Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents - Effective Date: 11/24/2019

Abstract

This standard shall specify the minimum design, performance, testing, and certification requirements for technical rescue protective ensembles for use by emergency services personnel during technical rescue incidents.

This standard shall also specify the minimum requirements for the various elements of the technical rescue protective ensembles, including garments, helmets, gloves, footwear, and eye and face protection devices.

This standard shall not specify requirements for respiratory protection equipment for technical rescue protective ensembles; those requirements are specified by NIOSH in 42 CFR 84 and by OSHA in 29 CFR 1910.134.

This standard shall not establish criteria for water or wildland operations.

This standard shall not specify requirements for any visibility markings.

This standard shall not establish criteria for protection for any firefighting operations or hazardous materials emergencies.

This standard shall not specify requirements for accessories that could be attached to any ensemble or ensemble element but are not required for the ensemble or element to meet the requirements of this standard.

Certification of technical rescue protective ensembles or ensemble elements to the requirements of this standard shall not preclude certification to additional applicable standards where the protective ensemble or ensemble elements meet all the applicable requirements of the other standards.

This standard shall not be construed as addressing all the safety concerns associated with the use of compliant protective ensembles or elements.

It shall be the responsibility of the persons and organizations that use compliant protective ensembles or elements to establish safety and health practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

This standard shall not be construed as addressing all the safety concerns, if any, associated with the use of this standard by testing facilities.

It shall be the responsibility of the persons and organizations that use this standard to conduct testing of protective ensembles or elements to establish safety and health practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to using this standard for any designing, manufacturing, and testing.

Nothing herein shall restrict any jurisdiction or manufacturer from exceeding these minimum requirements.

Purpose.

The purpose of this standard shall be to establish minimum levels of protection for emergency services personnel assigned to or involved in search, rescue, treatment, decontamination, recovery, site stabilization, and similar operations at technical rescue incidents.

To achieve that purpose, this standard shall establish requirements for ensembles and their associated ensemble elements designed to provide protection to emergency response personnel during technical rescue incidents.

This standard shall establish limited protection for operational settings where exposure to physical and flame hazards are expected.

This standard shall also establish optional requirements for operational settings where exposure to blood-borne pathogen hazards are expected.

Controlled laboratory tests used to determine compliance with the performance requirements of this standard shall not be deemed as establishing performance levels for all situations to which personnel can be exposed.

This standard is not intended to be utilized as a detailed manufacturing or purchase specification but shall be permitted to be referenced in purchase specifications as minimum requirements.