Specifying new personal protective equipment (PPE) is a big task for any department. Although many decisions in this process are made at high levels, company officers should be involved as well.
Some of the questions that may start popping into your head during this process:
- What’s the right level of thermal protective performance (TPP)?
- What’s the right level of total heat loss (THL)?
- Why do we have to give up TPP for THL or vice versa?
- How do we identify problems with our current PPE? And what are the solutions?
So, what do you need to know when you’re asked to assist in the evaluation and/or selection process of PPE? Here are five things to consider.
1. Take It Seriously
When we’re building PPE specs, we have been tasked with a huge responsibility, and there is always a liability risk for the department. Being involved in this process is an important assignment because our decisions have a direct impact on our brothers and sisters when they don their turnouts and enter a structure fire.
2. Know Your Standards
In the fire service, we work well under “mission-driven” strategies. When it comes to specifying PPE, we can find assistance in developing a strategy in Chapter 5 of NFPA 1851: Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting (2008 edition). This chapter outlines what an organization “shall” consider during the selection process. Note: As with most NFPA standards, departments differ in whether they strictly follow 1851, meeting all of the requirements, or are still working toward complete compliance. In some cases, 1851 may be adopted into state law or another mandatory requirement.
Other standards to consider: NFPA 1971 and NFPA 1500, along with federal and state regulations.
Finally, consider involving a representative from your Finance and Administration or Purchasing departments in this process to ensure you’re in compliance with your department’s purchasing strategies.
3. Conduct a Risk Assessment
One of the key recommendations of NFPA 1851 is that departments “shall” conduct a risk assessment as a part of the PPE selection process. The risk assessment is used to discover the most common types of incidents you will be faced with as well as any specialty response needs so your PPE can meet your department’s specific needs. Ask almost any firefighter about their department’s risk assessment, and in return, you’re likely to get a look that’s similar to a mule staring at a new gate (for those of you not from Texas, that means they’d look completely bewildered)!
NFPA 1851 Chapter 5 says the organization shall perform a risk assessment that should include, but not be limited to, the following”:
- Types of duties performed
- Frequency of use of the ensemble elements
- Organization’s experience
- Incident operations
- Geographic location and climate
- Likelihood of or response to a CBRN terrorism incident
4. Consider Previous PPE Issues or Problems
Purchasing new PPE doesn’t happen more than a couple times during a career. Don’t miss this opportunity to address performance shortcomings with your current PPE–specifically, firefighter injuries or issues with care and maintenance.
Departments with established care and maintenance programs can assist in this process by using the data they collect through the program cycles. If repair data is available, high-frequency repairs can be studied, and a possible resolution may be as simple as tweaking the specifications.
Another department resource to include is your Risk Management or Safety Office. Information they gather on the frequency, number of occurrences and/or locations of firefighter injuries can inform the PPE-speccing process. Look for patterns that may indicate the need for further research or adjustments in the PPE spec.
But even if you’re lacking the appropriate documentation, you can gather a lot of information just by talking with department members. What do/don’t they like about their gear? Where does it chafe or hinder movement? Does it fit them correctly? Where are the most common areas for wear and tear?
Example: Research conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) indicated that radios carried within turnout coats lacked the necessary thermal protection and concluded that adding thermal protection to the radio pocket may decrease the possibilities of catastrophic portable radio failure when operating in thermal heated environments. Our radio shop agreed, and also requested that we increase the drainage of the pocket. So we increased the grommets in the pocket from one to three to provide better drainage, and added thermal lining to the radio pocket to give the radio better protection and to enhance firefighter safety.
5. Weigh Your Priorities
PPE design and specification also involves balancing your priorities–rarely can you “have it all.” Budget will of course dominate the process, but there are other things to consider as well.
- TPP vs. THL: The garment insulation is a function of the number of layers, weight and thickness of the composite. The heavier the materials used, the more heat the garment may hold. This sets up a paradox: The materials that protect the user from thermal exposure also prevent the release of metabolic heat. That’s why any PPE specification ultimately includes trade-offs as to what level of thermal protection is sufficient, without creating too much risk for heat stress.
- Color: Today, the color of the outer shell has more to do with history and traditions than performance, but this was not always the case. Prior to fabric manufacturers discovering advancements in dying technologies, the process of dying the fabric could weaken the material. Even today, some materials cannot be dyed all colors (Nomex vs. PBI). Some departments, especially those in hotter climates, choose a light shell because of the perceived notion that the lighter the color, the cooler the garment. Still others may choose a darker color because it looks cleaner when dirty (hides the dirt). However, once you’ve determined what performance properties are desired from the outer shell, color pretty much comes down to personal preference.
- Ability to customize: Manufacturers offer thousands of options, from pocket sizes and locations to accountability and identification patches. Although some may be simply aesthetic, your PPE specification should carefully consider what customizations can be included to make the job easier or safer.
- Fit: Garments come in many patterns and styles offering better mobility, from a basic cut garment to an athletic style. Some departments may find they want a more basic fit, while others need to have better mobility when performing fireground tasks. In addition, some manufacturers offer garments specifically designed for women.
- Durability: Assess where on PPE your department has had frequent repairs. You may find a simple change in material, reinforcement or style of garment will increase durability and wear life of your PPE.
Conclusion
The firefighter’s ensemble is composed of multiple layers and garments designed to optimize performance against heat and flame while maximizing mobility and breathability. The “old heads” used to tell us, “The fires were hotter and the water was wetter!” Today, data from national testing laboratories (UL, NIST) does not agree with them. Today’s firefighters are seeing more aggressive and hotter fires. Changes in building construction and room contents can drastically change the conditions and the rules of engagement (our tactics).
The protective clothing industry has made many advancements and improvements over the last 20 years, so today’s ensemble can be designed and engineered to provide appropriate protection for the modern fireground. Advanced protection can allow tactical changes, but for every PPE design change we make, we must also consider whether our tactics reflect what the most recent science is telling us about fire behavior and dynamics.
Specifying gear brings a high level of responsibility, so do your homework and choose wisely–your life may depend on it!
