There is an increase in HIV/AIDS and other blood borne diseases. Health care workers are often exposed to blood and body fluids and thus prone to blood borne infections. Preventative measures can be taken to prevent health workers from contracting these diseases. However, health care workers need to stringently apply these measures. Universal precautions against blood borne infections include diligent hygiene practices, such as hand washing and drying, appropriate handling and disposal of sharp objects, prevention of needle stick or sharp injuries, appropriate handling of patient care equipment and soiled linen, environmental cleaning and spills management, appropriate handling of waste as well as protective clothing such as gloves, gowns, aprons, masks and protective eyewear. This study is aimed at investigating compliance with universal precautions in operating theatres in Northern KwaZulu–Natal as well as perceptions of registered nurses working in these operating theatres regarding factors influencing compliance in order to contribute to measures to limit the risk of infection to patients and health care workers. A sequential explanatory design, mixed–method (quantitative and qualitative) was used to explore the use of universal precautions in operating theatres in the Northern Kwa–Zulu Natal. In the first phase, the sample consisted of practices in operating theatres of six hospitals and one regional hospital in area 3 of Kwa–Zulu Natal. The adapted structured checklist based on an established document developed by the MASA Committee for Science and Education (1995) was pilot tested. The collected data was statistically analysed and interpreted with the help of a statistician using SPSS. The results of Phase 1 were used as a base for the Phase 2 questions. Three focus group interviews were conducted with professional nurses who were observed during Phase 1 at the selected hospitals. Findings from quantitative data show that although health care workers take precautions to prevent infections, they do not attain full compliance to universal precautions. The qualitative data indicated that the reasons for non–compliance amongst others were the lack of knowledge of universal precautions, communication factors, resources, including maintenance of equipment, lack of supplies and shortage of human resources and attitudes of health care workers. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

There are many situations where workers are required to wear personal protective clothing (PPC), to protect against a primary hazard, such as heat or chemicals. But the PPC can also create ergonomic problems and there are important side effects which typically increase with rising protection requirements. The most extensively studied side effect is that of increased heat strain due to reduced heat and vapour transfer from the skin. Less studied is the extra weight, bulk and stiffness of PPC garments which is likely to increase the energy requirements of the worker, reduce the range of movement and lead to impaired performance. Current heat and cold stress standards assume workers are wearing light, vapour permeable clothing. By failing to consider the metabolic effects of actual PPC garments, the standards will underestimate heat production and therefore current standards cannot be accurately applied to workers wearing PPC. Information on the effect of the clothing on the wearer and the interactions between PPC, wearer and environment is limited. Data was collected to quantify the effect of PPC on metabolic load based on the properties of the PPC for the EU THERMPROTECT project (GERD-CT-2002-00846). The main objective of the project was to provide data to allow heat and cold stress assessment standards to be updated so that they need no longer exclude specialised protective clothing. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effect of PPC and its properties on energy consumption during work. For this purpose, the effects of a range of PPC garments (Chapter 3), weight (Chapter 4), number of layers and material friction (Chapter 5) and wet layers (Chapter 6) on energy consumption whilst walking, stepping and completing an obstacle course were studied. The impact of PPC on range of movement in the lower limbs was also investigated (Chapter 7). The main findings were; a) Increased metabolic cost of 2.4 - 20.9% when walking, stepping and completing an obstacle course in PPC compared to a control condition. b) An average metabolic rate increase of 2.7% per kg increase in clothing weight, with greater increases with clothing that is heavier on the limbs and in work requiring greater ranges of movement. c) 4.5 to 7.9% increase in metabolic cost of walking and completing an obstacle course wearing 4 layers compared to a single layer control condition of the same weight. d) Changes in range of movement in PPC due to individual behavioural adaptations. e) Garment torso bulk is the strongest correlate of an increased metabolic rate when working in PPC (r=0.828, p<0.001). f) Garment leg bulk (r=0.615), lower sleeve weight (r=0.655) and weight of the garment around the crotch (r=0.638) are also all positively correlated with an increased metabolic rate. Total clothing weight and clothing insulation had r values of 0.5 and 0.35 respectively. This thesis has confirmed the major effect of clothing on metabolic rate, and the importance of including this effect in standards and models.

Thesis (M.A.-Res.)--University of Wollongong, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 137-145.

