Chapter 8

Mission-Specific Competencies: Personal

Protective Equipment

Objectives: Operations Level Responders Assigned Mission-Specific Responsibilities (1 of 3)

• Describe types of personal protective equipment (PPE) used for hazardous materials incidents.

• Describe the capabilities of the PPE provided by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) so as to perform any mission-specific tasks assigned.

• Define degradation, penetration, and permeation and their effects on the selection of PPE.

• Explain the advantages and disadvantages of vapor-protective and splash-protective clothing.

Objectives: Operations Level Responders Assigned Mission-Specific Responsibilities (2 of 3)

• Describe common heat exchange units used for cooling personnel operating in personal protective equipment.

• Describe how to don, work in, and doff the PPE provided by the AHJ.

• Describe safety and emergency procedures for personnel wearing PPE.

Objectives: Operations Level Responders Assigned Mission-Specific Responsibilities (3 of 3)

• Describe maintenance, testing, inspection, storage, and documentation procedures for personal protective equipment.

• Terminate the incident by completing the reports and documentation pertaining to PPE.

Introduction (1 of 2)

• Chemical-Protective Equipment – Most intended for single use; decontaminated

to be safe enough for responder to remove– Reusable garments required to be tested at

regular intervals and after each use– OSHA’s Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standard (29 CFR 1910.120, Appendix A)

– Stored in cool, dry place

Introduction (2 of 2)

• TRACEMP: Potential types of harm an emergency responder may face– Thermal– Radiological– Asphyxiating– Chemical– Etiological/biological– Mechanical– Psychogenic

Chemical-Protective Clothing and Equipment (1 of 2)

• Designed to prevent chemicals from coming into contact with the body

• Chemical-resistant materials inhibit or resist passage of chemicals.

• Compatibility charts help choose the right chemical-protective clothing for incident.

Chemical-Protective Clothing and Equipment (2 of 2)

• Penetration– Flow of hazardous chemical through closures

• Permeation– Process through which hazardous chemical

moves through material on molecular level• Degradation

– Physical destruction or decomposition of material owing to chemical exposure, general use, or ambient conditions

Vapor-Protective Clothing• Fully encapsulating protective clothing• Full body protection from highly toxic

environments• Requires wearer to use air-supplied

respiratory device (SCBA)• Wearer zipped inside protective “envelope,”

leaving no skin accessible to outside• NFPA 1991, Standard on Vapor-Protective

Ensembles for Hazardous Materials Emergencies

Liquid Splash-Protective Clothing

• Designed to protect wearer from chemical splashes

• Tested for penetration against a battery of five chemicals

• NFPA 1992, Standard on Liquid Splash-Protective Ensembles and Clothing for Hazardous Materials Emergencies

Respiratory Protection (1 of 2)

• NFPA 1994, Standard on Protective Ensembles for First Responders to CBRN Terrorism Incidents, developed to address performance of protective ensembles and garments specific to WMD.

• Simple asphyxiants, as well as oxygen-deficient atmospheres, are best handled by using SCBA or another supplied air respirator.

Respiratory Protection (2 of 2)

• SCBA units– Positive-pressure, chemical, biological,

radiological, and nuclear-certified units that maintain pressure inside face piece in relation to pressure outside face piece so pressure is positive during inhalation and exhalation

Level A Ensemble (1 of 2)

• Fully encapsulating garment that completely envelops wearer and respiratory protection

• Highest level of protection for skin, eyes, and lungs

• Effective against vapors, gases, mists, dusts

Level A Ensemble (2 of 2)

• Indicated when operating environment exceeds IDLH values for skin absorption

• Effective against alpha radiation only• Requires open-circuit, positive-pressure

SCBA or SAR

Level B Ensemble

• Multi-piece chemical-protective clothing, boots, gloves, and SCBA

• High level of respiratory protection but less skin protection

• Gloves and boots depend on physical and chemical properties of the chemical.

