Bunker Gear Selection, Inspection and Maintenance

Section 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE

PURPOSE:

To established a guideline for the care and maintenance of personal protective equipment for structural firefighting.

This guideline is to be followed by all personnel. Any deviation must have the approval from the Fire Chief.

The following guideline is established to provide a program for the proper selection of protective ensembles and elements used by this organization for structural firefighting and the intent is to minimize the safety and health risks associated with poorly maintained, contaminated or damaged protective equipment.

Administration and Guidelines

The established guideline shall comply with NFPA 1851, the Standard on Selection, Care and Maintenance of Structural Fire Fighting Protective Ensembles, 2014 edition. The manufacturer requirements of the protective ensembles shall also be reviewed.

• Selection Committee:
  • The Department’s designated Safety Committee shall oversee the authorization/ selection of structural firefighting ensemble. The Assistant Fire Chief or his/her designee will be responsible for the care, maintenance and record keeping of the Department’s personal protective equipment.
• Contract Resources
  

If this organization elects to utilize contract resources for specific parts of this program, the contractor shall substantiate to the committee that it has been recognized by the manufacturer to perform:

• Cleaning
• Repair
• Modifications
  

The contractor shall also identify to the committee any limitations placed by the manufacturer as a condition of recognition.

Training Requirements

Inspections
Routine Inspection

• All members who have been issued a protective ensemble or ensemble elements shall be trained to perform a Routine Inspection as directed in this document.
• A member of this organization who has already been trained by the manufacturer’s representative may perform training. Advanced Inspection
• Selected members of this organization shall be trained to perform Advanced Inspections as directed by this guideline.
• The manufacturer or manufacturer’s representative of each element shall train selected members and training shall be documented.
• Each member who is assigned to perform the advance inspections must attend on-line or classroom training by the manufacture.

Cleaning
Routine Cleaning

• All members of this organization who have been issued a protective ensemble or ensemble elements shall be trained to perform a Routine Cleaning as directed in this guideline.
• A member of this organization who has already been trained will perform training.

Advanced Cleaning

• Selected members of this organization will be trained to perform Advanced Cleaning as directed by this guideline.
• The manufacturer or manufacturer’s representative of each element shall train selected members and training shall be documented.

Specialized Cleaning

• Selected members of this organization shall be trained to perform Specialized Cleaning as directed by this document.
• The manufacturer or manufacturer’s representative of each element shall train selected members and training shall be documented.

Repair

• The manufacturer’s representative will perform all repairs or a resource recognized by the manufacturer of the protective ensemble.

After-Market Modifications and Alterations

• No after-market modifications or alterations of any type to any ensemble or ensemble element unless authorized by the manufacturer. This includes but is not limited to hooks, patches, snaps, belts, paint, decals, etc.

Manufacturer’s Instructions

• Where the manufacturer’s instructions regarding care and maintenance deviate from this guideline, the manufacturer’s instructions shall supersede in all cases.
• When issuing new ensembles or ensemble elements, this organization shall provide its members with applicable parts of this document and, a copy of the manufacturer’s instructions on care, use, maintenance, limitations and, warnings.

Limiting Exposure to Soiled or Contaminated Ensembles or Ensemble Elements

• Ensembles or ensemble elements that are determined to be soiled or contaminated shall be removed from service, placed in an airtight container and transported to Fire Station 45 to be cleaned or decontaminated.
• At no time shall members of this organization transport or store soiled or contaminated ensembles or ensemble elements in department living areas, department apparatus, personal vehicles, or personal place of residence.
• At no time shall members of this organization unnecessarily expose themselves, family, other members of this organization, or the public to ensembles and ensemble elements that have been soiled or contaminated.
• The committee shall also become familiar with federal and state OSHA regulations as well as section 2.5 and A.2.5 of NFPA 1851 Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Structural Fire Fighting Ensemble, and NFPA 1581 Standard on Fire Department Infection Control Program with regards to soiled or contaminated ensembles.