Orientador: Joaquim Gonçalves Machado Neto / Banca: Rita de Cássia Panizzi / Banca: Edivaldo Domingues Velini / Resumo: Objetivou-se avaliar a perda de proteção de materiais hidrorrepelentes e costuras de EPI causada pela composição de fios do material, diferentes procedimentos e números de lavagens, detergentes de diferentes composições químicas disponíveis no mercado brasileiro, e devido à operação de secagem e passagem com ferro elétrico quente após as lavagens. Os procedimentos de lavagem dos materiais e costuras foram os numerados de 2A a 8A e Manual, da norma ISO 6330 (2000). Os materiais foram lavados em máquina de cilindro horizontal, marca Eletrolux, modelo FOM 71 CLS, por cinco, dez, vinte e trinta vezes antes das avaliações da penetração. A solução teste utilizado foi a formulação Roundup® Original. O critério de aprovação dos materiais e costuras foi a penetração menor que 5%. Quanto maior a porcentagem de fios de algodão na composição do material maior é a perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras simples, rebatidas simples e rebatida dupla, com até trinta lavagens. Quanto maior o tempo de agitação normal na etapa de lavagem do procedimento maior é a perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras, em relação ao com o agitação suave e com menor tempo. Quanto maior o número de lavagens maior é a perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras em todos os procedimentos e números de lavagens. O detergente catiônico causa maior perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras, em relação aos aniônicos, devido ao pH alcalino.Quanto maior o valor do pH do detergente, independentemente da natureza química do tenso ativo; aniônico ou catiônico, maior é a perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras. As operações de secagem e de passagem com ferro elétrico quente reduz as perdas de proteção dos materiais e das costuras com até trinta lavagens com os diversos procedimentos e detergentes aniônicos e catiônico, devido à recuperação da ... / Abstract: This work aimed to evaluate the loss of protection of hydro-repellents materials and seams of PPE caused by the composition of the thread of the material, different procedures and numbers of washes, detergents of different chemical compositions available in the Brazilian market and due to the drying operation and ironing with hot electric iron after wash. The washing procedures of the material and seams were numbered from 2A to 8A and Manual. The materials were washed in a horizontal cylinder washing machine; brand Electrolux, FOM 71 CLS model, for five, ten, twenty and thirty times before penetration evaluations of the formulation Roundup® Original (48% isopropylamine salt of glyphosate). The criterion for approval of materials and seams was the penetration less than 5%. The higher the percentage of cotton yarn in the composition of the material is, the higher is the loss of protection of materials and the single and flat seams, single and double, with up to thirty washes. The longer normal agitation in the washing step of the procedure is, the higher is the loss of protection of materials and seams, compared to those with shorter and soft stirring. The higher the number of washes is, the higher is the loss of protection of materials and the seams in all procedures and numbers of washes. The cationic detergent causes greater loss of protection of materials and seams, compared to anionic, due to alkaline pH. The higher the value of the detergent pH is, regardless the chemical nature of the tense active; anionic or cationic, the higher is the loss of protection of materials and seams. The drying and ironing with hot electric iron reduces the loss of protection of materials and seams with up to thirty washes with the various procedures and anionic and cationic detergents, due to the recovery of repellency treatment of waterproofing materials / Mestre

Orientador: Joaquim Gonçalves Machado Neto / Banca: Edivaldo Domingues Velini / Banca: Melina Espanhol Soares / Banca: Sergio Antonio De Bortoli / Banca: Arlindo Leal Boiça Junior / Resumo: Os equipamentos de proteção individual (EPIs) hidro-repelentes contra agrotóxicos são comercializados legalmente após a emissão do certificado de aprovação (CA). Os EPIs são avaliados inicialmente pelo ensaio de penetração de soluções aquosas. Os trabalhadores estão usando EPIs com CA aprovado com soluções aquosas em nebulização da solução oleosa de malathion diluído em óleo de soja para o controle químico do mosquito da dengue. Portanto, objetiva-se conferir a aprovação de um conjunto de EPI hidro-repelente contra agrotóxicos com certificado de aprovação (CA) para 30 ciclos de higienização; determinar a penetração, a retenção e a repelência das soluções teste e de malathion no material e nas costuras, e a permeação no material impermeável do conjunto de EPIs submetidos a diferentes procedimentos e número de usos e lavagens; validar o procedimento do ensaio de corpo inteiro adaptado para avaliar quantitativamente a penetração de líquido pulverizado; avaliar a eficiência do conjunto de EPI