Department of Biology
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
This should be appropriate to the task in hand and readily available.
Hands: non-absorbent insulated gloves must always be worn when handling anything that is or has been in recent contact with liquid nitrogen. Cryogenic gloves are designed to be used in the vapour phase only and should not be immersed into liquid nitrogen under any circumstances. They should be a loose fit to facilitate easy removal. Gauntlet style gloves are not recommended for some liquid handling uses as liquid can drip into them and become trapped against the skin; sleeves should cover the ends of gloves or alternatively, a ribbed cuff style may be used.
There are a range of commercially available gloves suitable for use at cold temperatures, some of which meet the requirements of BS EN 420: 1994 'General requirements for gloves'.
Face: a full face visor should be used to protect the eyes and face where splashing or spraying may occur and, in particular, where operations are carried out at eye level e.g. when topping up reservoirs on electron microscopes.
Body: a laboratory coat or overalls should be worn at all times. Non-absorbent cryogenic aprons are also commercially available. Open pockets and turn-ups where liquid could collect should be avoided. Trouser bottoms should overlap boots or shoes for the same reason.
Feet: sturdy shoes, providing full protection of the foot, must be worn when handling liquid nitrogen vessels. Open toed shoes should not be worn under any circumstances.
When not in use, all PPE should be stored in an appropriate manner (e.g. visors on wall mounted hooks) to ensure that it does not become damaged or contaminated.