E3 1 Use of protective clothing and equipment was NCI 6.pdf

E3-1 Use of protective clothing and equipment (NCI 6)
E3-1 Use of Protective Clothing and Equipment (NCI 6)
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide for the cleaning, decontamination, and safe use of
Gas Suits and Splash Suits.
Note: Wildfire Uniform and Structural Firefighting Uniform are covered in N2 National Dress
Code for Uniformed Personnel.
Structural Firefighting Uniform and BA are the required minimum protection at incidents
involving hazardous materials when it is necessary to perform a snap rescue.
Requirements for Splash and Gas Suits
Compliance
All protective clothing and equipment purchased will comply with the relevant NZFS Equipment
Requirements.
Splash Suits with breathing apparatus
Splash Suits (also known as Chemical Splash Suits) provide a high degree of protection from
liquid and particulate hazardous materials.
Splash Suits with breathing apparatus (BA) will be worn in all situations where personnel are, or
may be, likely to come into direct contact with a hazardous material (unless the situation
requires the wearing of Gas Suits) including:
HazMat incidents while identifying the material/s (no contact with the material/s until it
and associated hazards have been identified)
HazMat incidents involving hazardous materials which require Splash Suit protection.
fire incidents involving hazardous materials, provided exposure to radiated heat is
minimal
under the Official Information Act
  during Stage 2 or 3 decontamination.
Splash Suits will be:
worn over:
-  normal working uniform
-  disposable comfort suit
-  other clothing appropriate for the conditions
Released
donned with at least one person assisting to ensure it is donned correctly and to check
closure and interface integrity.
Maintenance of Splash Suits
Splash Suits will be decontaminated in accordance with:
Hazardous Materials Technical Liaison Committee requirements
manufacturers’ recommendations.
NZFS Department of Operations and Training
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E3-1 Use of protective clothing and equipment (NCI 6)

The suit will be visually checked for any chemical or physical damage following every
operational use.
The suit will be withdrawn from service and arrangements made for specialist repair or
replacement if found to be damaged.

Gas Suits with breathing apparatus
Gas Suits provide a high degree of hazardous materials protection, and specific protection from
Act
toxic and corrosive gases.
Gas Suits with BA will be worn in all situations where:
  there is a gaseous or vapour hazard and/or contaminant
  a contaminant is present in the atmosphere in very small particles that may breach
Splash Suits and be absorbed through the skin.

Situations where Gas Suits will be worn include:
Information
  HazMat incidents where an unidentified material may require gas tight protection
  HazMat incidents involving hazardous materials which require Gas Suit protection
  fire incidents involving hazardous materials, provided exposure to radiated heat is
minimal. The Structural uniform with BA will be worn in all areas affected by heat from
the fire.
Official
Gas Suits will be:
  worn over either:
the
-  normal working uniform
-  disposable comfort suit
-  other clothing appropriate for the conditions
  donned with two people assisting to ensure it is donned correctly and to check the suit’s
under
integrity
  worn for a period limited to the duration of a single wearing of an NZFS BA set (this may
be an extended duration BA set).
Maintenance and testing of Gas Suits
Gas Suits will be decontaminated in accordance with:
Released
   Hazardous Materials Technical Liaison Committee requirements
  manufacturers’ recommendations.
Gas Suits will be sent to the appropriate BA department for testing following every operational
use.
NZFS Department of Operations and Training
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E3-1 Use of protective clothing and equipment (NCI 6)
Hazard Identification and Control: Wearing Protective Clothing
Hazard control
All hazards will be controlled by eliminating, isolating where elimination is impracticable, or
minimising, using one or more of the control methods given in the table below:
Wearing protective clothing
Hazards
Control measures
Health and Safety
references
Act
Splash Suits
  instructing all personnel who
Refer to E1 Equipment
Significant hazards:
wear Splash Suits in their safe
requirements for uniform
  heat stress
use
specifications.
  heat exhaustion
  not wearing Splash Suits for
firefighting
  chemical contamination
  fluid replacement
  providing rest breaks for crews
Information
  providing relief crews
Gas Suits
  instructing all personnel who
Refer to E1 Equipment
Significant hazards:
wear Gas Suits in their safe use   requirements for uniform
Official
  burns
  not wearing Gas Suits for fire
specifications.
  heat stress
fighting
the
  heat exhaustion
  fluid replacement
  chemical contamination
  providing rest breaks for crews
  providing relief crews
Cleaning contaminated and/or dirty clothing
under
  all personnel who wear
NZFS Health and Safety
Significant hazard:
protective clothing will be
Policy and Guidelines
  contamination
instructed in safe
Manual
decontamination and cleaning
procedures

Released

NZFS Department of Operations and Training
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E3-1 Use of protective clothing and equipment December 08