Proper attire in NCNR’s Experimental Facilities and Laboratories

Protection of the Body

Protective clothing: Lab workers are to be suitably dressed to avoid injury. Footwear and clothing must be appropriate for each particular lab environment and protective clothing (afforded by lab coats, coveralls, aprons, etc.) may be required for some lab work. Additional protection (such as gloves, face shields, splash goggles, plastic aprons, boots, and legstats) may also be required to perform some experiments. Line supervision will determine the appropriate protective clothing and dress requirements for each lab. Contaminated clothing is to be promptly cleaned or discarded in a manner consistent with disposal of the contaminant itself (see DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTE in Chapter V). In addition, care must be taken to prevent contaminated clothing from coming into contact with doorknobs, fixtures, furnishings, apparatus, controls, etc., which unprotected personnel may subsequently contact.

• When working in all NCNR laboratories and for experimenters in the confinement building (C100) and the guide hall (G100) protective closed-toe footwear is mandatory. This means at a minimum, low heeled shoes that cover the entire foot must be worn. If the shoes are open-toe or sandals appropriate shoe covers must be worn.
• The legs of any person entering a chemical laboratory and all experimenters in the confinement building (C100) and the guide hall (G100) must be covered. In particular, shorts are not permitted in the confinement building and the guide hall. If the legs are not covered, a suitable lab coat or coveralls must be worn providing full leg coverage.

These requirements apply to all NCNR laboratory and facility users, including NIST staff and guest researchers. If you are a local contact for users, please remind your users to bring appropriate clothing based upon the activities they are involved in.