hidro-repelente no controle da exposição dérmica quantitativamente com o procedimento de corpo inteiro ora adaptado; e propor classes de eficácia e classificar o conjunto de EPIs pela eficácia no controle da exposição dérmica avaliada quantitativamente. Em laboratório, os conjuntos de EPIs foram lavados em uma máquina de cilindro horizontal, marca Eletrolux, modelo FOM 71 CLS. Em condições de campo, foram lavados em máquina automática, da marca Colormaq, modelo Turbo, do tipo tanquinho para ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Personal protective equipments (PPEs) water repellent against pesticides are legally commercialized after the approval certificate (AC) has been issued. PPEs are evaluated initially by the penetration test of aqueous solutions. Workers are using PPEs with AC approved with aqueous solutions in nebulization of the oily solution of malathion diluted in soybean oil for the chemical control of the dengue mosquito. Therefore, it is proposed to check the approval of a water repellent against pesticides set of PPE with a certificate of approval (AC) for 30 cycles of sanitation; to determine the penetration, retention and repellence of the test solutions and malathion in the material and the seams, and permeation in the PPEs set impermeable material which was submitted to different procedures and number of uses and washes; validate the whole body assay procedure adapted to evaluate quantitatively the penetration of sprayed liquid; evaluate the efficiency of the water repellent PPE pool in the control of the dermal exposure quantitatively with the whole body procedure adapted; and to propose efficacy classes and to classify the PPEs set by the effectiveness in the quantitatively evaluated dermal exposure control. In the laboratory, the PPEs sets were washed in a horizontal cylinder machine, Eletrolux brand, FOM 71 CLS model. In field conditions, it was washed in an automatic machine, Colormaq brand, Turbo model, for 10 kg. The PPEs were washed for 10, 20 and 30 cycles before the evalua... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Background: Clothing and protective gear worn during intermittent exercise has shown to increase physiological and perceptual responses, and negatively impact performance capacities, due to increased heat strain, suggested to hasten the onset of fatigue. However, the mechanisms of fatigue experienced in rugby remain unclear. Objectives: The aim of this study was establish whether clothing and protective gear worn during a simulated rugby protocol impacts players‘ biophysical, physiological, perceptual and performance responses. Methods: 15 registered university and school first XV rugby players with a mean (± SD) age of 20.9 years (± 1.9) volunteered to participate in the study. Testing was performed in a controlled laboratory setting, with temperatures having to be within the range of 16º C-22º C. The mean (± SD) ambient temperature was 17.6º C (± 1.6) for the control condition and 17.3º C (1.5) for the experimental condition. The mean (± SD) relative humidity was 65.2 % (± 9.5) for the control condition and 66.3 % (± 10.0) for the experimental condition. Player‘s performed two protocols of 80-minutes; a control condition (minimal clothing and protective gear) and an experimental condition (full clothing and protective gear). Physiological, perceptual and performance responses were measured at set intervals during the protocol, while biophysical responses were measured pre-, at half-time and post-protocol during a 3-minute EMG treadmill protocol. Results: Muscle activity significantly (p< 0.05) increased with increasing running speeds. There were no significant (p> 0.05) differences for muscle activity between conditions, except for the semitendinosus muscle, which was significantly (p< 0.05) higher during the control condition while running at high speeds. Players‘ heart rates, core temperatures and perceptual responses were significantly (p< 0.05) higher during the experimental condition, compared to the control condition. Performance responses were significantly (p< 0.05) lower during the experimental condition. Conclusion: The main driver of physiological and perceptual responses was the exercise itself. However, the additional clothing and protective gear exacerbated the responses, particularly towards the end stages of the protocol. This negatively impacted players‘ performance. Muscle activity appeared to be unaffected by increased body temperatures. However, core temperatures never reached critically high levels during either condition.