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The Demilitarization Protective Ensemble (DPE) is a heat-sealed, one-time-use
The Demilitarization Protective Ensemble (DPE) is a heat-sealed, one-time-use positive pressure personnel suit
Positive pressure personnel suits (PPPS)—or positive pressure protective suits, informally known as "space suits", "moon suits", "blue suits", etc.—are highly specialized, totally encapsulating, industrial protection garments worn only with ...
.
These airtight suits are used by the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency to provide the highest level of protection against chemical agent exposure for workers accessing areas of chemical weapon
A chemical weapon (CW) is a specialized munition that uses chemicals formulated to inflict death or harm on humans. According to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), this can be any chemical compound intended as ...
disposal plants where chemical weapons are disassembled and the agent destroyed. Workers at Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal Facility and other disposal sites have successfully completed tens of thousands of entries into these areas wearing DPE suits.
With supporting equipment, the suit weighs about 50 pounds. Donning the suit takes between 30 and 45 minutes, with the assistance of a team of dressers.
The suit's primary air supply comes through a hose connection to purified air; a self-contained breathing apparatus
A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), sometimes referred to as a compressed air breathing apparatus (CABA) or simply breathing apparatus (BA), is a device worn to provide breathable air in an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to ...
provides 8 to 10 minutes of escape air in case the primary supply is disrupted. A heart monitor around the wearer's chest checks for signs of distress.
The suit's gloves have three layers, with thick butyl rubber
Butyl rubber, sometimes just called "butyl", is a synthetic rubber, a copolymer of isobutylene with isoprene. The abbreviation IIR stands for isobutylene isoprene rubber. Polyisobutylene, also known as "PIB" or polyisobutene, (C4H8)n, is the ...
gloves as the top layer, and the feet of the one-piece suit slip into butyl rubber boots that are then sealed to the suit.
A radio transmitter provides contact with emergency backup personnel, the control room and other support staff.
References
{{U.S. Army Safety clothing Protective gear Environmental suits One-piece suits