Chapter 27

1. Chapter 27 Hazardous Materials: Personal Protective Equipment

2. Introduction • PPE takes on many different shapes and versions • When dealing with hazardous materials, these configurations are endless • SCBA provides best respiratory protection • Firefighter turnout gear is not tested or approved for chemical spills • Persons trained to operations level may be required to don chemical protective clothing

3. Health Hazards • Serious concern with hazardous materials emergencies • Can affect every responder • Protecting the body is easily accomplished

4. Toxicology • The study of poisons and their effect on the body • Most industrial facilities have industrial hygienists on staff • Their primary focus is on chemical hazards existing within facility • They have extensive knowledge in toxicology and chemical exposures

5. Types of Exposures • Exposure to a chemical may present a risk • Level defined in terms of potential hazard • Acute exposure • Chronic exposure • Acute exposure: body subjected to large dose in short time • May cause injuries from minimal to major • Chronic exposure: multiple exposures over a long period of time

6. Types of Hazards • Several methods used to identify possible hazards at a chemical release • TRACEMP: • Thermal • Radiation • Asphyxiation • Chemical • Etiological • Mechanical • Psychological harm

7. Categories of Health Hazards • Within TRACEMP, responders should understand these terms: • Carcinogen • Known • Suspected • Irritant • Sensitizer • Allergens • Convulsant

8. Table 27-2 Target Organs and Systems

9. Categories of Health Hazards (cont'd.) • Radiation has ability to cause a number of health problems • Absorbed dose • Radiation doses should be kept “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” (ALARA) • Four primary routes of exposure: • Respiratory, absorption, ingestion, and injection

10. Figure 27-2 Routes of exposure.

11. Figure 27-3 Respiratory system route of exposure.

12. Exposure Levels • In industry, monitoring is commonplace and is usually a preventive action • In emergency services, it can be an afterthought • Exposure values are based on an average male and are for an industrial application • 8-hour day, 40-hour work week • Permissible exposure limit (PEL)

13. Figure 27-4 Explanation of units of measure.

14. Figure 27-5 Exposure values.

15. Exposure Levels (cont'd.) • Most common exposure values expressed in ppm • Values are generally defined for a period of time • PEL • TLV • REL’s • Ceiling levels • STEL • Lethal doses or lethal concentrations

16. Table 27-7 Exposure Values

17. Types of Personal Protective Equipment • Most common for the firefighter is FFPC • Helmet and hood • Coat • Pants • Boots • Gloves • PASS • SCBA

18. Figure 27-6 The use of SCBA offers tremendous protection against heat and chemical hazards. Responders who enter any environment that may have a chemical present should always use SCBA.

19. Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus • With regard to chemical exposures, SCBA offers a protection factor of 10,000 • Most common type of SCBA for chemical spills is a 60-minute type • Other types: • Supplied air respirators (SARs) • Air-purifyingrespirators (APRs)

20. Chemical Protective Clothing • Four basic levels of chemical protective clothing • Levels A, B, C, and D • Level A is the highest level • Since establishment of levels, many changes have been made to PPE styles and types • Chemical protective clothing must be checked prior to use for compatibility with spilled chemical • Based on permeation of chemical through the fabric

21. Figure 27-7 This police officer is wearing an air purifying respirator (APR), which is filtering contaminants from the air.

22. Chemical Protective Clothing (cont’d.) • Level A ensemble: fully encapsulated suit • Level B ensemble: encapsulated and coverall • Many subvarieties • Level C ensemble: incorporates air-purifying respirator within the ensemble • Level D ensemble: regular work clothing • High-temperature clothing: proximity, fire entry • Low-temperature clothing: gloves, aprons, etc.

23. Figure 27-8 When conducting a permeation test, the fabric splits a test container, and a measurement device is used to see if the chemical goes through the fabric.

24. Figure 27-9 This Level A ensemble is a gas/vapor-tight garment that protects against most chemicals. Although the protection offered by this ensemble is very high, it is the most stressful to wear.

25. (A) (B) (C) Figure 27-10 The photos here all represent Level B suits: (A) a coverall style for law-enforcement officers; (B) an encapsulated style, which is not gastight; and (C) a military-designed two-piece garment worn by tactical officers. The respiratory protection is a rebreather style, which provides a four-hour air supply.

26. Figure 27-11 This Level C ensemble protects against splash hazards and low toxicity materials. It is the use of the air purifying respirator that makes this ensemble Level C.

27. Figure 27-12 The Level D ensemble is normal work clothing, this example includes Nomex coveralls, chemical gloves, safety glasses, and steel-toe shoes.

28. Limitations of Personal Protective Equipment • Four basic limitations to protective clothing: • Heat stress • Mobility • Visibility • Communications problems • Type of vapor barrier determines amount of heat stress • Be aware of progression of heat stress

29. Lessons Learned • Routes of entry and type of harm that chemicals present vary • Chemicals present multiple hazards • Most chemicals present chronic hazards, but acute hazards are also avoided • SCBA offers a high level of protection • Responders have a fear of radiation, but radiation is no different than other hazardous materials