NFPA 1991 Standard on Vapor-Protective Ensembles for Hazardous Materials Emergencies and CBRN Terrorism Incidents

Chapter 1 Administration

1.1* Scope.

1.1.1* This standard shall specify minimum requirements for the design, performance, testing, documentation, and certifica­tion of vapor-protective ensembles and ensemble elements used by emergency response personnel during hazardous mate­rials incidents and for protection from chemicals, biological agents, and radiological particulates (CBRN) encountered as terrorism agents.

1.1.2* This standard shall also specify additional optional crite­ria for vapor-protective ensembles that provide escape protec­tion from chemical flash fires encountered during hazardous materials incidents.

• This standard shall specify requirements for new vapor- protective ensembles and new ensemble elements.
• This standard alone shall not specify requirements for protective clothing for any fire fighting applications.
• This standard alone shall not specify requirements for protection against ionizing radiation, cryogenic liquid hazards, or explosive atmospheres.

1.1.6* This standard shall not specify requirements for the respiratory protection that is necessary for proper protection with the protective ensemble. Respiratory protection for hazardous materials emergencies and CBRN terrorism inci­dents is a critical part of the overall protection and shall be specified by the authority having jurisdiction.

• Certification of compliant vapor-protective ensembles and compliant elements to the requirements of this standard shall not preclude certification to additional appropriate stand­ards where the ensemble or ensemble elements meet all the applicable requirements of each standard.
• This standard shall not be construed as addressing all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use for the design­ing, manufacturing, testing, or certifying of product to meet the requirements of this standard. It shall be the responsibility of the persons and organizations that use this standard to estab­lish safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use of this standard.
• Nothing herein shall restrict any jurisdiction or manufac­turer from exceeding these minimum requirements.

1.2 Purpose.

1.2.1* The purpose of this standard shall be to establish a minimum level of protection for emergency response person­nel against adverse vapor, liquid-splash, and particulate envi­ronments during hazardous materials incidents, and from specified chemical and biological terrorism agents in vapor, liquid splash, and particulate environments during CBRN terrorism incidents.

• The purpose of this standard shall also be to establish a minimum level of liquefied gas protection as an of)tion for compliant vapor-protective ensembles and compliant ensemble elements.
• The purpose of this standard shall also be to establish a minimum level of limited chemical flash fire protection, for escape only in the event of a chemical flash fire, as an option for compliant vapor-protective ensembles and compliant ensemble elements.
• The purpose of these options shall be to provide emer­gency response organizations the flexibility to specify neither, one, or both of these options in their purchase specifications according to the anticipated exposure and expected needs of the emergency response organization.

1.2.2* 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.

1.2.3 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.

1.3 Application.

1.3.1 This standard shall apply to the design, manufacturing, testing, documentation and certification of new vapor- protective ensembles and new ensemble elements. This edition of NFPA 1991 shall not apply to vapor-protective ensembles and ensemble elements manufactured to previous editions of NFPA 1991.

1.3.2* This standard alone shall not apply to protective cloth­ing for any fire-fighting applications.

• This standard alone shall not apply to protective clothing for protection against ionizing radiation, cryogenic liquid hazards, or explosive atmospheres.
• This standard shall not apply to use requirements for vapor-protective ensembles or ensemble elements as these requirements are specified in NFPA 1500.

1.3.5* The requirements of this standard shall not apply to any accessories that could be attached to the product but are not necessary for the product to meet the requirements of this standard.

1.3.6* Requirements of this standard shall not apply to the use of closed-circuit SCBA.

1.4* Units.

• In this standard, values for measurement are followed by an equivalent in parentheses, but only the first stated value shall be regarded as the requirement.
• Equivalent values in parentheses shall not be considered as the requirement as these values are approximate.

Chapter 2 Referenced Publications

• The documents or portions thereof listed in this chapter are referenced within this standard and shall be considered part of the requirements of this document.
• NFPA Publications. National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471.

NFPA 704, Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response, 2012 edition.

NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, 2013 edition.

NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services, 2013 edition.

• Other Publications.

2.3.1 ANSI Publicadons. American National Standards Insti­tute, Inc., 25 West 43rd Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10036.

ANSI Z87.1, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection, 2010.

ANSI Z89.1, Standard for Industrial Head Protection, 2009.

2.3.2 ASTM Publicadons. American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959.

ASTM D747, Standard Test Method for Apparent Bending Modu­lus of Plastics by Means of a Cantilever Beam, 2009.

ASTM D751, Standard Test Methods for Coated Fabrics, 2006 (2011).

ASTM D1776, Standard Practice for Conditioning and Testing Textiles, 2008el.

ASTM D2136, Standard Test Method for Coated Fabrics — Low Temperature Bend Test, 2012.

ASTM D2582, Standard Test Method for Puncture Propagation Tear Resistance of Plastic Film and Thin Sheeting, 2009.

ASTM D4157, Standard Test Method for Abrasion Resistance of Textile Fabrics (Oscillatory Cylinder Method), 2013.

ASTM D6413, Standard Test Method for Name Resistance of Textiles (Vertical Test), 2013b.

