This test method uses a synthetic blood in continuous contact with the material specimen at specified set of conditions using the ISO 13994 test apparatus.

This test method is not always effective in testing protective clothing materials having thick, inner liners which readily absorb the synthetic blood.

Where do biological substances occur, what are they, and what diseases can they trigger?

Sector

Biological substances

Possible diseases

 

 

Agriculture

Moulds

Allergies

Bacteria (actinomycetes)

Farmer’s lung (EAA)

Microorganisms (e.g. Erwinia herbicola)

Organic dust toxic syndrome (humidifier fever)

Bacteria (e.g. Listeria monocytogenes)

Pathogens (e.g. Coxiella burnetii)

Fungi (e.g. Dermatophytes)

Zoonotic diseases (sickness transmitted from animals to humans), e.g. Q fever, listeriosis or skin mycoses

 

Handling of veterinary waste (e.g. waste separation/recycling facilities, composting facilities)

Moulds (e.g. Aspergillus fumigatus)

Allergies

Aspergillosis, aspergilloma

Bacteria (Actimomycetes)

Extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA)

Gram-negative bacteria

Organic dust toxic syndrome (humidifier fever)

Enteric viruses, enteric bacteria

Infections (e.g. gastroenteritis)

 

Wastewater treatment plants, sewer system work

HAV virus

Hepatitis A

Salmonella

Salmonellosis

Echo, rota virus

Enterovirosis (virus infection)

Bacteria (e.g. Leptospirosis)

Leptospira interrogans

 

Hospitals, healthcare, laboratories, police, emergency services

Ebola, Lassa

Fevers

HIV virus

AIDS

Bordetella pertussis

Whooping cough

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

HBV virus

Hepatisis B

 

Food industry

Moulds/yeast

Allergies, skin irritations

Bacteria

 

Endotoxins

Organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS)

Screening pressure test: Resistance to penetration by blood and body fluids using synthetic blood – ISO 16603

The synthetic blood used for this test is a mixture of cellulose, colouring, buffer solution and stabilising agents. This is referred to as a "screening-test" and is used to predict the pressure at which the subsequent test, using bacteriophage contaminated media, can be expected to penetrate through the material.

 

Class

Exposure pressure [kPa]

6

20

5

14

4

7

3

3,5

2

1,75

1

0