P-607 Personal Protective Equipment

Date of Issue: 1998/12/15
Revision Date: 1999/11/25

 

BACKGROUND: 

Failure of personnel to properly use personal protective equipment has resulted in many unnecessary injuries on the fire ground and during training. Equipment is provided to all personnel to minimize or prevent injuries when properly used and/or worn. It is the primary responsibility of each individual to adhere to this policy. Authority to deviate from this policy rests solely with the Incident Commander. The Incident Commander will be held responsible for any consequences resulting from any deviation they have authorized from this policy.

PURPOSE:

To ensure that all personnel are prepared to commence emergency operations immediately on arrival at an emergency scene while maintaining the highest degree of personal safety possible for all personnel.

OBJECTIVE:

All HRFE personnel are properly utilizing personal protective equipment to reduce/eliminate unnecessary injuries on the fire ground and during training. 

SCOPE: 

This policy shall apply to all personnel engaged in the provision of emergency services or related activities or while operating at the scene of any emergency incident or engaged in training.


DEFINITION: 

For the purpose of this policy, Full personal protective equipment consists of: Helmet with face shield, Nomex hood, bunker coat, bunker pants with bunker boots, and gloves; all properly worn and fastened. PAS Tags are the individual’s responsibility and they are to ensure their placement on the apparatus hook at the beginning of each tour of duty. Self-contained breathing  apparatus shall be used whenever there is the potential of exposure to hazardous atmospheres or where the atmosphere is unknown.

All clothing must be issued or approved by the Department. Alterations to any clothing, such as; removal of the coat liner; or unapproved attachments to a helmet, are prohibited.

POLICY:

1.    Personal protective equipment shall be worn by all members according to the following: order to increase the speed of emergency operations. Emergency Operations shall not commence until all involved personnel have donned all necessary personal protective equipment, and self-contained breathing apparatus, where appropriate.

2.    All firefighting personnel shall wear full personal protective equipment when responding to any type of alarm indicating fire, potential fire, explosion, potential explosion, or release of any type of hazardous material. Note: Gloves and helmets need not be worn while responding on apparatus, but individuals shall be responsible for donning appropriate personal protective equipment prior to engaging in the provision of emergency services or related activities.

3.    All appropriate personal protective equipment shall be donned prior to boarding any apparatus. Protective clothing is optional for drivers, command personnel etc. (Drivers are not expected to wear personal protective equipment while driving that may impair their ability to safely operate the vehicle). Note: This does not relieve individuals of the responsibility to wear personal protective equipment appropriate to the task being performed.

4.    If an alarm is received while the apparatus is out of the station, the vehicle shall be safely stopped and all personnel shall don personal protective equipment appropriate to the alarm received.

5.    All personnel shall be responsible for wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, based on the task to be performed, prior to beginning any emergency operations.

6.    Full personal protective equipment shall be worn by all personnel operating power tools, hydraulic tools and forcible entry tools. Full personal protective equipment is also required for all personnel in the immediate area where these tools are being used. Eye protection (goggles) and hearing protection shall be worn if required.

7.    Personnel operating at the scene of an EMS or rescue incident shall be responsible to wear personal protective equipment as necessary to assure personal safety during the incident. (e.g. gloves, face mask, goggles, splash suits.) 

8.    Firefighting gloves shall be worn at all times when hand tools, power tools, hose, ladders, or any other equipment is used that could cause injuries to the hands. This shall include all work details, maintenance operations, and training exercises where potential for hand injury exists. 

9.    Helmets with chin strap in place shall be worn by all personnel operating at incidents where there is a possibility that tools, equipment, or debris from above may fall. This would include any time personnel are operating above or below grade such as during a trench rescue or high angle rope rescues.

10.    The helmet face shield shall be used any time the need for eye protection seems apparent, such as during overhaul operations, when operating hand or power tools, and when involved in incidents where self-contained breathing apparatus is not being worn. The face shield does not provide complete face/eye protection against flying particles, splash, gases, and vapours. (For known eye hazards, such as, but not limited to, cutting with power saws, chopping, drilling, and using extrication equipment, the face shield shall be worn with additional eye protection suitable for the specific hazard. e.g. protective goggles or self-contained breathing apparatus face piece)

11.    Personnel riding on the apparatus or engaged in any other activity where they feel they may be exposed to excessive noise shall be responsible to don hearing protection.

12.    Damage to personal protective equipment shall be reported immediately to the Company Officer. The Company Officer will inspect the damaged article and assist the member in completion of the necessary paperwork to order it repaired or replaced. If the article of personal protective equipment is determined to be unsafe for use, immediate replacement is required. The Company Officer is responsible to secure an immediate replacement of unsafe personal protective equipment, prior to allowing personnel to engage in activities would requiring the use of that component of personal protective equipment.

13.    Incident Commanders and/or Company Officers may use their discretion to determine the appropriate level of personal protective equipment required for personnel operating at the incident where no specific guidelines have been established, Incident Commanders will be responsible to justify their decision, if challenged. In all cases personnel shall be responsible to wear all personal protective equipment necessary to protect against all foreseeable hazards.

14.    It is the intent of this policy that no member shall cause a delay in any emergency operation by not being fully prepared to engage in the provision of emergency services or related activities in a safe manner.

RELATED POLICIES/OPERATING GUIDELINES:

•    P-609 Contractors working on fire Department Property
•    OG 1502 Maintenance of PPE
•    OG 4035 use of External Equipment
•    OG 4042 D & D Recycling Plant Response

POLICY REVIEW:

This policy shall be reviewed when/if there are changes/amendments to the use of personal protective equipment on fire grounds and during training.