ASTM F392, Standard Test Method for Flex Durability of Flexible Barrier Materials, 2011.

ASTM F739, Stan dard Test Method for Permeation of Liquids and Cases Through Protective Clothing Materials Under Conditions of Continuous Contact, 2012.

ASTM F903, Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing to Prevent Penetration by Liquids, 2010.

ASTM F1001, Standard G uide for Selection of Chemicals to Evalu­ate Protective Clothing Materials, 2012.

ASTM F1052, Standard Test Method for Pressure Testing of Vapor- Protective Ensembles, 2009.

ASTM F1154, Standard Practices for Qualitatively Evaluating the Comfort, Fit, Function, and Durability of Protective Ensembles and Ensemble Components, 2011.

ASTM F1301, Standard Practice for Labeling Chemical Protective Clothing, 201 lei.

ASTM F1342, Standard Test Method for Resistance of Protective Clothing Materials to Puncture, 2005 (2013) el.

ASTM F1358, Standard Test Method for Effects of Flame Impinge­ment on Materials Used in Protective Clothing Not Designated Primar­ily for Flame Resistance, 2008.

ASTM F1359, Standard Test Method for Liquid Penetration Resist­ance of Protective Clothing or Protective Ensembles Under a Shower Spray While on a Mannequin, 2013.

ASTM F1790, Standard Test Methods for Measuring Cut Resist­ance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing, 2005.

ASTM F1930, Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Flame Resistant Clothing for Protection Against Fire Simulations Using an Instrumented Manikin, 2013.

ASTM F2010, Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Clove Effects on Wearer Hand Dexterity Using a Modified Pegboard Test, 2010.

ASTM F2412, Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection, 2011.

ASTM F2413, Standard Specification for Performance Require­ments for Protective (Safety) Toe Cap Footwear, 2011.

ASTM F2700, Standard Test Method for Unsteady-State Heat Transfer Evaluation of Flame Resistant Materials for Clothing with Continuous Heating, 2008.

ASTM F2913, Standard Test Method for Measuring the Coefficient of Friction for Evaluation of Slip Performance of Footwear and Test Surfaces/Homing Using a Whole Shoe Tester, 2011.

• FIA Publications. Footwear Industries of America, 1420 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.

FIA Standard 1209, Whole Shoe Flex, 1984.

• ISO Publications. International Organization for Stand­ardization, 1, rue de Varembe, Case postale 56, CH-1211 Geneve 20, Switzerland.

ISO 27, Guidelines for corrective action to be taken by a certification body in the event of misuse of its mark of conformity, 1983.

ISO 4649, Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic — Determination of abrasion resistance using a rotating cylindrical drum device, 2010.

ISO 9001, Quality management systems — Requirements, 2008.

ISO 17011, Conformity assessment — General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies, 2004.

ISO 17021, Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems, 2011.

ISO 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, 2005.

ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services, 2012.

• S. Government Publicadons. U.S. Government Publishing Office, Washington, DC 20402.

Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910.132, “Personal Protective Equipment,” 1994.

• Other Publicadons.

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, Merriam- Webster, Inc., Springfield, MA, 2003.

Assessment of the U.S. Army Chemical And Biological Defense Command Report 1: Technical Assessment of the Man- In-Simulant Test (MIST) Program, National Research Council Report, The National Academies, 500 Fifth St. N.W., Washing­ton, D.C. 20001, 1997.

The Technical Cooperation Program, Chemical Biological Defense Technical Panel 11 on Low Burden, Integrated Protec­tive Clothing, “Final Report: Development of a Standard Vapour Systems Test to Assess the Protection Capability of NBC Individual Protective Ensembles,” Appendix G, Defence Research Establishment Suffield Report, Biological and Chemi­cal Defence Review Committee, Suite 405 2-2026 Lanthier Drive, Ottawa, ON, K4N 0N6 April 1997, UNCLASSIFIED.

2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections. (Reserved)

Chapter 3 Definitions

• The definitions contained in this chapter shall apply to the terms used in this standard. Where terms are not defined in this chapter or within another chapter, they shall be defined using their ordinarily accepted meanings within the context in which they are used. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, shall be the source for the ordinarily acceptecl meaning.
• NFPA Official Definitions.

3.2.1* Approved. Acceptable to the authority having jurisdic­tion.

3.2.2* Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). An organization, office, or individual responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard, or for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure.

3.2.3 Labeled. Equipment or materials to which has been attached a label, symbol, or other identifying mark of an organ­ization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with product evaluation, that maintains peri­odic inspection of production of labeled equipment or materi­als, and by whose labeling the manufacturer indicates compliance with appropriate standards or performance in a specified manner.

3.2.4* Listed. Equipment, materials, or services included in a list published by an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with evaluation of products or services, that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials or periodic evalua­tion of services, and whose listing states that either the equip­ment, material, or service meets appropriate designated standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.

