Title

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Donning and Doffing Guidelines for On-Site Animal Disease Outbreaks

(V2242, June 2024)
File
Publication File:
Summary

“Select Animal Disease Personal Protective Equipment Chart” (NDSU Extension V2129) contains minimum PPE recommendations for specific diseases. The following are guidelines to use for donning and doffing that PPE. You may need to follow additional procedures depending on the specific situation. Your vehicle should always be free of organic debris so you are not transferring organisms from one site to another. Prior to arrival on site, disinfect vehicle tires. Refer to “Select Animal Disease Disinfectant Chart” (NDSU Extension V2128) for disinfectant options. Designate a line of separation between the clean (disease free) location and the dirty (diseased) location. This line of separation can be a physical object or an imaginary line. This line will help you be aware of your movement and actions when it comes to potential disease transfer. As you don (apply) your PPE, you will step across the line of separation. Potentially contaminated or dirty items must be disinfected before returning to the clean side. Disinfecting will occur during the doffing (removal) process.

Lead Author
Lead Author:
Mary Keena, NDSU Extension Livestock Environmental Management Specialist, Carrington Research Extension Center
Other Authors

Margo Kunz, DVM, North Dakota Assistant State Veterinarian, North Dakota Department of Agriculture 

Kelli Maddock, DrPH, Senior Research Scholar, NDSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Availability
Availability:
Web only
Publication Sections

Table of Contents

Donning Procedures

Ideally, steps 1-3 are done while still in your vehicle. If this is not possible, then designate your line of separation and step across as you put on your second pair of boots or boot covers.

  1. Put on boot covers.
  2. Put on Tyvek suit.
  3. Put on second boots that can be disinfected and/or boot covers as you step out of the vehicle or step across the line of separation.
  4. Tape boot covers to Tyvek suit.
  5. Prepare (i.e., measure and cut/tear) tape that is long enough to fit around the wrists/gloves, legs/boot covers and zipper seam of Tyvek suit. Fold tabs at the end of the tape for easy removal.
  6. Tape zipper seam of the Tyvek suit.
  7. Put on first (inner) pair of gloves.
  8. Poke thumb hole through Tyvek suit.
  9. Put on second (outer) pair of gloves.
  10. Tape second pair of gloves to Tyvek suit. This helps hold the sleeves in place, protecting wrists from potential exposure.
  11. Put on eyewear.
  12. Put on headcover.
  13. Put on respiratory protection.
Step 8
Step 8
Step 8
Step 8
Step 9
Step 9

Doffing Procedures

Disposable PPE items may be discarded in a biohazardous waste bag or garbage bag.

  1. Remove tape from Tyvek suit zipper, boot covers and outer gloves. Discard.
  2. Unzip Tyvek suit zipper.
  3. Roll shoulders and bend over to remove Tyvek suit, inside out, from arms down, removing outer gloves as you go.
  4. Continue to remove Tyvek suit, inside out, and step out of outer boot covers. Roll the suit and boot covers into a ball with the contaminated outer side in the center. Handle only the clean inside of the garment. Discard.
  5. Remove and disinfect permanent or reusable eyewear and set across line of separation.
  6. Remove respiratory protection and discard or clean, whichever is appropriate.
  7. Remove headcover and discard.
  8. Remove boots or inner boot covers. Disinfect boots with spray if not using removeable boot covers. Lift foot, spray in the air and step across the line of separation. Repeat on the other foot.
  9. Close and spray the biohazardous waste
    bag or garbage bag with disinfectant. Place inside another bag, close and spray with disinfectant again.
  10. Discard the biohazardous waste bag or garbage bag in the dirty zone.
  11. If you must take your discard with you, spray
    the bag with disinfectant before putting it in
    your vehicle.
  12. Remove and discard the inner gloves.
  13. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water. If washing isn’t possible, wipe with alcohol wipes or use hand sanitizer.
  14. Make sure vehicle tires are free of organic debris and disinfect them before leaving the site.
  15. When possible, take vehicle through a car wash before going to a new site.

Videos of the donning and doffing procedures can be found at www.usdatraining.com/ppe/.

The NDSU Extension does not endorse commercial products or companies even though reference may be made to tradenames, trademarks or service names.

Figure 4
Photo Credit:
NDSU Photo
Step 3