BASIC CARE AND MAINTAINCE

1. BASIC CARE AND MAINTAINCE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 1971 COAT AND PANTS

2. Inspection • All Gear should be routinely inspected to insure continued Serviceability. • Inspection should take place after cleaning for safety issues. • Damaged clothing should be taken out of service immediately. Repairs or gear retirement should be made by the Safety Officer. BIG DECISION!!!

3. Char And Heat Damage • All layers of the garment should be examined for charred, burned, or discolored areas. • Outer Shell, Moisture Barrier, and Thermal Liner • Check for fabric weakness or flexing. • Attempt to rip or tear the material with moderate strength.

4. Fabric or Material Damage . Outer Shells that are ripped, cut, abraded, or otherwise damaged should be repaired. . Moisture Barriers: Check sleeve well under the arms, shoulders, knees, and crotch areas for peeling, cracking, or discoloration. . Thermal liners should be checked for discoloration and piling of the thermal liner.

5. Thread or Seam Damage • All seams in each separate layer of the garment should be inspected for thread or seam damage, then restitched or seam sealed as necessary. • Seam sealing can only be done by an authorized service center or by the manufacturer.

6. Discoloration • Discoloration to any layer of the garment should be evaluated. (Heat, Chemical, and Sun) • Check all areas for tensile strength. • Using moderate pressure, try to tear or push a finger or thumb through the material. • Any ripping or tearing should be addressed. • Moisture barrier abrasion or damage should be addressed by authorized personnel.

7. Protective Barriers • Lab test for Moisture Barriers. • Machine tested. • Field Test for Moisture Barriers. • Small amount of water and large table is needed. • Check discolored or worn areas such as under arms, shoulders, groin, seat, and knee areas. • Demo!!!!

8. Knit Distortion . All areas of the garment shall be examined for loss of strength, loss of shape, or loss of elasticity.(Hand and wrist guards)

9. Reflective Trim . Trim that is loose but still reflective may be restitched. . Trim that is burned or otherwise damaged must be replaced. . Trim may appear undamaged to the human eye but reflectivity could be gone. . Flashlight test. Check for brightness.

10. Hardware • Check all hardware including snaps, Dee rings, pocket snaps, zippers, and take-up buckles to insure functionality and strength. • Maximum 48 ounces on Dee rings! • VELCRO should be inspected to insure that contamination has not affected its functionality and that all stitching remains secure.

11. Retirement • In general, once a garment has reached the point where repairs will cost more than 50% of the price of the new garment it should be RETIRED • When to Retire the gear? Take into consideration the amount of soil in the garment, stains, and debris of unknown origin and overall condition of each piece. You may only need to retire a coat or pant. Not both!! • Check abrasion in high stress areas. These areas will require extensive repair to return them to like new condition. This is not cost effective!!!

12. Basic Field Repair Guidelines • (1) The industry standard is Nomex Thread (colors vary but always Nomex) • (2) All field repairs should use materials consistent with the information label. (Example: When repairing PBI fabric, do not use Nomex material!!!) • (3) Patch both the under side and the top side of the area which needs repair. (Example)

13. Basic Field Repairs Continued • (4) All repairs or alterations should use the same stitch configuration as per manufacturer specifications. • (5) All stress areas should be bartacked at 42 stitches per inch, • (6) Never stitch through a protective barrier or liner. Barriers should be repaired by trained personnel only.

14. Basic Field Repairs Continued • (7) Never cover reflective trim with a patch. • (8) When a section of the garment has to be disassembled, it must be reassembled as originally constructed at the factory. This is not field recommended. Please use a recognized service center or return to the factory. • (9) Never repair or alter a garment that will effect the original performance specification or integrity of the garment.

15. Basic Field Repair Continued • Doubts? • Questions? • Contact the manufacturer before making any field repairs. • Protect your investment!!!!!!!!!!!!

16. Life Expectancy For Protective Clothing • What is life Expectancy of Protective Clothing? • It has become accepted in the industry that the average life of turnout gear is 3 to 5 years. This depends on the use and care of the garment. Example…… • Remember the useable life can be only one use. • Remember the purpose of the gear is to protect the fire fighter. Extreme conditions do effect the life of the garment.

17. Life Expectancy Continued • Bottom Line: Regardless of when the clothing was produced, it is the responsibility of the safety officer or person in charge to routinely inspect the clothing to assure that it is clean, maintained, and of utmost importance, the gear is safe. Just knowing the age of the garment cannot do that .

18. Basic Care and Cleaning Guidelines • In 2001 NFPA published a new user document for the selection care and maintenance of protective clothing. NFPA 1851. This is a minimum standard for the inspection, care, and cleaning of all structural protective elements 1971 garments.

19. Guidelines • If the liners are detachable, they should be removed from the outer shell and laundered separately. • All closures should be fastened, Velcro hook covering loop, hooks and dees fastened, zippers zipped, and snaps closed. • Front loading machines without agitators are recommended and should be designated for protective clothing only. Also stainless steel tubs are recommended. • We also recommend a laundry bag to protect the inside of the machine.