• Indicates a mandatory requirement.
• Indicates a recommendation or that which is advised but not required.
• An NFPA Standard, the main text of which contains only mandatory provisions using the word “shall” to indicate requirements and that is in a form generally suitable for mandatory reference by another standard or code or for adoption into law. Nonmandatory provisions are not to be considered a part of the requirements of a standard and shall be located in an appendix, annex, footnote, informational note, or other means as permitted in the NFPA Manuals of Style. When used in a generic sense, such as in the phrase “standards development process” or “standards development activities,” the term “standards” includes all NFPA Standards, including Codes, Standards, Recommended Practices, and Guides.

3.3* General Definitions.

3.3.1 Afterflame Time. The length of time for which a mate­rial, component, or chemical-protective suit continues to burn after the simulated chemical flash fire has ended.

•  
• Biological Terrorism Agents. Liquid or particulate agents that can consist of a biologically derived toxin or pathogen used to inflict lethal or incapacitating casualties, generally on a civilian population as a result of a terrorist attack.
• CBRN Terrorism Agents. The term used to refer to chemical terrorism agents, including chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals, biological terrorism agents, and radiological particulate terrorism agents. (See also 3.3.2.1, 3.3.2.3, and 3.3.2.5.)
• Chemical Terrorism Agents. Liquid, solid, gaseous, and vapor chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals used to inflict lethal or incapacitating casualties, generally on a civilian population as a result of a terrorist attack.

3.3.2.4* Chemical Warfare (CW) Agents. Liquid, solid, and gas chemical agents (most are liquid) traditionally used during warfare or armed conflict to kill or incapacitate an enemy. (See also 3.3.2.3 and 3.3.2.6.)

• Radiological Particulate Terrorism Agents. Particles that emit ionizing radiation in excess of normal background levels used to inflict lethal or incapacitating casualties, generally on a civilian population as the result of a terrorist attack.
• Toxic Industrial Chemicals. Highly toxic solid, liquid, or gaseous chemicals that have been identified as mass casu­alty threats that could be used as weapons of terrorism to inflict casualties, generally on a civilian population during a terrorist attack. (See also 3.3.2.3 and 3.3.2.4.)
• See 3.3.68.
• A sock-like extension of the garment or suit leg that covers the entire foot.
• Procedures for cleaning, decontamination, and storage of protective clothing and equipment.
• Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear.
• Certification/Certified. A system whereby a certification organization determines that a manufacturer has demonstrated the ability to produce a product that complies with the require­ments of this standard, authorizes the manufacturer to use a label on listed products that comply with the requirements of this standard, and establishes a follow-up program conducted by the certification organization as a check on the methods the manufacturer uses to determine continued compliance of labeled and listed products with the requirements of this stand­ard.
• Certification Organization. An independent, third-party organization that determines product compliance with the requirements of this standard with a labeling/listing/follow-up program.
• Chemical and Biological Terrorism Incidents. Situations involving the release of chemical or biological warfare agents in civilian areas by terrorists.
• Chemical and Biological Terrorism Vapor-Protective Ensemble. See 3.3.64.

3.3.11* Chemical Flash Fire. The ignition of a flammable and ignitible vapor or gas that produces an outward expanding flame front as those vapors or gases burn. This burning and expanding flame front, a fireball, will release both thermal and kinetic energy to the environment.

3.3.12 Chemical-Protective Elements. See 3.3.24.

3.3.13* Chemical-Protective Layer. The material or composite used in an ensemble or clothing for the purpose of providing protection from chemical hazards.

3.3.14 Compliance/Compliant. Meeting or exceeding all applicable requirements of this standard.

3.3.15* Component(s). Any material, part, or subassembly used in the construction of the compliant product.

• Component Part(s). Any material(s) or part(s) used in the construction of a vapor-protective ensemble or ensemble elements.
• The layer or layers of materials or compo­nents.
• Cracking Pressure. The pressure at which the suit exhaust valve begins to open, releasing exhaust air to the outside suit environment.

3.3.19* Cryogenic Liquid. A refrigerated liquefied gas having a boiling point below-90°C (-130°F) at atmospheric pressure.

• Element(s). See 3.3.24.
• Emergency Response Personnel. Personnel assigned to organizations that have the responsibility for responding to hazardous materials emergencies.
• A type of ensemble that provides vapor- or gastight protection, or liquidtight protection, or both, and completely covers the wearer and the wearer’s respiratory equipment.
• See 3.3.64.

3.3.24* Ensemble Elements. The compliant products that provide protection to the upper and lower torso, arms, legs, head, hands, and feet.

3.3.25* Exhaust Valve. One-way vent that releases exhaust to the outside environment and prevents entry of outside environ­ment.

3.3.26* External Fittings. Any component that allows the passage of gases, liquids, or electrical current from the outside to the inside of the element or item as well as any fitting exter­nally located on, and part of, the ensemble that is not part of the garment material, visor material, gloves, footwear, seams, or closure assembly.

• Flammable or Explosive Atmospheres. Atmospheres containing solids, liquids, vapors, or gases at concentrations that will burn or explode if ignited.
• Follow-Up Program. The sampling, inspections, tests, or other measures conducted by the certification organization on a periodic basis to determine the continued compliance of labeled and listed products that are being produced by the manufacturer to the requirements of this standard.
• See 3.3.68.
• Footwear Upper. That portion of the footwear element above the sole, heel, and insole.
• See 3.3.70.
• See 3.3.69.

