HazMat Ch07

Mission-Specific Competencies:

Personal Protective Equipment

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Objectives (1 of 3)

• Describe personal protective equipment (PPE) 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

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Objectives (2 of 3)

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

• Describe PPE performance requirements

• Describe ways to ensure that personnel do not go beyond their level of training and equipment

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Objectives (3 of 3)

• Describe cooling technologies

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

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Selecting Personal Protective Equipment

• Use risk-based approach in selecting

• Disposable, single, or limited use

• Reusable– Need testing at regular intervals– Store in cool, dry place

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TRACEMP (1 of 2)

• Acronym for potential responder hazards– Thermal– Radiological– Asphyxiating– Chemical

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TRACEMP (2 of 2)

– Etiological/biological–Mechanical– Psychogenic

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Street Clothing and Work Uniforms(1 of 2)

• Least protection

• Nomex flame-resistant jumpsuit

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Street Clothing and Work Uniforms(2 of 2)

A Nomex jumpsuit.

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Structural Firefighting Protective Equipment (1 of 3)

• Includes:– Helmet– Bunker coat– Bunker pants– Boots– Gloves

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Structural Firefighting Protective Equipment (2 of 3)

• Includes:– Hood– SCBA– Personal alert safety system (PASS) device

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Structural Firefighting Protective Equipment (3 of 3)

Standard turnout gear or structural firefighting gear.

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High Temperature–Protective Equipment (1 of 2)

• Protects for short exposure

• Does not protect from hazardous materials

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High Temperature–Protective Equipment (2 of 2)

High temperature–protective equipment protects the wearer from high temperatures during a short exposure.

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Chemical-Protective Clothing(1 of 2)

• Compatibility charts– Help choose right clothing for incident

• Chemical-resistant materials resist:– Penetration– Permeation– Degradation

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Chemical-Protective Clothing(2 of 2)

• May be single- or multi-piece garment

• Two main kinds:– Vapor-protective clothing– Liquid splash–protective clothing

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Vapor-Protective Clothing (1 of 2)

• Full body protection

• Used for highly contaminated environments

• Requires SCBA

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Vapor-Protective Clothing (2 of 2)

Vapor-protective clothing retains body heat, so it also increases the possibility of heat-related emergencies among responders.

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Liquid Splash–Protective Clothing

(1 of 2)

• Protects wearer from chemical splashes

• Does not protect from gases and vapors

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Liquid Splash–Protective Clothing

(2 of 2)

Liquid splash–protective clothing must be worn whenever there is the danger of chemical splashes.

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Respiratory Protection

• SCBA– 30-minute units– 60-minute units

• Required by law in contaminated environments

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Level A Ensemble (1 of 2)

• Fully encapsulating garment

• Encloses wearer and the respiratory protection

• Protects against only brief flash fire

• Affords alpha radiation protection

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Level A Ensemble (2 of 2)

A Level A ensemble envelops the wearer in a totally encapsulating suit.

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Level B Ensemble (1 of 3)

• Common level of protection, often chosen for its versatility

• Chemical protective:– Clothing– Boots– Gloves– SCBA

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Level B Ensemble (2 of 3)

• High level of respiratory protection

• Less skin protection

• Little or no flash fire protection

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Level B Ensemble (3 of 3)

A Level B protective ensemble provides a high level of respiratory protection but less skin protection.

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Level C Ensemble (1 of 3)

• Appropriate when airborne contaminant is known

• Worn in long-duration, low-hazard situations

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Level C Ensemble (2 of 3)

• Consists of:– Standard work clothing– Chemical-protective clothing– Chemical-resistant gloves– Respiratory protection other than SCBA/SAR

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Level C Ensemble (3 of 3)

Level C protective ensemble includes chemical-protective clothing and gloves as well as respiratory protection.

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Level D Ensemble (1 of 2)

• Work uniform that includes coveralls

• Provides minimal protection

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Level D Ensemble (2 of 2)

A Level D protective ensemble is primarily a work uniform that includes coveralls and provides minimal protection.

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Equipment Performance

• Garments will withstand reasonable insults

• Not “bulletproof”

• Read manufacturer’s specifications

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Responder Safety (1 of 3)

• Issues can arise from wearing PPE– Heat exhaustion– Heat cramps– Heat stroke

• All are preceded by dehydration

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Responder Safety (2 of 3)

• Field of vision is compromised – Can result in slips and falls– Face piece fogs up

• Bulky PPE inhibits mobility

• Gloves become slippery

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Responder Safety (3 of 3)

• Safety procedures include:– Pre-entry medical monitoring– Use of buddy system– Radio communication– Hand signals

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Heat Exchange Units

• Forced-air cooling systems

• Ice-cooled or gel-packed vests

• Fluid-chilled systems

• Phase-change cooling technology

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Forced-Air Cooling Systems

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

• Lightweight, provide long-term cooling benefits

• Inhibit mobility (attached to external, fixed compressor)

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Ice-Cooled or Gel-Packed Vests

(1 of 2)

• Low cost

• Portable

• Packs can be “recharged” (refrozen)

• Bulky

• May fool body into retaining heat

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Ice-Cooled or Gel-Packed Vests

(2 of 2)

Ice-cooled system.

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Fluid-Chilled Systems (1 of 2)

• Pump ice-chilled liquid through tubes

• May limit mobility

• Additional weight can increase workload and generate more heat

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Fluid-Chilled Systems (2 of 2)

A fluid-chilled or water-cooled system.

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Phase-Change Cooling Technology

(1 of 2)• Temperature of material is chilled to 60°F

• Fabric wicks away perspiration

• “Recharges” more quickly than gel-packed vest

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Phase-Change Cooling Technology

(2 of 2)

Phase-change cooling technology.

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Reporting and Documenting Incidents

• Important part of response

• Correlated with how well organized response was

• Formal accounts of event

• Exposure records

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Summary (1 of 3)

• Use risk-based approach in selecting PPE

• Follow policies of local jurisdiction

• Chemical-protective clothing includes vapor-protective and liquid splash−protective clothing

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Summary (2 of 3)

• NFPA 1994 covers garment and respiratory protection

• Levels A is required when environment exceeds IDLH values for skin absorption

• Level B is minimum when operating in unknown environment

• Level C is appropriate when the type of airborne substance is unknown, concentration is measured and criteria for APR’s are met

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Summary (3 of 3)

• PPE may cause heat-related maladies

• Cooling technology under garment may help

• Follow manufacturer’s guidelines

• Written accounts of event and exposure records needed

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