Barring any appeals on changes
to the standard, the 2006/2007 edition of NFPA will become effective
in August/September 2006. The new addition will include a number
of changes:
Format and CBRN Option
Originally, the standard has been
reformatted with separate chapters on terminology and certification.
Labeling Requirements will appear in Chapter 5, Design Criteria
in Chapter 6, Performance Criteria in Chapter 7, and Test Methods
in Chapter 8. References are now at the front of the document
in Chapter 2.
One significant technical change
has been the merger of NFPA 1976 for Proximity fire fighting protective
ensembles with NFPA 1971 for Structural fire fighting protective
ensembles. This merger takes advantage of the fact that many of
the requirements between the two types of ensembles are identical.
For this reason, the requirements in the standards are now organized
with one section on requirements that apply to both types of ensembles,
another section on requirements specific to Structural fire fighting
ensembles, and a last section for requirements specific to Proximity
fire fighting ensembles. For example, the flame and heat resistance
apply to both types of garments, whereas the total heat loss tests
applies only to Structural fire fighting protective performance
test applies only to Proximity fire fighting protective garments.
A CBRN option has been added to
the standard (for both Structural and Proximity fire fighting
protective ensembles). The CBRN option is for demonstrating protection
against chemical, biological, and radiological particulate agents
that could be released during a terrorism incident. The CBRN option
includes a series of design, performance, and labeling criteria
to be met in addition to the base requirements of the standard.
In order to apply this option, the manufacturer must specify a
full ensemble (garments, hood, glove, and footwear, and the SCBA,
excluding the helmet which is not integral to the offered protection).
Only a full ensemble can be certified – the certification
of individual elements is not permitted under the option. In addition,
design restriction exist that prevent outer covers, outer gloves,
and footwear covers that not continuously part of the ensemble
during normal operations. The intent of the requirements is to
have the CBRN protection in place at all times during the use
of the ensemble. Specific criteria have been added to evaluate
the integrity of the entire ensemble, including interfaces between
elements, in preventing the inward leakage of chemical agents
using a Man-In-Simulant Test (MIST). This test involves the placement
of adsorbent pads onto the skin of the individual test subjects
at specific locations underneath the protective ensemble. The
test subjects wear the ensemble in a closed chamber containing
a surrogate chemical agent and perform a series of exercises simulating
ensemble use for a 30-minute period. Following the exposure, levels
of the surrogate agent are measured at each pad location and a
determination is made for the localized and overall protection
provided by the ensemble. Additional tests in the CBRN option
include permeation resistance of the ensemble barrier layers to
specific chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals
after the material has undergone extensive conditioning that includes
laundering, heat exposure, repeated flexing, and abrasion at levels
of intended to demonstrate long-term durability and performance
of the barrier. Even in providing this high level of barrier performance,
the overall garment composite must still meet the required breathe
ability as shown in providing an acceptable level of total heat
loss.
A number of changes to the design
criteria have been made to permit flexibility of the ensemble
design. While many of these changes were originally intended to
address changes to allow design innovations for applying the CBRN
option, the committee decided to extend these changes to the base
ensembles as well. These changes will allow new design innovations,
such as Total Fire Group’s integrated boot-to-pant interface,
integrated hoods, Magnet Mate gloves, to use in ordinary Structural
and Proximity fire fighting gear.
Garments
The most noticeable change to
Structural and Proximity fire fighting will be the addition of
a Drag Rescue Device (DRD)). This feature is an integrated system
of webbing rope, or other material into the fire-fighting coat
to permit the rescue of an incapacitated firefighter. The DRD
must be designed such that a portion of the device is accessible
from the coat interior and can be readily grabbed by other firefighters
without interference by the firefighter’s SCBA. The DRD
must permit a firefighter to be dragged horizontally over a specified
distance without breaking. The materials used in the construction
of the DRD are subject to certain breaking strength requirements.
The DRD is not permitted to be used for any vertical operations,
such as lowering a firefighter from a building.
Structural fire fighting coat
collars will be required to be a minimum of 3” compared
to the current requirement of 4”. Proximity coat collars
will remain a minimum 4” height.
The garment composite breath ability
requirement has increase. A total heat loss (THL) value of 205
W/m2 will now be required compared to the existing requirement
of 130 W/m2. This change will eliminate some current moisture
barriers and heavyweight composites, but will afford a higher
uniform level of stress reduction for Structural fire fighting
protective ensembles.