3.3.33* Hazardous Materials. A substance (solid, liquid, or gas) that when released is capable of creating harm to people, the environment, and property.

3.3.34* Hazardous Materials Emergencies. Incidents involving the release or potential release of hazardous materials.

• Ionizing Radiadon. Radiation of sufficient energy to alter the atomic structure of materials or cells with which it interacts, including electromagnetic radiation such as x-rays, gamma rays, and microwaves and particulate radiation such as alpha and beta particles.
• Ladder Shank. Reinforcement to the midsole area of protective footwear designed to provide additional support to the instep when standing on a ladder rung.

3.3.37* Liquefied Gas. A gas that, under its charged pressure, is partially liquid at 21 °C (70°F).

• Liquid Splash-Protecdve Ensemble. Multiple elements of compliant protective clothing and equipment products that when worn together provide protection from some risks, but not all risks, of hazardous materials emergency incident opera­tions involving liquids.
• Procedures for inspection, repair, and removal from service of vapor-protective ensembles.
• The entity that directs and controls compliant product design, compliant product manufacturing, or compliant product quality assurance; also, the entity that assumes the liability for the compliant product or provides the warranty for the compliant product.
• A response to heat by a material resulting in evidence of flowing or dripping.
• The collective term used to identify a group of individual vapor-protective ensembles or elements of the same basic design and components from a single manufacturer produced by the same manufacturing and quality assurance procedures that are covered by the same certification.
• Outer Boot. A secondary boot worn over the footwear ensemble element or bootie for the purpose of providing physi­cal protection in order to meet the requirements of this stand­ard.
• Outer Garment. A secondary garment worn over the suit ensemble element for the purpose of providing physical protection in order to meet the requirements of this standard.
• Outer Glove. A secondary glove worn over the glove ensemble element for the purpose of providing physical protection in order to meet the requirements of this standard.

3.3.46* Particulates. Solid matter that is dispersed in air as a mixture.

3.3.47* Primary Materials. Vapor-protective ensemble and element materials limited to the suit material, hood and visor material, glove material, and footwear material that provide protection from chemical and physical hazards.

• Product Label. A label or marking affixed to each compliant vapor-protective ensemble and compliant ensemble element by the manufacturer. Such labels contain compliance statements, certification statements, general information, care, maintenance, or similar data. The product label is not the certification organization’s label, symbol, or identifying mark; however, the certification organization’s label, symbol, or iden­tifying mark is attached to or a part of the product label.
• Protective Ensemble. See 3.3.64.
• Protective Footwear. See 3.3.68.
• Protective Glove. See 3.3.69.
• Protective Suit. See 3.3.70.
• Puncture-Resistant Device. A reinforcement to the bottom of protective footwear that is designed to provide punc­ture resistance.
• Recall System. The action taken by which a manufac­turer identifies an element, provides notice to the users, with­draws an element from the marketplace and distribution sites, and returns the element to the manufacturer or other accepta­ble location for corrective action.
• Respiratory Equipment. A positive-pressure, self- contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or combination SCBA/ supplied-air breathing apparatus.
• An amount of the material, product, or assem­bly to be tested that is representative of the item as a whole.
• Any permanent attachment of two or more chemical-protective clothing materials, excluding external fittings, gaskets, and suit closure assemblies, in a line formed by joining the separate material pieces.
• The conditioned element, item, component, or composite that is subjected to testing. Specimens are taken from samples. In some tests, the specimen and sample can also be the same element, item, component, or composite.
• Storage Life. The date to remove from service a vapor- protective ensemble or individual element that has undergone proper care and maintenance in accordance with manufactur­er’s instructions but has not been used either in training or at actual incidents.
• See 3.3.70.
• Suit Closure. The component that allows the wearer to enter (don) and exit (doff) the vapor-protective suit element.
• Suit Closure Assembly. The combination of the suit closure and the seam attaching the suit closure to the suit garment, excluding any protective flap or cover.
• Suit Material. The principal material used in the construction of the vapor-protective suit.

3.3.64* Vapor-Protective Ensemble. Multiple elements of compliant protective clothing and equipment that when worn together provide protection from some risks, but not all risks, of vapor, liquid-splash, and particulate environments during hazardous materials incidents and from chemical and biologi­cal terrorism agents in vapor, gas, liquid, or particulate forms.

3.3.65 Vapor-Protective Ensemble with Optional Chemical Flash Fire Escape and Liquefied Gas Protection. A compliant vapor-protective ensemble that is also certified as compliant with the optional requirements for both limited protection against chemical flash fire for escape only and for protection against liquefied gases.

3.3.66* Vapor-Protective Ensemble with Optional Chemical Flash Fire Escape Protection. A compliant vapor-protective ensemble that is also certified as compliant with the optional requirements for limited protection against chemical flash fire for escape only.

