A low pressure drop device for personal protection against toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents has a flexible polymer hood impermeable to toxic challenge molecules, a neck seal for sealing the hood about the neck, a half mask for connection to a canister and a low pressure drop canister for chemical protection. The canister contains carbon monoliths of 5- 40 mm diameter, length 1-3 cm, open area 30-60%, surface area ≥700 m.sup.2/g optionally activated to >30 wt % weight loss and optionally impregnated with metallic additives and/or triethylene diamine. The monoliths have square channels of size 100-2000 μm and wall thickness 100-2000 μm. It also contains a resiliently flexible closed cell foam with holes slightly smaller than the monoliths so that flow through the canister is through the monoliths.

A low pressure drop device for personal protection against toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents has a flexible polymer hood impermeable to toxic challenge molecules, a neck seal for sealing the hood about the neck, a half mask for connection to a canister and a low pressure drop canister for chemical protection. The canister contains carbon monoliths of 5- 40 mm diameter, length 1-3 cm, open area 30-60%, surface area ≥700 m.sup.2/g optionally activated to >30 wt % weight loss and optionally impregnated with metallic additives and/or triethylene diamine. The monoliths have square channels of size 100-2000 μm and wall thickness 100-2000 μm. It also contains a resiliently flexible closed cell foam with holes slightly smaller than the monoliths so that flow through the canister is through the monoliths.

An article of protective clothing comprising a durable multilayer fabric laminate formed from

i) a first flame resistant knitted fabric made from yarns, the fabric having an average fabric modulus of 8 grams-force of greater;

ii) a flame-resistant nonwoven fabric having a machine direction and a cross direction, and consisting of a plurality of continuous filaments having a diameter of less than 1000 nm, the filaments in the fabric being substantially oriented parallel with the machine direction and having stretch and recovery in the cross direction; and

iii) a second flame resistant knitted fabric made from yarns, the fabric having an average fabric modulus of 8 grams-force of greater;

wherein the nonwoven fabric is positioned between and coextensive with the first and second flame-resistant knitted fabrics; the nonwoven fabric being attached to the first knitted fabric by a set of first attachment points, the attachment points defining a first unattached area having a first effective diameter; the nonwoven fabric also being attached to the second knitted fabric by a set of second attachment points, the attachment points defining a second unattached area having a second effective diameter; wherein both the first unattached area and the second unattached area each have a value A, in square centimeters, according to the formula:

C<A</=(14*B)+100

the value B being the sum of the average fabric modulus of the first knitted fabric and the average fabric modulus of the second knitted fabric, in grams-force; and the value C being 5 square centimeters.

An article of protective clothing comprising a durable multilayer fabric laminate formed from

i) a first flame resistant knitted fabric made from yarns, the fabric having an average fabric modulus of 8 grams-force of greater;

ii) a flame-resistant nonwoven fabric having a machine direction and a cross direction, and consisting of a plurality of continuous filaments having a diameter of less than 1000 nm, the filaments in the fabric being substantially oriented parallel with the machine direction and having stretch and recovery in the cross direction; and

iii) a second flame resistant knitted fabric made from yarns, the fabric having an average fabric modulus of 8 grams-force of greater;

wherein the nonwoven fabric is positioned between and coextensive with the first and second flame-resistant knitted fabrics; the nonwoven fabric being attached to the first knitted fabric by a set of first attachment points, the attachment points defining a first unattached area having a first effective diameter; the nonwoven fabric also being attached to the second knitted fabric by a set of second attachment points, the attachment points defining a second unattached area having a second effective diameter; wherein both the first unattached area and the second unattached area each have a value A, in square centimeters, according to the formula:

C<A</=(14*B)+100

the value B being the sum of the average fabric modulus of the first knitted fabric and the average fabric modulus of the second knitted fabric, in grams-force; and the value C being 5 square centimeters.

An improved stretchable filtration fabric laminate is provided. The laminate includes a first fabric layer and a nanofiber layer. The laminate may be stretched without damaging the laminate. The laminate is thus suitable for incorporation into wearable protective garments, such as protective hoods, balaclavas, scarves, etc. that provide both protection and air filtration to the wearer.

An improved stretchable filtration fabric laminate is provided. The laminate includes a first fabric layer and a nanofiber layer. The laminate may be stretched without damaging the laminate. The laminate is thus suitable for incorporation into wearable protective garments, such as protective hoods, balaclavas, scarves, etc. that provide both protection and air filtration to the wearer.

A personal protection suit has a selectively sealable hood (1) for protection against CBRN threats. In one series of embodiments, the hood (1) is separable from a jacket body (5) by a releasable attachment means (11), and has a mask hood seal (2) for sealing with a mask. In one series of embodiments the hood (1A) has a deployable face mask (60) stored within the hood (1A). The hood (1) can be removed without breaking the seal between the mask and mask hood seal (2) to minimise contamination during donning and doffing.

A personal protection suit has a selectively sealable hood (1) for protection against CBRN threats. In one series of embodiments, the hood (1) is separable from a jacket body (5) by a releasable attachment means (11), and has a mask hood seal (2) for sealing with a mask. In one series of embodiments the hood (1A) has a deployable face mask (60) stored within the hood (1A). The hood (1) can be removed without breaking the seal between the mask and mask hood seal (2) to minimise contamination during donning and doffing.

Implementations described herein include surgical helmet assemblies that have a helmet enclosure shaped to encircle a head of a user. The helmet enclosure retains a fan and includes a brow bar portion at a front of the helmet enclosure that is shaped to extend along a brow or a forehead of the user and having a light positioned therein. The helmet enclosure also includes a stabilizer extending downward from the helmet enclosure in front of the ears of a user, a face shield that is transparent and coupleable to at least the brow bar portion, a headband shaped to extend across an occiput region of the user's head, and a surgical garment for covering at least the head and shoulders of a user in use. The brow bar portion includes vents disposed therein to direct airflow pushed through the helmet enclosure from the fan onto the user. The face shield is coupleable to the helmet enclosure by one or more of a hook and loop fastener on the helmet enclosure or the stabilizer and a post protruding from the brow bar portion.

A firefighter hood comprising a hood body configured to fit around a head of a wearer, wherein the hood body includes a face opening configured to be aligned with a face of the wearer when the hood is worn. The hood further includes a flap coupled to the hood body. The flap is movable between an extended position wherein the flap covers only part of the opening in front view, and a retracted position wherein the flap does not cover any of the opening in front view or covers less of the opening in front view compared to when the flap is in the extended position.