Did you know that particle emissions from people working in cleanrooms are a real problem? Yes, that’s right! In fact, humans are responsible for most of the small, invisible particles that can contaminate a product.
Today we want to take a look at how many particles a person releases in different situations and how the biggest contaminations can be avoided.
1. movement makes particles!
- Standing still: When standing, a person in cotton clothing emits over 800,000 particles >0.5 µm per minute. Yes, you read that right – even when standing still, we are small particle factories!
- Walking: A leisurely stroll through the cleanroom? The particle emission increases to around 35 million particles per minute. So it’s better to move slowly and carefully!
- Running: Anyone in a hurry is out of place in the cleanroom. Fast movements should be avoided as much as possible in the cleanroom. So: no running, no jumping, no dancing.
2. clothing is crucial!
- Normal clothing: Without special protective clothing, we emit a veritable parade of particles. With cotton clothing, open hair and uncovered skin, millions of particles are released even with simple movements.
- Gown and cap: Simply putting on a gown and a simple cap will keep a large proportion of unwanted particles out of your clothes and head.
- Cleanroom clothing (overall with eye cover): It’s a good thing cleanroom clothing exists! Special cleanroom suits are designed to drastically reduce particle emissions – to around 10,000 particles per minute at standstill. A real game changer!
3. coughing and sneezing – the particle explosion!
- Coughing: A single cough can release hundreds of thousands of particles that are dispersed in the air. Wearing disposable masks can prevent the worst, but it is better to suppress the cough as much as possible.
- Sneezing: This is where it gets really wild – one sneeze can throw up to 1.4 million particles into the air. There’s only one thing to do: sneeze into a disposable cloth, leave the cleanroom or, if you have a cold, don’t enter it at all.
- Smoking: We all know that smoking causes particulate matter. But did you know that a smoker continues to blow particles into the air for up to twenty minutes after stubbing out his cigarette? Smoking breaks for cleanroom workers must be correspondingly long.
