General
The Physical Protection laboratory at IIBR is the only national and authorized R&D laboratory in Israel for the evaluation and validation of personal respiratory filters, shelter and armored vehicle filters, gas masks, personal hoods and protective clothing. Our unique expertise spans protection against toxic industrial chemicals, environmental pollutants and military toxic chemicals, including chemical warfare agents. Sophisticated equipment and established testing methods facilitate the validation of personal and collective equipment within a wide range of challenge variables.
Test conditions are controlled and follow established standards or, optionally, are specified by the customer or our team of scientists. By analysis of the test results according to well-established computational models, and based on their extensive experience, our experts can predict the performance of protective equipment under realistic challenge scenarios.
The comprehensive knowledge acquired by the Physical Protection group at IIBR provides scientific and technological support and guidance for the selection, procurement and maintenance of filtration systems, gas masks and protective clothing, as well as the development of novel protective equipment. Currently, IIBR provides validation and guidance services for manufacturers of chemical protective equipment as well as for users, including the Israeli armed forces and first responders. A staff member of the Physical Protection Group serves as an IIBR representative in the committee for standardization of protective equipment at the Israeli Standards Institute.
Respiratory protection facilities and test methods
Assessing breakthrough time and protection capacity of gas-mask filters, shelter and armored vehicle filters and activated carbon simulation beds according to national and international standard protocols.
Determination of the service life of gas and vapor filters using accelerated aging techniques.
Custom on-site detection of channeling in collective-protection filters by means of organic vapor challenges.
Protection factors of gas masks and personal hoods worn by subjects performing physical activities in a corn-oil aerosol exposure chamber.
Assesseing the performance of air-purifying particulate respirators by quantitative fit-testing and aerosol filtration efficiency.
Advising the national Israeli standards institute regarding standard protocols for protective gear.
Dermal protection facilities and test methods
Static Liquid challenge - assessing vapor diffusion of chemical warfare agents through impermeable barriers, such as gas-mask components, protective clothing, gloves and footwear, according to standard protocols.
Static liquid/vapor challenge - assessing vapor permeation of chemical warfare agents and toxic chemicals through permeable protective equipment.
Dynamic vapor challenge – assessing breakthrough time of chemical warfare agents and hazardous chemicals in permeable/ impermeable protective barriers.
Accelerated aging and determination of service life of protective equipment (masks, hoods, uniforms and gaskets).