On all my operations, I make sure the client turns off his power before the crew goes to work at the site... why do I need RF Clothing?

Can RF Clothing be worn in the rain?

How do I clean KW-GARD?

How do I choose the right size?

I've got to climb a tower and there's a lot of stuff up there, including a 100 (or any number) KW transmitter... will KW-GARD "work" for me there?

How do I know KW-GARD is working, even after I have used it or washed it many times?

What's the story on arcing? I've heard talk about "sparks" while using RF Clothing.

Can I use a personal monitor with KW-GARD?

Can KW-GARD be used at the lower broadcast frequencies, such as AM?

On all my operations, I make sure the client turns off his power before the crew goes to work at the site... why do I need RF Clothing?

The philosophy behind RF Protection is really no different than that of Fall Protection. While all necessary precautions are taken to avoid possible hazards, RF Clothing adds a degree of safety in the event of an accident. It IS possible that power can be turned on while there are personnel at the site (and we ALL know that it happens!), and in such an event wearing RF gear can mean the difference between an uneventful climb and possible OSHA investigations should personal injury result.
RF Clothing is NOT meant to be used for brashly entering "the fire", as it were; Euclid recommends that IF the power can be turned down or off, then it SHOULD be. The wearing of RF clothing is an adjunctive measure or a no-choice measure - but it is definitely NOT to be used without proper planning and prior RF environment assessments.

Can RF Clothing be worn in the rain?

There is no data to support any reason why RF clothing can not be worn in the rain. However, if your KW-GARD suit gets wet from the elements, the best thing is to hang-dry it instead of putting it in a dryer.
The only cautionary advice we can give regarding wearing KW-GARD in the rain is, as unrelated to RF Safety as this may be, not to climb in extreme weather conditions... but then, you probably already knew that!

How do I clean KW-GARD?

Taking care of KW-GARD is easy. Even though KW-GARD can be machine-laundered or drycleaned, Euclid recommends simple hand-washing and hang-drying for best longevity of the garment. This especially is recommended for the headgear, as the stainless steel screen at the face area can, over time, abrade the fabric against which it "rubs" as it tosses in the dryer. In short, the most damaging thing to do to ANY brand of protective clothing is to machine-DRY it. With regular use and proper care, KW-GARD should last for years.

What size is right for me?

KW-GARD is generously sized to fit over your existing work clothes. And since it's made in America, by Americans, it is SIZED by Americans. We design KW-GARD to have plenty of room at the crotch, and at the armpits, too. After all, you are climbing, aren't you?
So, if you're a Size Medium for your regular clothes, then you're a Size Medium for KW-GARD... Period! (Euclid is always able to custom-size your suits... just contact us and we'll ask you al the right questions to make a suit that fits perfectly for you.

I've got to climb a tower and there's a lot of stuff up there, including a 100 (or any number) KW transmitter... will KW-GARD "work" for me there?

This is a VERY common question, and unfortunately, the answer is, "We Don't Know!". You see, the nature of RF is such that the intensity of the field is inversely proportional to the square of the DISTANCE . This is why the Cardinal Rule of RF Safety is, well, The Cardinal Rule!!
Not only is the distance a factor, but so is the frequency, in that the FCC Guidelines call out different RF levels of allowable exposure for particular bands of frequencies.
Now, KW-GARD offers the most protection of ANY garment out there, by as much as a 3-to-1 margin, but in order to use the suit at all, according to OSHA, you MUST know the level of the RF field in which you are expecting to be working. This can be accomplished by either asking the site manager, who should be able to obtain that data, OR, by actually going up there and making a measurement to determine where the Adjusted Maximum Permissible Levels are.
But note the paradox here: You can't go up there to make the measurement (at least, you shouldn't) without protection, since your goal is to determine where the limits are while wearing protection, right?

How do I know KW-GARD is working, even after I have used it or washed it many times?

First of all, KW-GARD is specified with a substantial safety margin (just like the IEEE Standard is!), so while it is expected that the garment would lose, say, 3 or 4 dB of SAR Attenuation performance over time and wear, this figure is "built into" it's specifications.
However, to make yourself feel better about being protected from the potential invisible hazard of RF energy, you can perform a quick check to confirm that KW-GARD is in fact "functional" by simply taking an RF power source such as your HT or other hefty 2-way unit, and use an RF measurement device (not a pocket monitor!) to get a rough level indication both with and without the KW-GARD fabric put somewhere in-between the two devices. Make sure you keep things consistent, though, and please note: This "procedure" does NOT effectively validate KW-GARD's performance parameters, and it is NOT meant to do so. It is only meant to provide a rudimentary functional check of the viability of the KW-GARD fabric. Over time, you can perform this check and see that the fabric is still in fact doing its job of attenuating the signal.
The best way to be certain, though, that KW-GARD is still providing adequate performance is to send it back to Euclid for an analysis.

What's the story on arcing?

This question is almost answered in the question above, but with one aspect missing. You see, ALL RF protective garments have their limitations. Just like your climbing harness has a maximum load rating, so does RF Clothing. The problem in the industry is that right now the means to provide that data are not available in the scientific community. BUT, for the time being, manufacturers of RF clothing are able to specify the perfomance parameters of their product such that the "maximum load" rating is well above that Adjusted Maximum Permissible Exposure level.
So, this phenomena called "arcing", while it is a fact, is not to be expected while the suit is in operation within its parameters.
Now, in the event that arcing does occur, you can be sure of one thing: The Suit Is Working!!! It will not catch fire, nor will it disintegrate before your eyes. BUT, the arcing is telling you something VERY important, and that is: "Vacate the area!"
If this happens, you have exceeded the maximum operating ratings for the garment. Which also means that you don't know the field you are in, in which case you've just violated the First Law of RF Safety.

We believe that this phenomena is actually a GOOD thing. It tells you in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS that you should not use the product in this way. Just as you should not hoist a Grand Piano with your climbing harness. The only difference is that KW-GARD is still protecting you while at the same time telling you in its own way to vacate the area.

In the case of the Piano and the climbing harness, the piano's toast.

Can I use a personal monitor with KW-GARD?

YES!! BUT it's a specially-designed monitor. Thanks to being within minutes of the world's leader in RF Measurement equipment, the Narda Microwave Corporation,has a pocket monitor made exclusively for use with KW-GARD. The model 8864XT enables the wearer of KW-GARD to detect a broad range of power levels. It can also be programmed to detect lower levels of RF radiation, to allow use without protection as well.. Contact Narda for more information!

Can KW-GARD be used at the lower broadcast frequencies, such as AM?

While no data has been officially taken on the perfomance of KW-GARD at the 1 MHz frequency areas, it might help to understand that KW-GARD is made of the exact same fabric that KV-GARD is made of. What's KV-GARD, you ask? It's Euclid's first and the world's most popular electromagnetic energy protective garment designed exclusively for what is known as "Live-Line" or "Bare-Hand" maintenence of electric utility high-voltage lines. The frequency of this environment is as low as 60 Hz. And the suits have been in service for over 20 years. In short, while we don't have the data on the AM perfomance, weat least KNOW it provides a large degree of electric field attenuation. When Euclid obtains further data, it will be made available to you immediately.