20. Machine Washing • The special fabrics used to construct your gear are FR protective and contain inherent flame and heat resistance properties that cannot be washed out. • We recommend that you NEVER use the same machine for your home laundry . • If you are not using a special machine, we recommend warm water and a double rinse. • NEVER USE CHOLORINE BLEACH OR FABRIC SOFTENERS.

21. Machine Drying • We do not suggest machine drying. Our recommendation is to hang the garment in a shaded area that receives good cross ventilation or hang on a line and use a fan to circulate the air. NEVER STORE OR USE HEAT TO DRY GEAR. If heat is used do not heat over 130degrees.

22. Cleaning Agents • Cleaning agents fall into two categories; detergents and soaps. Of the two, detergents make the best cleaning agents. • Liquid detergents are best and are less likely to leave any residue on clothing. • Tide is an example of a well know detergent. House brands are also a good choice. • Globe is in the business of producing gear and we do not endorse any type of cleaning agents.

23. Spot Cleaning • Spot cleaners can be used as long as they are not a petroleum based product. • Simply squirt the precleaner on the soiled area and gently rub the fabric together until a light foam appears on the surface. The foam should then be rinsed prior to washing. A soft bristle brush such as a tooth brush can be used to gently scrub the soiled area.

24. Special Cleaning Compounds • Remember: Globe does not endorse any special compounds advertised for the fire service. We do recommend that each department interested in any specific cleaning agent contact the manufacturer and make your own determination on suitability.

25. Dry Cleaning • The protective qualities of your gear will not be affected by dry cleaning as long as a petroleum based cleaning solution is not used. However, dry cleaning can completely ruin trim and is therefore not recommended.

26. Removing Oil or Tar • Oil based soils such as motor oil and tar can be removed with solvents such as varsol prior to washing. However, washing is then a necessity. • Coated materials such as leather, reflective trim, and arashield should never have varsol applied.

27. Bleach • Never under any circumstances use chlorine bleach. Most systems use Kevlar fiber and Kevlar can be completely destroyed by BLEACH. We also do not recommend using water containing chlorine, but we do understand that is almost impossible.

28. Trim • 3M, the manufacturer of Scotchlite trim, recommends the following be used for their product. • Damp wipe the trim with warm water and mild detergent, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a soft cloth. Allow to air dry. • If you choose to machine wash, use warm or cold water. • DO NOT DRY CLEAN

29. Decontamination • For extreme contamination with products of combustion, fire debris, or body fluids; flush with warm water as soon as possible followed by appropriate cleaning. • In the case of blood or body fluid contamination, we recommend a solution of .5 to 1 % Lysol or a 3-6% stabilized hydrogen peroxide. One cap full per load. • Decontamination may not be possible when exposed to certain chemicals, biological, or radiological agents. • We also recommend approved cleaning facilities if you are uncomfortable with the cleaning yourself.

30. Hand Washing • Hand washing was thought to be the least abrasive method of laundering and allowed the user to pay special attention to the areas that require it. However, hand washing does not always allow removal of ground in soil embedded in the material fibers and only removes surface dirt. If hand washing is a preference, use a soft bristle brush to clean your garment. Most important: Rinse thoroughly.

31. Conclusion • In caring for your protective clothing you must always consider every single layer. • We do encourage every department to keep there clothing clean and to routinely inspect and repair as needed. • Clean gear is lighter in weight • Having dirt, soot, and debris clinging to your gear presents a safety hazard.

32. Storage Of Your Investment • Chlorine bleach and any type of light can have an adverse affect on your gear. • Manufacturers can see a color change in as little as 3 days. That does not mean there is a problem with the gear. It does mean degradation can start immediately. • Extreme light and sunlight can permanently damage your gear to an unusable condition in as little as 3 months.

33. Dyed Materials • Dyed materials can have a color change in temperatures as low as 450 degrees. • That does not mean the material is weakened. It does mean the dye has been weakened. • Natural materials do not show color change as much as dyed materials. • Therefore, special attention is required for materials that aren’t dyed.

34. Leather • Globe is the only company to endorse leather as the best durable product in the fire service for abrasion. • The standard on Globe’s product is leather cuffs. • Globe prefers leather as an elbow and knee reinforcement • If you can clean your gear you can clean your leather. • Without a doubt , leather is the best reinforcement product on the market.

35. Questions • Please ask!!! This is your seminar!!! • Do not leave with a question unasked. • We are here for you. • The people in this room have the knowledge to answer any question you may have. • Now is the time to ask that question.

36. Thank You • Thank you for your time spent here today • It is because of you that your community is safe and your fire fighters are safe doing the most dangerous job in America. • Globe Manufacturing is proud to serve you in any way • Thank you!!!!!