Gowning

General Considerations

The purpose of gowning is to contain harmful partilces and prevent them from entering the cleanrrom. In simplistic terms, we are going to put each person who enters the cleanroom into a nearly particle-tight bag. This is accomplished in two stages - pregowning and gowning. On exiting the cleanroom, we must also follow procedures that prevent contaminated items from getting in the cleanroon. Please follow the cleanroom protocol in utmost detail! Our success in maintaining a functioning cleanroom depends on each and every person. Individual behavior does make a difference!

Gowning Room Layout

The gowning room was been designed to provide a logical order for gowning that minimizes contamination of outer garments that will be exposed in the cleanroom. It has three separate areas: pre-gowning, wipedown, and gowning (Figure 1).

	Figure 1: Gown Room Layout

Pregowning

Prior to entering the gowning room, you must:

1. Place all items that are not essential in the cleanroom in one of the lockers provided. This includes book bags, hats, coats, sweaters, etc. It is particularly important to remove woolen outer garments such as sweaters. If you cannot find an empty locker, inform an instructor.
2. Clean your shoes in the automatic shoe brush at the door and put on a pair of booties prior to entry into the gowning room.
3. Walk on the blue tacky mat provided at the entrance to the gowning room. Be sure each shoe contacts the mat at least twice.
4. Place any items to be carried into the cleanroom on the wipe-down table. This includes cleanroom notebooks, calculators, cell-phones, etc.
5. Put on hairnets and facemask.
6. Put on a pair of cleanroom glove liners (if desired).
7. Put on a pair of cleanroom gloves. (Be sure that rings with sharp edges do not cut or tear the glove. For persons with such rings, a glove liner may be necessary.)
8. Return to the wipedown area and wipe down any materials or items to be worn or used on the outside of the gown while in the cleanroom.

Gowning

1. Verify that your hairnet, facemask, and gloves are properly in place by using the mirror on wall.
2. Retrieve your gown from either the gown cubicles or from the gown rack. If you cannot find your gown, inform the instructor. Never use another person's gown.
3. Put on your cleanroom gown. Be sure to avoid having the upper body of the garment touch the floor. This is accomplished by grasping the end of each arm and each leg of the gown and then releasing them one at a time as you insert your limb.
4. Put on your nametag with barcode. Hang it with a safety pin on the zipper of your gown.
5. Check in the mirror to assure that the hairnet is inside the gown hood, that the zipper is pulled up all the way, and that there are no openings or tears in the gown. (If your gown developes a tear, please see an instructor for a replacement.)
6. Put on an outer set of booties over the feet to the gown. These will help prevent walking on oversize gown feet and prevent tripping and/or falling.
7. Retrieve items that have been wiped down and proceed into the cleanroom. Be sure to take two steps with each foot on the blue tacky mat at the entrance to the cleanroom.

Exiting

1. Exit the cleanroom into the gowning area.
2. Remove outer booties.
3. Remove the cleanroom outer garment, taking care to prevent the upper body of the garment from touching the floor by grasping the extremities of each arm and leg of the garment as you remove your limbs. Be very careful not to tear the garment. There is a replacement fee for torn garments.
4. If you have been assigned one, hang your garment with your nametag on your assigned hanger.
5. If you do not have an assigned hanger, place your gown in your personal clean plastic bag bearing a sticker with your name and barcode. Never use another person's storage bag. If you cannot find your storage bag, please ask an instructor for a replacement.
6. Store your nametag, safety glasses, cleanroom notebook, and pen in your clean plastic bag and place it either above your gown on the hanger, or in the storage cubicles.
7. Remove hairnet and gloves and dispose of them in the large yellow trash can. Do not remove gloves from the cleanroom area as they may be contiaminated with hazardous chemicals.
8. Exit the area.
9. Remove booties and dispose of in the waste can.