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:25:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-06-07Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:13:35Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 carvalho_gfg_me_jabo.pdf: 795664 bytes, checksum: 8c5c49c27fc56b49816f054bb7260c33 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O controle químico, por meio de aplicações de agrotóxicos, destaca-se no combate aos organismos danosos às culturas agrícolas. Devido à toxicidade dos agrotóxicos, qualquer atividade onde se utiliza do controle químico, existe o risco de intoxicação dos trabalhadores e, portanto, há a necessidade de se adotar medidas de segurança. Acredita-se que os trabalhadores não estão convenientemente protegidos do risco de intoxicação com os Equipamentos de Proteção Individual (EPIs) confeccionados no país, por que ainda não têm a eficiência e a vida útil avaliadas em ensaios de laboratório ou de campo. Desta forma, objetivou-se avaliar com o procedimento da norma F 2130 da ASTM a eficiência dos tecidos hidrorrepelentes, em condições de laboratório, dos conjuntos de EPIs Bege Cru (100% algodão) e Camuflado (69% algodão/31% poliamida), usados por trabalhadores em pulverizações de agrotóxicos em culturas de cana-de-açúcar e de citros sem e com 5, 10, 20 e 30 usos e lavagens, e avaliar o uso da combinação da técnica de fotomicrografia dos tecidos com a técnica de análise de imagem quantitativamente, por meio das porcentagens de fibras e de poros dos tecidos para explicar as variações de repelência, retenção e penetração dos agrotóxicos nos materiais dos tecidos sem e após dez usos e lavagens. O tecido do conjunto Camuflado é mais eficiente que o do conjunto Bege Cru na proteção às formulações Supera SC® (hidróxido de cobre) e Roundup Original CS® (glyphosate). A combinação das técnicas de fotomicrografia e de quantificação percentual da porosidade por meio de software é adequada para avaliar a desorganização da estrutura física dos tecidos após usos e lavagens. A estrutura da porosidade do tecido do conjunto Camuflado não é alterada, mas a do tecido Bege Cru é alterada após os dez usos e lavagens em condições de campo / Chemical control by spraying of pesticides, stands in combating organisms that damage agricultural crops. There is the risk of occupational poisoning in any activity where chemistry control is used for prevention and treatment of the agricultural crops, and it is necessary to adopt security measures. It is believed that workers are not satisfactorily protected from the risk of poisoning, because the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) made in Brazil does not have its efficiency and life cycle adequately evaluated in laboratory or field testing. Stated thus, the present study has aimed to evaluate, by the procedure of F 2130 standard of ASTM, the efficiency of hidrorrepelent clothes, under laboratory conditions, from the sets of EPIs Bege Cru (100% cotton) and Camuflado ( 69% cotton / 31% polyamide), that were used by workers in activities of spraying of sugar cane and citrus crops with and without 5, 10, 20 and 30 uses and laundering, and to evaluate the use of a combination of the photomicrographs technical of clothes with the quantitative technique of image analysis, by the percentages of fibers and pores of the clothes to explain the variations of repellency, retention and penetration of pesticides in the clothes without and after ten uses and washes. It was concluded that the Camuflado cloth is more efficient than the Bege Cru, in both formulations of product crop protection used in laboratory tests with the application of the ASTM standard F2130. The combination of the techniques of photomicrography and quantifying the percentage of porosity by the software is suitable for evaluating disorganization of the physical structure of the clothes after using and washing.It was also concluded through the study that the porosity of Camuflado cloth (cotton/nylon) has not changed its structure after ten washes, however Bege Cru cloth (cotton) was altered

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-08-06Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:04:48Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 silva_bp_me_jabo.pdf: 268893 bytes, checksum: a65fdf438be1f3571c6af34044e22846 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Objetivou-se avaliar a eficiência e a vida útil dos materiais dos conjuntos de proteção individual hidrorrepelentes, após ciclos de usos e lavagens em condições de campo e de laboratório para classificar os conjuntos de proteção individual contra os agrotóxicos. A eficiência e a vida útil dos conjuntos de proteção individual Bege Cru e Camuflado, confeccionados com materiais hidrorrepelentes, foram avaliadas. O conjunto Bege Cru, constituído com material 100% de algodão e o Camuflado, com 63% de algodão e 37% de poliéster. Em condições de campo os conjuntos hidrorrepelentes foram usados por tratoristas em aplicações de agrotóxicos em cultura de citros e por aplicadores de herbicidas com pulverizador costal em jato dirigido às plantas daninhas na cana-deaçúcar, ambos os conjuntos sem e usados e lavados por 5, 10, 20 e 30 vezes. Em laboratório, os conjuntos sem uso foram lavados por 5, 10, 20 e 30 vezes de acordo com o procedimento nº 8 da norma ISO 6330. Após as lavagens em campo e em laboratório, amostras dos materiais e costuras dos dois conjuntos foram retiradas para avaliação da repelência, retenção e penetração de agrotóxicos. A eficiência e as falhas de modelagem, de costuras, sobreposição e pontos de fechamento e perda da proteção foram avaliadas