Terminology and Definitions

The following terms with definitions are recognized by NFPA and may be found in this document or others created in support of this document:

• Accessories: Those items that are attached to an ensemble or ensemble element but designed in such a manner to be removable from the ensemble or the element and that are not necessary to meet the requirements of the standard. Such accessories include, but are not limited to, utility belts, harnesses, backpacks, tools, tool packs, radios, radio packs, suspenders, lights, and heat sensing devices.
• Biological Agents: Biological materials that could be capable of causing a disease or long-term damage to the human body.
• Body Fluids: Fluids produced by the body including, but not limited to, blood, semen, mucus, feces, urine, vaginal secretions, breast milk, amniotic fluids, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, and pericardial fluid.
• Carcinogen/Carcinogenic: A cancer-causing substance which is identified in one of several published lists.
• Care: Procedures for cleaning, decontamination, and storage of protective clothing and equipment.
• Certification/Certified: A system whereby a certification organization determines that a manufacturer has demonstrated the ability to produce a product that complies with the requirements of a specific standard(s), authorizes the manufacturer to use a label on listed products that comply with the requirements of that standard(s), and establishes a follow-up program conducted by the certification organization as a check on the methods the manufacturer uses to determine compliance with the requirements of that standard(s).
• Char: The formation of a brittle residue when material is exposed to thermal energy.
• Cleaning: The act of removing soils and contaminants from ensembles and elements by mechanical, chemical, thermal or combined processes.
• Advanced Cleaning: The thorough cleaning of ensembles or elements bywashing with cleaning agents.
• Contract Cleaning: Cleaning conducted by a facility outside the organization that specializes in cleaning protective clothing.
• Routine Cleaning: The light cleaning of ensembles or elements performed by the end user without taking the elements out of service.
• Specialized Cleaning: Cleaning to remove hazardous materials or biological agents.
• Coat: A protective garment; an element of the protective ensemble designed to provide minimum protection to upper torso and arms, excluding the hands and head.
• Contamination/Contaminated: The process by which ensembles and ensemble elements are exposed to hazardous materials or biological agents.
• Coverall.: A protective garment; an element of the protective ensemble configured as a single-piece garment and designed to provide minimum protection to the torso, arms, and legs, excluding the head, hands, and feet.
• Craze: The appearance of fine cracks in surface of helmet shell or other smooth surface of an element.
• Cross Contamination: The transfer of contamination from one item to another or to the environment.
• Crown: The portion of the helmet that covers the head above the reference plane.
• Crown Straps: A helmet term for the part of the suspension that passes over the head.
• Decontamination: The act of removing contaminants from ensembles and ensemble elements by a physical, chemical, or combined process. (See also Cleaning, and Specialized Cleaning.) Disinfectant: An agent that destroys, neutralizes, or inhibits the growth of harmful biological agents.
• Ear Covers: An integral part of the helmet designed to provide limited protection for the ears. Provides no significant thermal protection.
• Elasticity: The ability of an ensemble or element, when repeatedly stretched, to return to its original form as applied to wristlets and hoods.
• Elements: The parts or items that comprise the protective ensemble. The protective ensemble elements are coats, trousers, coveralls, helmets, gloves, footwear, and interface components.
• Embrittlement: The hardening of a textile material that makes the ensemble or element or a textile material susceptible to easy fracture.
• Emergency Medical Operations: The delivery of emergency medical care and transportation prior to arrival at a hospital or other health care facility.
• Energy Absorbing System: A material, suspension system, or combination thereof incorporated into the design of the helmet to attenuate impact energy.
• Ensemble: Multiple elements of clothing and equipment designed to provide a degree of protection for fire fighters from adverse exposures to the inherent risks of structural fire fighting operations and certain other emergency operations. The elements of the protective ensemble are coats, trousers, coveralls, helmets, gloves, footwear, and interface components.
• Faceshield: A helmet component intended to help protect a portion of the wearer’s face in addition to the eyes, not intended as primary eye protection.
• Field test: The non-laboratory evaluation of one or more protective ensemble elements used to determine product performance related to organizational expectations or to compare products in a manner related to their intended use.
• Fit: The quality, state or manner in which the length and closeness of clothing, when worn, relates to the human body.
• Flame Resistance/Resistant: The property of a material whereby the application of a flaming or non-flaming source of ignition and the subsequent removal of the ignition source results in the termination of combustion. Flame resistance can be an inherent property of the material, or it can be imparted by specific treatment.
• Footwear: An element of the protective ensemble designed to provide minimum protection to the foot, ankle, and lower leg.
• Functional/Functionality: The ability of an ensemble or element or component to continue to be utilized for its intended purpose.
• Garment(s): The coat, trouser, or coverall elements of the protective ensemble designed to provide minimum protection to the upper and lower torso, arms, and legs, excluding the head, hands, and feet.
• Gauntlet: The circular, flared, or otherwise expanded part of the glove that extends beyond the opening of the glove body.
• Gear Manager: Internet based software program for electronic records management of personal protective equipment.
