Cleanroom Gowning Procedures - Ziebaq

What is a cleanroom?

A cleanroom is a controlled environment that has a low level of pollutants such as dust, airborne microbes, aerosol particles, and chemical vapors. These environments are designed to meet and maintain specific cleanliness levels and are crucial in industries where even minute particles can have a significant impact on production processes or the quality of products. Cleanrooms are commonly used in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, aerospace, electronics, and healthcare.

CLEANROOM GOWNING PROCEDURES

Cleanroom gowning procedures are a critical aspect of maintaining a contaminant-free environment in controlled environments like cleanrooms. These procedures help ensure that personnel entering the cleanroom are properly attired to prevent the introduction of particles and contaminants. The following is a general guideline for cleanroom gowning procedures:

1. Training:

   • Before entering the cleanroom, personnel should undergo proper training on gowning procedures, cleanroom etiquette, and the importance of maintaining a contaminant-free environment.

2. Personal Hygiene:

   • Perform a thorough hygiene routine, including bathing and washing hands with a suitable antimicrobial soap. Ensure the removal of makeup, jewelry, and other accessories.

3. Dressing Room Entry:

   • Enter the dressing room or anteroom designated for gowning, and ensure that it is a controlled environment with appropriate air quality.

4. Cleanroom Garments:

   • Depending on the cleanroom classification, personnel may need to change into cleanroom garments, including coveralls, hoods, bouffants, gloves, shoe covers, and goggles or face masks.

5. Step on Tacky Mat:

   • Walk over a tacky mat to remove any remaining particles from the bottom of shoes before proceeding further.

6. Glove and Shoe Covering:

   • Put on the first set of gloves and then disposable shoe covers. Ensure that gloves fit properly, covering the wrists, and that shoe covers completely enclose the shoes.

7. Hood and Face Mask:

   • Don a cleanroom hood, ensuring that all hair is covered. If necessary, put on a face mask or goggles, securing them properly.

8. Coveralls:

   • Put on cleanroom coveralls, ensuring they do not touch the floor or walls. Zip up coveralls completely, and if necessary, secure them at the collar and ankles.

9. Goggles or Face Shield:

   • Put on goggles or a face shield if required by the cleanroom classification.

10. Final Gloving:

    • Depending on the cleanroom requirements, put on a second pair of gloves over the first pair. This helps ensure an extra layer of protection.

11. Verification:

    • Ensure that all garments are worn correctly, and there are no gaps or exposed skin. Use mirrors or colleagues to check for any breaches in gowning.

12. Enter the Cleanroom:

    • Proceed to enter the cleanroom through the designated entry point, which may include air showers or air locks to minimize particle entry.

Donning Sequence 

• Wash and dry hands.
• Enter non-sterile gowning area.
• Put on bouffant. Assure all hair is entrained under bouffant.
• Walk over tacky mat to remove excess soil from shoes.
• Put on disposable shoecovers.
• Put on first set of “donning” gloves.
• Walk to gowning area.
• Don hood. Touch only inside of the hood. Slide hood from cleanroom bag.
• Completely cover bouffant. Fit snuggly with vertical and horizontal snaps in back of hood. Don facemask.
• Don coverall. Do not let it touch the floor or walls.
• Grasp inside neck of coverall and slide coverall from cleanroom bag. Allow coverall to unfold. Unzip zipper to the full length. Begin rolling coverall backwards into a tube gathering the sleeves inside the roll. Gather up one leg. Place foot in one leg and pull up to thigh. Do the same with the other leg. Pull coverall up to waist. Begin unrolling top of coverall. Slide in one arm and roll coverall over back and shoulders. Slide in other arm. Zip up coverall. Snap at collar and ankles.
• Don boots. Place hand on inside of boot top. Remove one boot from cleanroom bag.
• Put on boot and step to “cleaner” side of gown area.
• Place hand inside of other boot top. Remove other boot from cleanroom bag. Put on boot and step to “cleaner” side of gown area. Pull up boot tops. Snap around calf area and snap to back of coverall.
• Don goggles or shield.
• Either remove donning gloves or put on second pair of gloves over first pair. Roll gloves over cuffs of coverall sleeves.

Doffing (Removing Cleanroom Garments):

1. Reverse the donning procedure.
2. Place disposable items in the trash.
3. Place reusable coverall, hood, and boots in the proper receptacle.
4. Place goggles in a separate receptacle.
5. Exit the gowning area.
6. In cases of emergency evacuation, personnel should immediately leave the cleanroom without doffing cleanroom garments.

Additional Points:

• After donning cleanroom garments, personnel may walk through air showers or other pressurized, interlocked air locks to prevent cross-contamination from lesser cleanroom areas.

It's crucial to follow these procedures meticulously to ensure the cleanroom environment's integrity is maintained and to prevent contamination. Regular training and adherence to established protocols are essential for the success of cleanroom operations.

Helpful Cleanroom Resources

Use this Ziebaq Services cleanroom cleaning guide for step-by-step instructions to maintain your cleanroom properly. You'll also find several handy tips to keep the process streamlined and straightforward.