3.3.67* Vapor-Protective Ensemble with Optional Liquefied Gas Protection. A compliant vapor-protective ensemble that is also certified as compliant with the optional requirements for protection against liquefied gases.

3.3.68* Vapor-Protective Footwear. The ensemble element of the protective ensemble that provides chemical protection and physical protection to the feet, ankles, and lower legs.

3.3.69 Vapor-Protective Gloves. The ensemble element of the protective ensemble that provides chemical protection to the hands and wrists.

3.3.70* Vapor-Protective Suit. The ensemble garment element of the protective ensemble that provides chemical protection to the upper and lower torso, head, arms, and legs.

3.3.71 Visor Material. The transparent chemical-protective material that allows the wearer to see outside the protective ensemble hood.

Chapter 4 Certification

4.1 General.

• The process of certification for protective ensembles and ensemble elements as being compliant with NFPA 1991 shall meet the requirements of Section 4.1 through Section 4.8.
• All compliant ensembles and ensemble elements that are labeled as being compliant with this standard shall meet or exceed all applicable requirements specified in this standard and shall be certified.
• All certification shall be performed by a certification organization that meets at least the requirements specified in Section 4.2 and that is accredited for personal protective equip­ment in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment
• Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services. The accreditation shall be issued by an accreditation body operating in accordance with ISO 17011, Conformity assessment
• General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies.

4.1.4* Manufacturers shall not claim compliance with portions or segments of the requirements of this standard and shall not use the NFPA name or the name or identification of this stand­ard, NFPA 1991, in any statements about their respective prod­uct (s) unless the product(s) is certified as compliant to this standard.

• All compliant protective ensembles and ensemble elements shall be labeled and listed.
• All compliant ensembles and ensemble elements shall also have a product label that meets the requirements specified in Section1.

4.1.7* The certification organization’s label, symbol, or identi­fying mark shall be attached to the product label, or shall be part of the product label, or shall be immediately adjacent to the product label.

• The certification organization shall not issue any new certifications to the 2005 edition of this standard on or after the NFPA effective date for the 2016 edition, which is Decem­ber 4, 2015.
• The certification organization shall not permit any manu­facturer to continue to label any ensembles or ensemble elements that are certified as compliant with the 2005 edition of this standard on or after December 4, 2016.
• The certification organization shall require manufactur­ers to remove all certification labels and product labels indicat­ing compliance with the 2005 edition of this standard from all ensembles and ensemble elements that are under the control of the manufacturer on December 4, 2016, and the certifica­tion organization shall verify this action is taken.

4.2 Certification Program.

4.2.1* The certification organization shall not be owned or controlled by manufacturers or vendors of the product being certified.

• The certification organization shall be primarily engaged in certification work and shall not have a monetary interest in the product’s ultimate profitability.
• The certification organization shall be accredited for personal protective equipment in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment — Requirements, for bodies certify­ing products, processes and services. The accreditation shall be issued by an accreditation body operating in accordance with ISO 17011, Conformity assessment — General requirements for accred­itation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies.
• The certification organization shall refuse to certify prod­ucts to this standard that do not comply with all applicable requirements of this standard.

4.2.5* The contractual provisions between the certification organization and the manufacturer shall specify that certifica­tion is contingent on compliance with all applicable require­ments of this standard.

• The certification organization shall not offer or confer any conditional, temporary, or partial certifications.
• Manufacturers shall not be authorized to use any label or reference to the certification organization on products that are not compliant with all applicable requirements of this standard.

4.2.6* The certification organization shall have or have access to laboratory facilities and equipment for conducting proper tests to determine product compliance.

• The certification organization laboratory facilities shall have a program in place and functioning for calibration of all instruments, and procedures shall be in use to ensure proper control of all testing.
• The certification organization laboratory facilities shall follow good practice regarding the use of laboratory manuals, form data sheets, documented calibration and calibration routines, performance verification, proficiency testing, and staff qualification and training programs.
• The certification organization shall require the manufac­turer to establish and maintain a quality assurance program that meets the requirements of Section 4.5.

4.2.7.1* The certification organization shall require the manu­facturer to have a product recall system as specified in Section 4.8 as part of the manufacturer’s quality assurance program.

4.2.7.2 The certification organization shall audit the manufac­turer’s quality assurance program to ensure that the quality assurance program provides continued product compliance with this standard.

• The certification organization and the manufacturer shall evaluate any changes affecting the form, fit, or function of the compliant product to determine its continued certification to this standard.

4.2.9* The certification organization shall have a follow-up inspection program of the manufacturer’s facilities of the compliant product with at least two random and unannounced visits per 12-month period to verify the product’s continued compliance.