• Gloves: An element of the protective ensemble designed to provide minimum protection to the fingers, thumb, hand, and wrist.
• Glove Wristlet: The circular, close-fitting part of the glove, usually made of knitted material, that extends beyond the opening of the glove body.
• Goggles: A helmet component intended to help protect the wearer’s eyes and a portion of the wearer’s face, not intended as primary eye protection.
• Hardware: Non-fabric components of the structural firefighting protective ensemble including, but not limited to, those made of metal or plastic.
• Hazardous Materials: Any solid, liquid, gas, or mixture thereof that can potentially cause harm to the human body through respiration, ingestion, skin absorption, injection, or contact.
• Hazardous Materials Emergencies: Incidents involving the release or potential release of hazardous chemicals into the environment that can cause loss of life, personnel injury, or damage to property and the environment.
• Helmet: An element of the protective ensemble designed to provide minimum protection to the head.
• Hood: The interface component element of the protective ensemble designed to provide limited protection to the coat/helmet/SCBA facepiece interface area.
• Integrity: The ability of a ensemble or element to remain intact and provide continued minimum performance.
• Interface Area: An area of the body where the protective garments, helmet, gloves, footwear, or SCBA facepiece meet (i.e., the protective coat/helmet/SCBA facepiece area, protective coat/protective trouser area, the protective coat/glove area, and the protective trouser/footwear area).
• Liner System: The combination of the moisture barrier and thermal barrier as used in a garment.
• Maintenance: Procedures for inspection, repair, and retirement of protective clothing and equipment.
• Manufacturer: The entity that assumes the liability and provides the warranty for the compliant product.
• Melt: A response to heat by a material resulting in evidence of flowing or dripping.
• Moisture Barrier: The portion of the composite designed to prevent the transfer of liquids.
• Organization: The entity that provides the direct management and supervision for the emergency incident response personnel.
• Outer Shell: The outermost layer of the composite with the exception of trim, hardware, reinforcing material and wristlet material.
• Protective Ensemble: Multiple elements of clothing and equipment designed to provide a degree of protection for fire fighters from adverse exposures to the inherent risks of structural firefighting operations and certain other emergency operations. The elements of the protective ensemble are coats, trousers, coveralls, helmets, gloves, footwear, and interface components.
• Reinforcement: An additional layer placed in or on an element.
• Retirement: The process of permanently removing an element from emergency operations service in the organization.
• Seams
  • Major A Seams: Outermost layer seam assemblies where rupture could reduce the protection of the garment by exposing the inner layers such as the moisture barrier, the thermal barrier, the wearer’s station/work uniform, other clothing, or skin.
  • Major B Seams: Moisture barrier or thermal barrier seam assemblies where rupture could reduce the protection of the garment by exposing the next layer of the garment, the wearer’s station/work uniform, other clothing, or skin.
  • Minor Seams: Seam assemblies that are not classified as Major A or Major B seams.
• Selection: The process of determining what protective clothing and equipment is necessary for protection of fire and emergency service responders from an anticipated, specific hazard, or other activity, the procurement of the appropriate protective clothing and equipment, and the choice of the proper protective clothing and equipment for a specific hazard or activity at an emergency scene.
• Separate: A material response evidenced by splitting or delaminating.
• Service Life: The period for which a ensemble or element is useful before retirement.
• Shall: Indicates a mandatory requirement.
• Shank: Reinforcement to the area of protective footwear designed to provide additional support to the instep.
• Should: Indicates a recommendation or that which is advised but not required.
• Soiled/Soiling: The accumulation of materials, that are not considered hazardous materials or biological agents, but which could degrade the performance of the ensemble or element.
• Stress Areas: Those areas of the garment that are subjected to more wear, including but not limited to, crotches, knees, elbows, and shoulders.
• Suspension: A helmet term for the energy attenuating system made up of the headband and crown strap.
• Tensile Strength: The force at which a fiber or a fabric will break.
• Thermal Barrier: The portion of protective ensemble or element composite that is designed to provide thermal protection.
• Trim: Retro-reflective and fluorescent material attached to the outermost surface of the protective ensemble or element for visibility enhancement.
• Trouser: A protective garment. An element of the protective ensemble that is designed to provide minimum protection to the lower torso and legs, excluding the ankles and feet.
• Universal Precautions: An approach to infection control in which human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV, and other blood borne pathogens. Under circumstances in which differentiation between body fluids is difficult or impossible, all body fluids shall be considered potentially infectious materials.
• Units: In this standard, values for measurement are followed by an equivalent in parentheses, but only the first stated value shall be regarded as the requirement. Equivalent values in parentheses shall not be considered as the requirement, as these values might be approximate.
• Utility Sink: A separate sink used for cleaning ensembles and ensemble elements.
• Winter Liner: A garment term for an optional component layer designed to provide added insulation against cold.
• Wristlet: An interface component element of the protective ensemble that is the circular, close-fitting extension of the coat sleeve, usually made of knitted material, designed to provide limited protection to the protective coat/glove inter-face area.