The conductive and compressive
heat resistance (CCHR) requirements for shoulder and knee reinforcements
have increased from CCHR rating of 13.5 to 25. The net effect
of this change will mean that single outer shell reinforcements
for knees and a 3-layer composites for shoulders will no longer
be acceptable in garment design. More extensive layering will
be required for these reinforcement areas. In addition, a new
wet conditioning method has been provided in the test method.
The garment moisture barriers
must now be evaluated for resistance to degradation by UV light.
This test was added to the standard to address the degradation
of the film part of the material that was suspected to be partly
caused by exposure to UV. While the inception of the requirement
was based on the BreatheTex failures noted in the late 1990s and
early 200s, the requirement does not replicate the failure mode
observed for BreatheTex and instead will eliminate all moisture
barriers that are principally composed of polyurethane. The test
involves subjecting an unprotected moisture barrier film to UV
light and then subjecting the material to water penetration resistance
testing.
The determination of trim fluorescence
will now be based on color coordinates and a measured level of
brightness in contrast to the black light visual determination
that is now part of the existing edition. Trim is further permitted
to have gaps of 1/8 inch as long as the trim appears continuous
from a distance of 100 feet. The lower trim band on the coat sleeves
must now be within 2 inches of the sleeve hem. This latter change
was made to help minimize potential burn injuries resulting from
the stored energy in trim; by lowering the band, there is a greater
likelihood of trim overlap with the sleeve waterwell and glove.
The “chest” area for
placement of the upper trim band on coats has been defined.
Helmets
Helmets must still be supplied
with face shields or goggles, but goggles are no longer required
to be attached to the helmet. This change is afforded to help
extend the service life of the goggles.
The ear covers provided with helmets
must now meet a thermal protective performance (TPP) requirement
of 20 or more. Previously, there was no insulation requirement
for this part of the helmet. This insulation is consistent with
the minimum TPP requirement for hoods and wristlets and will result
in more robust ear covers.
Flame resistance testing of the
helmets will now include the application of the flame at the inside
of the brim at the goggle attachment points. This testing will
provide an evaluation of helmet components not previously evaluated.
On structural helmet ear covers
we are now permitted to have a hole for the ratchet to extend
through for ease of adjustment of the headband – this is
not permitted for proximity shrouds.
Trim can now be placed on the
helmet cover in proximity ensemble option, but I s not mandatory.
Gloves
Gloves must now extend a total
of 2 inches beyond the wrist crease whether with a gauntlet or
wristlet, representing an additional 1-inch of glove coverage
as compared to the existing edition of the standard.
Two additional sizes of gloves
have been added (XX-Small and XX-Large).
The conductive heat resistance test as applied to gloves will
be done at an elevated pressure (2 psi versus 0.5 psi) on the
glove back and finger composite materials. This change will affect
the thickness of insulation on the backside of the gloves.
A new test has been added to measure
the liner retention in gloves. The previous test is maintained
as a donning ease test after the gloves have been laundered. The
new test physically measures the force required to separate the
liner from the glove interior.
Footwear
The measured height of footwear
must be minimum of 10 inches (compared to 8 inches in the existing
edition). This height is measured from the interior of the boot
with the insole in place to the lowest point of the boot where
waterproof performance is provided (the measurement does not allow
for stitched through pull tabs and other features on leather boots,
which could cause an area of water penetration). The overall effect
of the new height requirement and measurement technique adds several
inches to the total footwear height when measured from ground
level (some footwear styles may increase up to 4 inches in height
in order to comply with these requirements). The implementation
of this requirement will eliminate several footwear styles from
the marketplace and have a dramatic effect on the design and availability
of lace-up footwear.
Footwear will not be permitted
to be graded for height – even the smallest size will have
to meet the height requirements above.
The puncture-resistant plate used
in the soles of the footwear to prevent nail puncture will now
be subjected to flex cracking test to assess its durability consistent
with other industry footwear standards.
Hoods
Hoods are required to cover the
top of the head where the helmet is positioned; however, the Total
Fire Group vented hood design is still permitted because the areas
requiring thermal protective performance (TPP) include the sides
and neck only.
Hood cleaning shrinkage will now
be measured for the whole hood as compared to the material only
as done in the existing edition. This change in the testing approach
may permit other types of materials that have previously shown
relatively high levels of cleaning shrinkage.
Other
Accessories are no longer addressed
in the standard since it is impossible to address each type of
potential accessory in detail.
Subcontractors that assemble portions
of garments will now have to be registered to ISO 9001.
