SOP 511.26: Occupational Safety and Health/Protective Clothing and Equipment

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|`Functional Area: `
`SUPPORT SERVICES/FIRE`
`SERVICES`|`Reference Number: `
`IVN10-0008`|`Revises`
`Previous`
`Effective Date:`
`NEW`|
|`Subject:`
`OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY &`
`HEALTH/PROTECTIVE CLOTHING`
`AND EQUIPMENT`|||
|`Authority:`
`WETHERINGTON/HODGE`|`Effective Date:`
`4/01/02`|`Page``1`` of`
`5 `|

I. POLICY:

   This standard applies to all Firefighters required to work in
   hazardous environments. It was promulgated to establish
   guidelines for the use of protective clothing and equipment to
   reduce the risk of illness, injury, or death that might result
   from a member’s exposure to a hazardous environment.

II. APPLICABILITY:

   All Department of Corrections Certified Firefighters in State
   and County Fire Departments.

III. RELATED DIRECTIVES:

   NFPA Standards-1971, 1977 and 1981

IV. DEFINITIONS:

   NONE

V. ATTACHMENTS:

   NONE

VI. PROCEDURE:

   A. (General)

      1. Each Firefighter shall wear protective clothing and
         use equipment appropriate for the hazards to which
         he is exposed.

      2. Each Firefighter shall properly maintain the
         protective clothing and equipment that have been

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      issued to him and that are carried on the apparatus
      to which he has been assigned.

   3. A standard washing machine and dryer have been
      provided at each station to allow Firefighters to
      maintain their work uniforms.

   4. Any equipment or protective clothing that is found
      to be unsafe or inoperable shall be red-tagged,
      removed from service immediately, and forwarded to
      the appropriate vendor for repair.

B. STRUCTURAL FIRE FIGHTING

   1. Each Firefighter assigned to fight structure fires
      shall be issued protective clothing and equipment
      that comply with all applicable NFPA standards and
      local requirements. These items shall include:

      a. Helmet

      b. Boots

      c. Gloves

      d. Coat

      e. Pants with suspenders

      f. SCBA facepiece

      g. Hood

   2. No alternatives shall be made to protective clothing
      without the approval of the Fire Services Manager.

   3. Each Firefighter operating within a perimeter
      designated as hazardous by the incident safety
      officer shall wear his full protective clothing in
      the prescribed manner. The incident safety officer
      shall determine when and if it is safe to remove
      some or all of the clothing.

   4. Firefighters shall be fully clothed beneath their
      turnouts (wearing the appropriate work uniform).

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 C. (SCBA)

   1. All self-contained breathing apparatus used by the
      Department shall comply with NFPA 1981 current
      edition.

   2. Unless the safety of the atmosphere can be
      determined by testing and continuous monitoring, all
      personnel shall use SCBA while working in areas
      where:

      a. The atmosphere is hazardous.

      b. The atmosphere is suspected of being hazardous.

      c. The atmosphere may rapidly become hazardous.

   3. Firefighters wearing SCBA shall always work in teams
      of at least two Firefighters each.

   4. SCBA and spare cylinders shall be kept on each
      apparatus and be available for immediate use.

   5. SCBA shall not be removed until the incident safety
      officer has determined by testing that the
      atmosphere is no longer hazardous and that CO levels
      are less than 50 ppm.

   6. A personal alert safety system (PASS) device that
      complies with NFPA 1982 shall be assigned to each
      SCBA and shall be activated whenever the SCBA is in
      use.

D. WILDLAND FIRE FIGHTING

   1. Protective clothing and equipment that meet NFPA
      1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment
      for Wildland Fire Fighting, shall be provided for
      use by each Firefighter assigned to a brush company.
      This includes coveralls or pants and shirts, gloves,
      footwear, helmets, and eye protection.

   2. Wildland gear shall be worn in lieu of structural
      protective clothing when fighting grass and brush
      fires whenever it is available.

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   3. If wildland gear is unavailable, the Station Chief
      shall determine the level of protection that is
      required. At minimum, protection shall include
      Nomex pants and shirt, gloves, helmet, eye
      protection, and footwear that meets NFPA 1971.

E. LIFE SAFETY ROPES, HARNESSES, AND HARDWARE

   1. All life safety ropes, harnesses, and hardware used
      by the Department shall meet the applicable
      requirements of NFPA 1983, Standard on Fire Service
      Life Safety Rope and system Components .

   2. Class I life safety harnesses shall only be used for
      firefighting attachment to ladders and aerial
      devices.

   3. Class II and Class III life safety harnesses shall
      be used for fall arrest and rappelling operations.

   4. Rope used to support the weight of Firefighters or
      other persons during rescue, firefighting, other
      emergency operations, or training evolutions shall
      be life safety rope. Life safety rope used for any
      other purpose shall be removed from service and
      destroyed.

   5. Life safety rope used for rescue at fires or other
      emergency incidents or for training shall be
      inspected before and after each use in accordance
      with the manufacturer’s instructions and may be
      reused provided it has not sustained any visual
      damage due to heat, direct flame impingement,
      chemical exposure, or abrasion.

   6. Life safety rope shall be removed from service and
      destroyed if the rope has been subjected to an
      impact load or exposure to a chemical known to
      deteriorate rope.

F. RESPONSIBILITIES

   1. Each Firefighter shall inspect protective clothing
      and equipment issued to him/her and assigned to
      their apparatus at the beginning of each shift.
      Each Firefighter is responsible for cleaning, care,

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   and maintenance of his/her clothing and equipment
   and for obtaining repairs or replacement items.

2. Station Chiefs shall inspect protective clothing and
   equipment issued to the Firefighters under their
   command during the first shift of each month to
   ensure that all items are being properly maintained
   and are functioning properly.

3. The Station Chief shall be responsible for ensuring
   that all Firefighters operating within the hazardous
   perimeter of an incident are properly attired and
   using the appropriate protective clothing and
   equipment. Any Firefighter who is in violation of
   this procedure shall be ordered to promptly leave
   the hazardous area.

4. A Firefighter who uses a life safety rope shall have
   the rope inspected by the Station chief before the
   rope can be returned to service.

5. The Station Chief shall maintain a record of all
   rope use and shall remove from service all rope
   deemed to be unsafe.