• As part of the follow-up inspection program, the certifi­cation organization shall select sample compliant product at random from the manufacturer’s production line, from the manufacturer’s in-house stock, or from the open market.
• Sample product shall be evaluated by the certification organization to verify the product’s continued compliance in order to assure that the materials, components, and manufac­turing quality assurance systems are consistent with the materi­als, components, and manufacturing quality assurance that were inspected and tested by the certification organization during initial certification and recertification.
• The certification organization shall be permitted to conduct specific testing to verify the product’s continued compliance.
• For products, components, and materials where prior testing, judgment, and experience of the certification organiza­tion have shown results to be in jeopardy of not complying with this standard, the certification organization shall conduct more-frequent testing of sample product, components, and materials acquired in accordance with 4.2.9.1 against the appli­cable requirements of this standard.
• The certification organization shall have in place a series of procedures, as specified in Section 4.6, that address report(s) of situation(s) in which a compliant product is subse­quently found to be hazardous.
• The certification organization’s operating procedures shall provide a mechanism for the manufacturer to appeal deci­sions. The procedures shall include the presentation of infor­mation from both sides of a controversy to a designated appeals panel.
• The certification organization shall be in a position to use legal means to protect the integrity of its name and label. The name and label shall be registered and legally defended.

4.3 Inspection and Testing.

• For both initial certification and recertification of protec­tive ensembles and ensemble elements, the certification organi­zation shall conduct both inspection and testing as specified in this section.
• All inspections, evaluations, conditioning, and testing for certification or for recertification shall be conducted by a certification organization’s testing laboratory that is accredited in accordance with the requirements of ISO 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
• The certification organization’s testing laboratory’s scope of accreditation to ISO 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, shall encompass testing of personal protective equipment.
• The accreditation of a certification organization’s test­ing laboratory shall be issued by an accreditation body operat­ing in accordance with ISO 17011, Conformity assessment — General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies.
• A certification organization shall be permitted to utilize conditioning and testing results conducted by a product or component manufacturer for certification or recertification provided the manufacturer’s testing laboratory meets the requirements specified in 4.3.3.1 through 4.3.3.5.
• The manufacturer’s testing laboratory shall be accredi­ted in accordance with the requirements of ISO 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
• The manufacturer’s testing laboratory’s scope of accreditation to ISO 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, shall encompass testing of personal protective equipment.
• The accreditation of a manufacturer’s testing labora­tory shall be issued by an accreditation body operating in accordance with ISO 17011, Conformity assessment — General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies.
• The certification organization shall approve the manu­facturer’s testing laboratory.
• The certification organization shall determine the level of supervision and witnessing of the conditioning and testing for certification or recertification conducted at the manufactur­er’s testing laboratory.
• Sampling levels for testing and inspection shall be estab­lished by the certification organization and the manufacturer to ensure a reasonable and acceptable reliability at a reasona­ble and acceptable confidence level that products certified to this standard are compliant, unless such sampling levels are specified herein. This information shall be included in the manufacturer’s technical data package.
• Inspection by the certification organization shall include a review of all product labels to ensure that all required label attachments, compliance statements, certification statements, and other product information are at least as specified for the ensemble and ensemble elements in Section 5.1.
• Inspection by the certification organization shall include an evaluation of any symbols and pictorial graphic representa­tions used on product labels or in user information, as permit­ted by 5.1.1.5, to ensure that the symbols are clearly explained in the product’s user information package.
• Inspection by the certification organization shall include a review of the user information required by Section 5.2 to ensure that the information has been developed and is availa­ble.
• Inspection by the certification organization shall include a review of the Technical Data Package to determine compli­ance with the requirements of Section 5.3.
• Inspection and evaluation by the certification organiza­tion for determining compliance with the design requirements specified in Chapter 6 shall be performed on whole or complete products.
• Testing to determine product compliance with the performance requirements specified in Chapter 7 shall be conducted by the certification organization in accordance with the specified testing requirements of Chapter 8.
• Testing shall be performed on specimens representa­tive of materials and components used in the actual construc­tion of the protective ensemble and ensemble element.
• The certification organization also shall be permitted to use sample materials cut from a representative product.
• The certification organization shall accept from the manufacturer, for evaluation and testing for certification, only product or product components that are the same in every respect to the actual final product or product component.
• The certification organization shall not allow any modi­fications, pretreatment, conditioning, or other such special processes of the product or any product component prior to the product’s submission for evaluation and testing by the certification organization.
• The certification organization shall not allow the substi­tution, repair, or modification, other than as specifically permitted herein, of any product or any product component during testing.
• The certification organization shall not allow test speci­mens that have been conditioned and tested for one method to be reconditioned and tested for another test method unless specifically permitted in the test method.
• The certification organization shall test ensemble elements with the specific ensemble(s) with which they are to be certified.

4.3.16* Any change in the design, construction, or material of a compliant product shall necessitate new inspection and test­ing to verify compliance to all applicable requirements of this standard that the certification organization determines can be affected by such change. This recertification shall be conduc­ted before labeling the modified product as being compliant with this standard.

4.3.17 The manufacturer shall maintain all design and performance inspection and test data from the certification organization used in the certification of the manufacturer’s compliant product. The manufacturer shall provide such data, upon request, to the purchaser or authority having jurisdiction.

4.3.18 The certification organization shall ensure that the manufacturer tests each vapor-protective ensemble for gastight integrity as specified in ASTM F1052, Standard Test Method for Pressure Testing of Vapor-Protective Ensembles. Each ensemble shall show an ending pressure of at least 797 Pa (3.2 in. water gauge) pressure. The date of the test shall be placed on the product label as specified in 5.1.1.8(5). The manufacturer shall provide the result with each ensemble.

