Standards Development

Scope

The series of documents will cover the requirements for all types of personal protective equipment, (PPE), used when conducting rescues on the surface of a body of water and/or unstable surface and will include PPE used to protect the torso, hands, head, feet, eyes, and ears. (Body of water: Accumulation of water such as an ocean, sea, lake, river, dam, reservoir, pond, wetland, or flooding be it static or moving. Unstable surface: A surface that is subject to movement such as water, ice, mud, and snow.)

The documents will not cover PPE that is used under the surface of a body of water, e.g. dive or underwater operations. It also will not cover PPC used in other high-risk situations such as those involving firefighting, hazardous materials, or biological agents. The documents will describe performance requirements for the PPE and include requirements for marking and manufacturer’s instructions. 

Purpose

Firefighters are increasingly required to conduct rescue activities on bodies of water and unstable surface. Apart from ‘NFPA 1952 Standard on Surface Water Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment’ there is no other known standard or set of standards that can provide a single source of information on firefighter PPE used for this operational activity. The purpose of this series of standards is to ensure that specifiers, test houses and end users have the ability to ensure that PPE used for rescues on the surface of a body of water or unstable surface is fit for its intended purpose and meets necessary occupational safety and health legislation or requirements.