Fire departments realize that they can get noncertified items for lower cost and still satisfy the intent of the standard.Īnd there are those who simply ignores NFPA 1975. However, purchases of uniform elements including short sleeve shirts, polo shirts, T-shirts, and shorts remain low, even though offered by a number of companies as certified products. Those departments that specify flame-resistant work uniforms generally will buy garments that meet NFPA 1975 requirements. The higher category of station work uniform requirements included the flame-resistance test.ĭuring the past 20 years, certified work uniforms has remained a relatively low proportion of the overall fire service purchases. This resulted in a new thermal-stability test that provided a way of showing how material could melt and stick to itself. Yet other changes were needed because the heat resistance would not eliminate all nylon and polyester fabrics, as some fabric blends could hold up under the test conditions. One hundred percent cotton was considered the preferred uniform material because unlike polyester it doesn't melt and was comfortable. The base requirements included the same heat resistance test indicated above. In 1994, NFPA 1975 was overhauled to provide two classes of performance - baseline heat-resistant uniforms that could be either 100% cotton or wool and flame-resistant uniforms. Many flame-resistant materials are considered too "boardy" and lacked reasonable moisture absorption.įurther, some argued that turnout clothing or other emergency clothing was intended to provide protection based on its own properties without reliance on the work uniform. Moreover, there were a number of complaints about comfort. For organizations concerned about appearance, the uniforms did not have the crisp appearance typically associated with polyester and cotton blends, which tend to hold creases better. Many departments considered this type of clothing relatively expensive, partly due to the certification costs and the increased cost of material used. However, there was a clear division in the fire service about the acceptability these uniforms. The philosophy of having a standard that dictated use of flame- and heat-resistant work uniforms prevailed through 1994. This was handled by adding requirements to NFPA 1975 to demonstrate that the materials used in station work uniforms would remain flame resistant after at least 100 wash cycles. It was believed that retardants could eventually wash out. The practice fell out of use when it was argued that firefighters did not always wear the correct work trousers and that the insulation levels provided by turning out clothing were superior to that of any conventional pants.ĭuring this time, some fabrics relied on flame-retardant treatments in contrast to flame-resistant fabric such as those Aramids that retain the flame resistance properties over their entire service life. This preceded the use of modern turnout clothing when long coats and high boots were worn. In the early years after NFPA 1975 was adopted, some departments relied on the pants portion the uniform to provide a significant layer of insulation for the firefighter's lower torso. Materials such as polyester or nylon can be treated for flame resistance, but will generally melt and make burn injuries worse than those from natural fibers such as cotton, which when burned turn into ash instead of molten resin. The PPE can be used at any incident the London Fire Brigade attends and firefighters have been additionally issued with a pair of ‘Rescue Gloves’.The latter property was considered important because heat resistance provided a demonstration that the material would not melt under adverse conditions.Currently gloves are washed locally at the station, but they don’t come up as clean as the new ‘gold’ ones will. The gloves are made of a Nomex and Elk leather combination, which allows for them to be washed in a washing machine and all contamination removed.The Rosenbauer helmet is fitted with an integrated torch in the crest to light up the firefighters working area.The outer shell of the garments offer the maximum thermal protection available, whilst minimising the risk of heat stress. The ‘X-Flex’ range selected, is lighter than our previous PPE, has action pleats in the coat to allow more movement and the tough outer shell offers good air circulation enhanced breathability and comfort.This will allow firefighters to see any carbon contamination or general detritus at an earlier stage and send the items for cleaning. The light colour of the ‘Titan 1260 fabric with PBI fibres in the gold colour will show contamination easier than the previous dark blue PPE.The 'gold standard' of modernised personal protective equipment (PPE) reflects the changing role of the modern firefighter.
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