- Author
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Title
- Minimum Standards on Structural Fire Fighting Protective Clothing and Equipment: A Guide for Fire Service Education and Procurement.
- Coporate
- Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC
- Report
- FA-137, September 1993, 114 p.
- Contract
- EMW-92-C-3698
- Keywords
- protective clothing | fire fighting | standards | fire fighting equipment | fire departments | education | fire fighters | fire fighting | gloves | foot coverings | self-contained breathing apparatus
- Identifiers
- hazards in structural fire fighting; overview of different standards and specifications; protective clothing and hoods (NFPA 1971, 1991 Edition); protective helmets (NFPA 1972, 1992 Edition); protective gloves (NFPA 1973, 1993 Edition); protective footwear (NFPA 1974, 1992 Edition); station/work uniforms (NFPA 1975, 1990 Edition); self-contained breathing apparatus (NFPA 1981, 1992 Edition); personal alert safety system (NFPA 1982, 1993 Edition)
- Abstract
- This guide is intended to help fire fighters understand the various standards for protective clothing and equipment used in structural fire fighting. It begins with a description of the hazards encountered in structural fire fighting such as fire contact, radiant heat, physical hazards, and heat stress. An overview is presented which discusses the available standards for structural fire fighting protective clothing, including those of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Project FIRES, and those from international sources. Similarities and differences in each of the standards are then compared. Sections on each of the NFPA standards present a description of the types of requirements, their scope and limitations, basis for minimum performance, and a description of test methods used. The final section provides useful guidelines for specifying protective clothing in procurement actions. The standards described in this guide are those that existed at the time it was written or those proposed for adoption in 1993.