Protecting life on the move

8/2008

In public safety, chlorine is used to make protective equipment for police officers and fire-fighters:

  • Photo : SpectaclesProtective helmets, face shields and spectacles are made from plastics based on chlorine chemistry.
  • Bullet-resistant "glass" for police cars, bank tellers' windows and security vehicles is made from polycarbonate, which is also produced using chlorine.
  • Bullet-resistant vests consist of aramid fibres made using chlorine.
  • Formula-1 and other sportsdrivers wear aramid fibre undergarments for extreme fire protection
  • Communications equipment used to reach the emergency services relies on components made using chlorine. These include radios, telephones, microprocessors and computer equipment (where chlorine intermediates are used in reaction pathways to non-chlorinated products such as silicon for electronic chips, and chlorinated solvents are used during manufacture).