The design of personal protective equipment (PPE) for cleanroom areas must meet various requirements in terms of its protective functionality. The updated version of GMP Annex 1 lists requirements for cleanroom clothing in Chapter 7, which mainly deal with the protection of the products to be manufactured and the integrity of the clean areas used for preparation. Personal protection when handling products and substances that pose a hazard is rarely discussed in this context. However, occupational safety for employees is also an important operational obligation, as is patient protection when manufacturing sterile products.

Sustainability is another important factor for personal protective clothing, which should be aligned as closely as possible with the requirements for product and personal protection. Regardless of whether reusable or disposable clothing is used, manufacturers are responsible for providing products that are as resource-efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. In practice, this can currently only be implemented as a compromise to meet the above-mentioned protection requirements and other desired properties.

In the presentation, these sometimes conflicting aspects will be illustrated using a few practical examples from our portfolio of products suitable for cleanrooms. In addition, ways to achieve a better balance between occupational safety, product protection and sustainability will be discussed.