em manequins, de acordo com a norma ASTM F-1359. Os materiais com 100% algodão são eficientes e a presença de fibra sintética (31% poliéster e 69% algodão) e a menor gramatura reduz a proteção dos materiais. A presença de costuras nos conjuntos de proteção reduz a eficiência da exposição dérmica, exceto para a formulação Supera SC®. O efeito de usos e/ou lavagens reduz a eficiência no material e costura Bege Cru, exceto para as formulações de Roundup Original SAq® e Supera SC®. A eficiência do material Camuflado e da costura não é afetada por usos e/ou lavagens, para a formulação de Supera SC® / The objective was evaluate the efficiency and lifetime of the materials of the sets of individual protection water-repelent, after cycles of uses and washes in the field and laboratory to classify sets of individual protection against pesticides. The efficiency and lifetime of sets of individual protection and Camuflado and Bege set Cru made with materials water-repelent were evaluated. The Bege Cru set, made with 100% cotton material and Camuflado, with 63% cotton and 37% polyester. Under field conditions waterrepelent sets were used for tractor applications of pesticides in citrus crop and herbicide applicators by spraying as directed spray to weeds in sugar cane, and without both sets used and washed for 5 , 10, 20 and 30 times. In the laboratory, without using the sets were washed for 5, 10, 20 and 30 times according to the procedure n. 8 of ISO 6330. After washings in the field and in the laboratory, samples of materials and seams of the two sets were taken for evaluation of repellency, retention and penetration of pesticides. The efficiency and fault modeling of seams overlapping and closing points and the protective effect was evaluated on mannequins, in accordance with ASTM F-1359. The materials are 100% cotton and the presence of efficient synthetic fiber (31% polyester and 69% cotton) and lighter weight reduces protection of materials. The presence of seams in joint protection reduces the efficiency of dermal exposure, except for the formulation Supera SC®. The effect of uses and/or washing reduces efficiency in Bege Cru material and stitching, except for the formulations of Roundup Original SAq ® and Supera SC®. The efficiency of Camuflado material and seams is not affected by usage and / or washes, to formulate Supera SC®

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-12-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:37:13Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000747893.pdf: 1861003 bytes, checksum: 336b4216b449e5129056baf3c93091ca (MD5) / Objetivou-se avaliar a perda de proteção de materiais hidrorrepelentes e costuras de EPI causada pela composição de fios do material, diferentes procedimentos e números de lavagens, detergentes de diferentes composições químicas disponíveis no mercado brasileiro, e devido à operação de secagem e passagem com ferro elétrico quente após as lavagens. Os procedimentos de lavagem dos materiais e costuras foram os numerados de 2A a 8A e Manual, da norma ISO 6330 (2000). Os materiais foram lavados em máquina de cilindro horizontal, marca Eletrolux, modelo FOM 71 CLS, por cinco, dez, vinte e trinta vezes antes das avaliações da penetração. A solução teste utilizado foi a formulação Roundup® Original. O critério de aprovação dos materiais e costuras foi a penetração menor que 5%. Quanto maior a porcentagem de fios de algodão na composição do material maior é a perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras simples, rebatidas simples e rebatida dupla, com até trinta lavagens. Quanto maior o tempo de agitação normal na etapa de lavagem do procedimento maior é a perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras, em relação ao com o agitação suave e com menor tempo. Quanto maior o número de lavagens maior é a perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras em todos os procedimentos e números de lavagens. O detergente catiônico causa maior perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras, em relação aos aniônicos, devido ao pH alcalino.Quanto maior o valor do pH do detergente, independentemente da natureza química do tenso ativo; aniônico ou catiônico, maior é a perda de proteção dos materiais e das costuras. As operações de secagem e de passagem com ferro elétrico quente reduz as perdas de proteção dos materiais e das costuras com até trinta lavagens com os diversos procedimentos e detergentes aniônicos e catiônico, devido à recuperação da... / This work aimed to evaluate the loss of protection of hydro-repellents materials and seams of PPE caused by the composition of the thread of the material, different procedures and numbers of washes, detergents of different chemical compositions available in the Brazilian market and due to the drying operation and ironing with hot electric iron after wash. The washing procedures of the material and seams were numbered from 2A to 8A and Manual. The materials were washed in a horizontal cylinder washing machine; brand Electrolux, FOM 71 CLS model, for five, ten, twenty and thirty times before penetration