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Chapter 5 Personal Protective

Clothing and Equipment

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IntroductionDifference between injury and

safety determined by personal protective equipment (PPE)

PPE provides a minimum level of protection.

PPE is the primary layer of protection.

PPE includes full protective clothing, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and PASS device

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Introduction (cont.)Protective clothing designed for

different hazards.Exceeding limitations of

ensemble can cause injury.Firefighters must don the

equipment properly.Many factors influence PPE

design and use.

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A hostile fire within a structure creates an IDLH environment. Personal protective equipment can help the firefighter work in such an environment.

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Personal Protective Equipment Factors

Evolved significantly in last 20 yearsLabour groups such as International

Association of Firefighters (IAFF)National Fire Protection Association

(NFPA)Federal government

Development of regulations and guidelines

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Standards and Regulations

NFPA developed standards for: Firefighter protective clothingEquipmentEnsembles

All protective clothing worn must meet current applicable standards.

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NFPA-compliant PPE components should have a permanently affixed label.

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Standards and Regulations (cont.)The Federal Occupational Safety and Health

Administration along with the Provincial/Territorial Health and Safety Acts and Regulations are involved in protective clothing and equipment use.

May make reference to other agencies:Canadian Standards Association (CSA)Environmental Protection Association (EPA)American National Standards Institute

(ANSI)National Institute for Occupational Safety

and Health (NIOSH).

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Ensemble

Multiple elements of protective clothing and equipment worn together

Provide protection from some risksAll components must be utilized as

recommended structural firefighting protective ensemble.

Protective ensemble for structural firefighting

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Types of Personal Protective Ensembles

All components of each ensemble must be utilized as recommended. Structural firefighting Proximity firefighting Wildland firefighting Technical rescue Ice rescue Swift-water

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Protective Ensemble for Structural Firefighting

Coats and trousersHelmetsEye protectionGlovesFootwearProtective hoodsHearing protectionStation/work uniform

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A full structural firefighting ensemble includes more than the NFPA minimum required components.

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Proximity firefighting ensembles can utilize (A) a special helmet or (B) a full hood. Either can interface with an SCBA. Note the gold-anodized visors.

(A) (B)

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Wildland PPE is lightweight but still provides protection from hot flying embers.

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Care and Maintenance ofPersonal Protective Clothing

Manufacturer instructionsBiological and chemical

contaminantsRepair

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Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal protective clothing (PPC)Self-contained breathing apparatus

(SCBA) One of the most important items of PPE Allows firefighters to enter hazardous

atmospheresPersonal alert safety system (PASS)

Small, motion-sensitive unit Can fail due to water immersion, high heat,

muffled alarm due to position of downed firefighter

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A manual PASS device must be armed by the wearer.

PASS devices can help save a firefighter’s life—but they must be activated.

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An integrated PASS device on an SCBA, which is activated when the wearer opens the SCBA bottle.

PASS devices can help save a firefighter’s life—but they must be activated.

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Personal Protective Equipment Effectiveness: Street Smarts

Firefighters must develop “automatic behaviours.”

Simple steps can help achieve these behaviours.

Develop good PPE habits and attitude.

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Duty personnel should set up their gear for rapid—and complete—donning. Establish good habits to help eliminate shortcuts.

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Perfecting Practices inPPE UseStreet-smart suggestions:

Keep PPE clean, inspected, and serviceable.

Practice “team checks.”Position PPE for rapid, complete

donning.Take time to prepare PPE for the

next response.Good habits take nothing more than

self-discipline and practice.

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Perfecting Practices inPPE Use (cont.)Street-smart suggestions (cont.):

Exercise prudent judgment.Wear PPE properly.Perfect practice makes perfect.Be the PPE success example—not an

injury statistic.Increase water consumption to stay

hydrated.

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Firefighting teams should check each other’s PPE for complete donning. This “team check” can help prevent a burn or other injury.

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Wearing equipment improperly is asking for trouble. The improperly fastened straps on this firefighter’s SCBA create an entanglement hazard. Also note the entanglement hazard created by the improper use of the firefighter’s suspenders.

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Lessons LearnedPPE is the first and last defense

against injuries and illness.NFPA standards for manufacturing

criteria and use standardsDifferent ensembles exist for

different environments.Care and maintenance of PPE is

essential to its readiness.PPE effectiveness is dependent on

the firefighter’s good PPE habits and positive attitude.