4.4 Annual Verification of Product Compliance.

• All vapor-protective ensemble models and all individual element models that are labeled as being compliant with this standard shall undergo recertification on an annual basis. This recertification shall include inspection and evaluation to all design requirements and testing to all performance require­ments as required by this standard on all manufacturer’s models and components as required by 4.4.3.
• Any change that affects the ensemble or element performance under design or performance requirements of this standard shall constitute a different model.
• For the purpose of this standard, models shall include each unique pattern, style, or design of the individual element.
• Samples of manufacturer’s models and components for recertification shall be acquired from the manufacturer or component supplier during random and unannounced visits as part of the follow-up inspection program. For recertification, the certification organization shall acquire at least one complete vapor-protective ensemble sample outfitted with all manufacturer-provided external fittings. The certification organization shall also acquire a sufficient quantity of compo­nent samples to be tested for recertification as required by 4.4.3.
• Sample vapor-protective ensembles and components shall be inspected, evaluated, and tested as follows.
• Each vapor-protective ensemble shall be inspected and evaluated to each of the design requirements specified in Chapter 6.
• A single specimen of each vapor-protective ensemble shall be tested for overall performance as specified in Section 7.1 using the following sequence of tests:
  • The vapor-protective ensemble specimen shall be tested for gastight integrity in accordance with Section 8.2.
  • The vapor-protective ensemble specimen shall then be tested for liquidtight integrity as specified in Section 8.3.
  • The vapor-protective ensemble specimen shall then be tested for overall function and integrity as specified in Section 8.4.
  • The vapor-protective ensemble specimen shall then be tested for airflow capacity as specified in Section 8.5.
  • A new vapor-protective ensemble specimen shall be tested for overall inward leakage as specified in Section 8.8.
  • If certified for optional chemical flash fire protection as specified in Section 7.7, a new vapor-protective ensemble specimen shall then be tested for overall ensemble flash protection as specified in Section 8.25.

4.6.11* Where the facts are conclusive and corrective action is indicated, the certification organization shall take one or more of the following corrective actions:

• Notification of parties authorized and responsible for issuing a safety alert when, in the opinion of the certifica­tion organization, such a notification is necessary to inform the users.
• Notification of parties authorized and responsible for issuing a product recall when, in the opinion of the certif­ication organization, such a recall is necessary to protect the users.
• Removal of the mark of certification from the product.
• Where a hazardous condition exists and it is not practical to implement 4.6.11(1), 4.6.11(2), or 4.6.11(3); or the responsible parties refuse to take corrective action, the certification organization shall notify relevant govern­mental and regulatory agencies and issue a notice to the user community about the hazard.

4.6.12 The certification organization shall provide a report to the organization or individual identifying the reported hazard­ous condition and notify them of the corrective action indica­ted, or that no corrective action is indicated.

4.6.13* Where a change to an NFPA standard(s) is felt to be necessary, the certification organization shall also provide a copy of the report and corrective actions indicated to the NFPA, and shall also submit either a Public Input for a proposed change to the next revision of the applicable stand­ard or a proposed Temporary Interim Amendment (TIA) to the current edition of the applicable standard.

• Manufacturers’ Investigation of Complaints and Returns.
  • Manufacturers shall provide corrective action in accord­ance with ISO 9001, Quality management systems — Requirements, or an equivalent ISO quality management system for investigat­ing written complaints and returned products.(See also A.4.5.3.)
  • Manufacturers’ records of returns and complaints related to safety issues shall be retained for at least 5 years.
  • Where the manufacturer discovers, during the review of specific returns or complaints, that a compliant product or compliant product component can constitute a potential safety risk to end users that is possibly subject to a safety alert or prod­uct recall, the manufacturer shall immediately contact the certification organization and provide all information about their review to assist the certification organization with their investigation.
• Manufacturers’ Safety Alert and Product Recall Systems.
  • Manufacturers shall establish a written safety alert system and a written product recall system that describes the proce­dures to be used in the event that it decides, or is directed by the certification organization, to either issue a safety alert or conduct a product recall.
  • The manufacturers’ safety alert and product recall system shall provide the following:
    • The establishment of a coordinator and responsibilities by the manufacturer for the handling of safety alerts and product recalls
    • A method of notifying all dealers, distributors, purchas­ers, users, and the NFPA about the safety alert or product recall that can be initiated within a 1-week period follow­ing the manufacturer’s decision to issue a safety alert or conduct a product recall, or after the manufacturer has been directed by the certification organization to issue a safety alert or conduct a product recall
    • Techniques for communicating accurately and under­standably the nature of the safety alert or product recall and in particular the specific hazard or safety issue found to exist
    • Procedures for removing product that is recalled and documenting the effectiveness of the product recall
    • A plan for either repairing, replacing, or compensating purchasers for returned product