evaluations of the formulation Roundup® Original (48% isopropylamine salt of glyphosate). The criterion for approval of materials and seams was the penetration less than 5%. The higher the percentage of cotton yarn in the composition of the material is, the higher is the loss of protection of materials and the single and flat seams, single and double, with up to thirty washes. The longer normal agitation in the washing step of the procedure is, the higher is the loss of protection of materials and seams, compared to those with shorter and soft stirring. The higher the number of washes is, the higher is the loss of protection of materials and the seams in all procedures and numbers of washes. The cationic detergent causes greater loss of protection of materials and seams, compared to anionic, due to alkaline pH. The higher the value of the detergent pH is, regardless the chemical nature of the tense active; anionic or cationic, the higher is the loss of protection of materials and seams. The drying and ironing with hot electric iron reduces the loss of protection of materials and seams with up to thirty washes with the various procedures and anionic and cationic detergents, due to the recovery of repellency treatment of waterproofing materials

Orientador: Joaquim Gonçalves Machado Neto / Banca: Julio Cesar Galli / Banca: Maurício Leite de Oliveira / Resumo: O controle químico, por meio de aplicações de agrotóxicos, destaca-se no combate aos organismos danosos às culturas agrícolas. Devido à toxicidade dos agrotóxicos, qualquer atividade onde se utiliza do controle químico, existe o risco de intoxicação dos trabalhadores e, portanto, há a necessidade de se adotar medidas de segurança. Acredita-se que os trabalhadores não estão convenientemente protegidos do risco de intoxicação com os Equipamentos de Proteção Individual (EPIs) confeccionados no país, por que ainda não têm a eficiência e a vida útil avaliadas em ensaios de laboratório ou de campo. Desta forma, objetivou-se avaliar com o procedimento da norma F 2130 da ASTM a eficiência dos tecidos hidrorrepelentes, em condições de laboratório, dos conjuntos de EPIs Bege Cru (100% algodão) e Camuflado (69% algodão/31% poliamida), usados por trabalhadores em pulverizações de agrotóxicos em culturas de cana-de-açúcar e de citros sem e com 5, 10, 20 e 30 usos e lavagens, e avaliar o uso da combinação da técnica de fotomicrografia dos tecidos com a técnica de análise de imagem quantitativamente, por meio das porcentagens de fibras e de poros dos tecidos para explicar as variações de repelência, retenção e penetração dos agrotóxicos nos materiais dos tecidos sem e após dez usos e lavagens. O tecido do conjunto Camuflado é mais eficiente que o do conjunto Bege Cru na proteção às formulações Supera SC® (hidróxido de cobre) e Roundup Original CS® (glyphosate). A combinação das técnicas de fotomicrografia e de quantificação percentual da porosidade por meio de software é adequada para avaliar a desorganização da estrutura física dos tecidos após usos e lavagens. A estrutura da porosidade do tecido do conjunto Camuflado não é alterada, mas a do tecido Bege Cru é alterada após os dez usos e lavagens em condições de campo / Abstract: Chemical control by spraying of pesticides, stands in combating organisms that damage agricultural crops. There is the risk of occupational poisoning in any activity where chemistry control is used for prevention and treatment of the agricultural crops, and it is necessary to adopt security measures. It is believed that workers are not satisfactorily protected from the risk of poisoning, because the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) made in Brazil does not have its efficiency and life cycle adequately evaluated in laboratory or field testing. Stated thus, the present study has aimed to evaluate, by the procedure of F 2130 standard of ASTM, the efficiency of hidrorrepelent clothes, under laboratory conditions, from the sets of EPIs Bege Cru (100% cotton) and Camuflado ( 69% cotton / 31% polyamide), that were used by workers in activities of spraying of sugar cane and citrus crops with and without 5, 10, 20 and 30 uses and laundering, and to evaluate the use of a combination of the photomicrographs technical of clothes with the quantitative technique of image analysis, by the percentages of fibers and pores of the clothes to explain the variations of repellency, retention and penetration of pesticides in the clothes without and after ten uses and washes. It was concluded that the Camuflado cloth is more efficient than the Bege Cru, in both formulations of product crop protection used in laboratory tests with the application of the ASTM standard F2130. The combination of the techniques of photomicrography and quantifying the percentage of porosity by the software is suitable for evaluating disorganization of the physical structure of the clothes after using and washing.It was also concluded through the study that the porosity of Camuflado cloth (cotton/nylon) has not changed its structure after ten washes, however Bege Cru cloth (cotton) was altered / Mestre