RECORD KEEPING

All record keeping will be maintained and stored on an electronic data collection program. This record keeping system complies with NFPA 1851.
At a minimum, the following data shall be recorded:

• Person to whom element is issued
• Date and condition when issued
• Manufacturer and model name or design
• Manufacturer’s identification number, lot number, or serial number
• Month and year of manufacture
• Date of and findings of Advanced Inspection (required at least every 12 months)
• Date of Advanced Cleaning (required at least every 6 months)
• Date of Specialized cleaning (required when decontamination is necessary)
• Reason for Advanced Cleaning or Specialized Cleaning and who performed the task
• Date of repairs, who performed repairs, and brief description of all repairs
• Date of retirement
• Date and method of disposal
  

Records shall be maintained until the element is retired and disposition has occurred. Records shall be kept for at least 12 months past retirement of the employee.

SELECTION

Risk Assessment

• The Battalion Chief of Administration or his /her designee shall initiate a risk assessment with the goal of establishing the appropriate needs for the personal protective equipment of the organization on an annual basis.
  

The risk assessment shall consider the following:

• Climate
• Field elevation
• Expected low & high temperature
• Average day and night temperatures
• Average winds
• Average humidity
• Types of incidents responding to
• Frequency of use of ensembles
• Organization’s operational strategy and tactics
• Past experiences
• Other issues deemed important
  

The Assistant Fire Chief, or his /her designee shall have the option to contact manufacturers or vendors to field test other protective ensembles and evaluate their equipment for technology changes and organizational needs.

Purchase Specifications
Purchase specifications are intended to translate the findings of the Department that identifies the performance and design requirements of the ensemble or ensemble elements as well as every aspect of this organizations needs and expectations.

The purchase specifications shall incorporate at least the following information:

• The governing regulations each element is to comply with.
• Language required by the purchasing department.
• Any language requiring manufacturers’ to substantiate, to the committee’s satisfaction, compliance with the purchase specification.
• Language detailing a pre-bid conference, if deemed necessary.
• Language requiring bid samples be submitted, if deemed necessary.
• Language providing for disposition of bid samples at the conclusion of the selection process.
• Language indicating that an inspection of received products will be completed prior to final acceptance of all orders.
• Language detailing the procedures for returning unsatisfactory products.
• Language detailing performance demands such as delivery, sizing, training, etc.
• Language detailing any penalties for failure to comply with the specifications.
• Garment outer shell fabric, weight and, color.
• Garment thermal liner/moisture barrier composite.
• Garment trim type and configuration.
• Garment closure system.
• Garment wristlet system.
• Hood fabric and face opening criteria.
• Glove composite, gauntlet or wristlet (wristlet fabric).
• Helmet material, color, retention system, trim configuration, trim color, ear coverings, and eye protection.
• Boot composite.
• The various options that are being added to each element.
• Language detailing specific construction criteria for each element.
• Intergovernmental cooperative purchasing contracts.

INSPECTION

General Information The purpose of the inspection process is to determine the serviceability of the ensemble and the ensemble elements by identifying damage that, if left unnoticed, could result in a failure of that element.

• Prior to initiating an inspection, the ensemble and ensemble elements shall be evaluated for soiling and contamination.
• If the ensemble or ensemble elements are found to be soiled or contaminated, the inspection processes shall be suspended until the ensemble and its elements have been clean or decontaminated. .
• The inspection criteria shall be in a “GO” or “NO GO” criteria.
• Elements that are found to be damaged shall be immediately removed from service and evaluated by the fire officer responsible for protective ensembles, who is specially trained to determine if the element is to be repaired or retired.
  

Inspections shall be classified as Routine Inspection and Advanced Inspection.

Routine Inspection

• Routine Inspection is the responsibility of each member of this organization who has been issued a protective ensemble or ensemble elements.
• Routine Inspections shall be completed after each use, after exposure to an event that could have resulted in damage to the element or, as warranted.
• This organization encourages each member to conduct a routine or brief inspection prior to the start of each duty day.

Advanced Inspection

• Members of this organization who have been trained by the manufacturer or manufacturer’s representative shall conduct advanced Inspections.