Cleanroom Garments

Many electronic components are extremely sensitive to any and all environmental contamination. A hard drive, for instance, can be reduced to no more than a paperweight by the invasion of a single particle of dust into the sealed case. Likewise, processors, memory circuitry and other electronic components are sensitive to static electricity, which can be generated by just about any motion and transferred via a touch from unprotected flesh. The voltage delivered in such a scenario is enough to destroy the delicate circuitry all together. Cleanroom garments are used by industry, individual shops and IT departments to minimize such hazards.

Cleanroom garments are worn in controlled environments to prevent the contamination of electronics with shed skin cells, hair and other pollutants. Regular garments typically shed fibers, as well, and these can work their way into delicate electronic components, possibly compromising their function. These suits are colloquially known as "bunny suits" and sometimes "zoot suits," the latter owing to their loose-fitting nature. A cleanroom suit generally consists of an overall suit, boots and gloves and a cap that covers the hair and prevents shedding. Individuals with beards or moustaches may be required to cover these with a mask similar to that worn by surgeons.

There are more secure types of cleanroom garments, as well. Some of these consist of an overall suit, gloves and boots along with a visor-equipped hood that completely covers the head and further minimizes the risk of pollution due to skin and hair being shed. These very complex suits are usually worn in the most sensitive applications, such as the manufacture of processors and the data recovery industry, where hard drives are disassembled and their contents retrieved in the safety of a cleanroom environment. They are also sometimes used in scientific applications where samples must be guarded against any contamination.

Cleanroom garments require special handling and cleaning. In most cases, employees will remove their cleanroom attire in a special room and will deposit the clothing in containers, which are then taken away for cleaning. The garments may be washed in the common fashion, dry cleaned or even autoclaved in very sensitive situations. These garments are typically durable but designed to be rotated frequently to avoid the buildup of contaminants, which is inevitable with exposure to any environment outside the clean room. In most cases, these garments are also treated to prevent the buildup of static electricity.