• Very common; often chosen for versatility

Level C Ensemble• Used when airborne contaminant is known, its

concentration is measured and criteria for using air-purifying respirator (APR) are met

• Worn with APR or powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)

• Standard work clothing, chemical-protective clothing, chemical-resistant gloves, respiratory protection other than SCBA or SAR

• Used when significant skin and eye exposure is unlikely

Level D Ensemble• Lowest level of protection• Coveralls, work shoes, hard hat, gloves,

standard work clothing• Used when atmosphere contains no

known hazards and work precludes splashes, immersion, or potential for contact with hazardous materials

• Should not be worn on site where respiratory or skin hazards exist

Chemical-Protective Equipment Performance Requirements (1 of 2)

• Tests for durability, barrier integrity after flex and abrasion challenges, cold-temperature flex, and flammability

• Each part of suit must pass set of challenges prior to receiving certification based on NFPA testing standards.

Chemical-Protective Equipment Performance Requirements (2 of 2)

• Most commonly used materials– Butyl rubber– Tyvek– Saranex– Polyvinyl chloride– Vitron

Responder Safety

• Pre-entry medical evaluation • Buddy system • Radio communications sorted out and

tested prior to entry• Hand signals as backup communication

In-Suit Cooling Techniques

• Most common malady for anyone wearing PPE is heat related.

• Most heat-related illnesses are preceded by dehydration.– Consume 500 mL (16 oz) of fluid prior to

event. – Consume 200–300 mL of fluid at regular

intervals during event.

Forced-Air Cooling Systems

• Force prechilled air through system of hoses worn close to the body

• Cooler air passes by skin. • Heat is drawn away from body and

released.• Systems are lightweight and provide long-

term cooling benefits.• Mobility is limited.

Ice-Cooled or Gel-Packed Vests

• Low cost• Unlimited portability• Unlimited “recharging” by refreezing the

packs• Bulkier and heavier than forced-air

systems• May cause discomfort due to cold

temperature near skin

Fluid-Chilled Systems• Pump ice-chilled liquids

from reservoir through a series of tubes held within vest-like garment and back to reservoir

• Mobility limited because pump located away from garment

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Phase-Change Cooling Technology

• Similar to ice- or gel-packed vests• Material in phase-change packs is chilled

to approximately 60°F (15.5°C). • Fabric of vest wicks perspiration away

from body.• Packs “recharge” more quickly than those

of ice- or gel-packed vests.

Reporting and Documenting the Incident

• Formal written accounts• Exposure records include:

– Name of substances involved– Level of protection used

• This information and comprehensive medical surveillance program chronicle exposure history of responders over a period of time.

Summary (1 of 6)

• Using a risk-based approach is important when selecting personal protective equipment. All decisions should be well thought out and realistic, taking into account the positive and negative effects of the actions taken.

• Emergency responders should be familiar with the policies and procedures of the local jurisdiction so as to ensure a consistent approach is taken when selecting the proper PPE.

Summary (2 of 6)

• Chemical-protective clothing is classified into two main categories: vapor-protective clothing and liquid splash-protective clothing.

• Unlike the OSHA HAZWOPER standard, the NFPA 1994 covers the performance of the garment and factors in the performance of the respiratory protection.

Summary (3 of 6)

• Typically, Level A protection is required when the operating environment exceeds IDLH values for skin absorption.

• According to the OSHA HAZWOPER regulation, Level B equipment is the minimum level of protection to be worn when operating in an unknown environment.

Summary (4 of 6)

• Level C protection is appropriate when the type of airborne substance is known, its concentration is measured, and the criteria for using APRs are met.

• The most common malady striking anyone wearing PPE is heat related. In an effort to combat heat stress while wearing PPE, many response agencies employ some form of cooling technology under the garment.

Summary (5 of 6)

• Manufacturers’ guidelines for maintenance, testing, inspection, storage, and decontamination procedures should be followed for all personal protective equipment provided by the AHJ.

Summary (6 of 6)

• Along with the formal written accounts of the event, some agencies require personnel to fill out exposure records that include information such as the name of the substances involved in the incident and the level of protection used.