Chapter 5 Labeling and Information

5.1 Product Label Requirements. 5.1.1 General.

• Each vapor protective ensemble shall have a product label permanently and conspicuously attached to the inner­most surface of the ensemble when the ensemble is properly assembled with all layers, components, and parts in place.
• Each glove and footwear element shall have a product label attached to the element, or printed upon or inserted in the smallest unit of packaging of that element.
• Multiple label pieces shall be permitted in order to carry all statements and information required to be on the product label; however, all label pieces comprising the entire product label shall be located adjacent to each other.
• All worded portions of the required product label shall at least be in English.
• Symbols and other pictorial graphic representations shall be permitted to be used to supplement worded statements on the product label(s) where such symbols and other pictorial graphic representations are clearly explained in the user infor­mation.
• The certification organization’s label, symbol, or identi­fying mark shall be legibly printed on the product label. All letters shall be at least 2.5 mm (%₂) high.
• The compliance statements and information specified in 5.1.2 and 5.1.3, as applicable for the specific ensemble or ensemble element, shall be legibly printed on the product label. All letters shall be at least 3 mm (Vn in.) high.
• In addition to the compliance statements and informa­tion specified in 5.1.1.6, at least the following information shall also be printed legibly on the product label(s). All letters shall be at least 2 mm (‘/[_B) high.
  • Manufacturer’s name, identification, or designation
  • Manufacturer’s address
  • Country of manufacture
  • Suit model, style, or serial number
  • Date of compliance testing to ASTM F1052, Standard Test Method for Pressure Testing of Vapor-Protective Ensembles
  • Size
  • Suit, glove, footwear material(s), as applicable
  • Visor material (s) for suits
  • Glove component for ensemble (10) Footwear component for ensemble

6.1.13* The interface of and integration of the selected respi­ratory equipment with the protective ensemble shall not inva­lidate the NIOSH certification of the respective respiratory equipment.

• Vapor-Protective Glove Element Design Requirements.
• Glove elements shall be designed and configured to protect the wearer’s hands and wrists.
• Glove elements shall provide protection from the finger tips to at least 25 mm (1 in.) beyond the wrist crease.
• Glove elements shall be constructed using primary mate­rial that shall provide the protection from chemical and physi­cal hazards. The primary material shall include the chemical- protective layer that can be configured as a separate layer or as a composite.
• The glove chemical-protective layer shall be designed to provide permeation resistance to chemicals and gastight integ­rity for the vapor-protective glove.
• The glove chemical-protective layer shall be considered as primary material and shall be permitted to be configured as a separate layer or as a composite with other primary materials.
• The glove chemical-protective layer shall be permitted to depend on the other primary material to provide the physi­cal protection.
• Glove elements shall be permitted to be constructed using an outer glove designed to be worn over the primary glove where such additional gloves are necessary to meet the glove element requirements of this standard.

6.2.5.1 Where the glove consists of multiple layers to meet the glove element requirements, all layers shall extend to at least the suit sleeve interface connection.

• The interface of glove element to vapor-protective suit sleeve interface shall be designed to permit removal and replacement of the gloves attached to each suit sleeve within 30 minutes.
• All external hardware and fittings shall be free of rough spots, burrs, or sharp edges that could tear materials.
• Vapor-Protective Footwear Element Design Requirements.
• Footwear elements shall be designed and configured to provide protection to the feet and ankles.
• Footwear elements shall provide protection not less than 200 mm (8 in.) in height when measured from the plane of the sole bottom.
• Booties, where provided, shall be designed as an exten­sion of the chemical protective suit leg, shall cover the entire foot and ankle, and shall provide protection to the feet when worn in conjunction with an outer boot.
• Footwear elements shall be constructed using primary material that shall provide the protection from chemical and physical hazards. The primary material shall include the chemical-protective layer that can be configured as a separate layer or as a composite.
• The footwear chemical-protective layer shall be designed to provide permeation resistance to chemicals and gastight integrity for the vapor-protective footwear.
• The footwear chemical-protective layer shall be consid­ered as primary material and shall be permitted to be config­ured as a separate layer or as a composite with other primary materials.
• The footwear chemical-protective layer shall be permit­ted to depend on the other primary material to provide the physical protection.
• Footwear elements shall be permitted to be constructed using an outer boot designed to be worn over the primary foot­wear or bootie where such additional boots are necessary to meet the footwear element requirements of this standard.
• Heel breast shall not be less than 13 mm (‘/j in.) nor more than 25 mm (1 in.).
• All external hardware and fittings shall be free of rough spots, burrs, or sharp edges that could tear materials.
• Metal parts shall not penetrate from the outside into the lining or insole at any point.
• No metal parts, including but not limited to nails or screws, shall be present or utilized in the construction or attachment of the sole (with heel) to the puncture-resistant device, insole, or upper.
• Toe impact-resistant, compression-resistant, and sole puncture-resistant components shall be integral and nonre­movable parts of the footwear.
• Footwear shall meet the performance requirements as specified in ASTM F2413, Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Protective (Safety) Toe Cap Footwear, for impact- resistant, compression-resistant, and puncture-resistant foot­wear with the exception that flex resistance to cracking shall not be evaluated.

Chapter 7 Performance Requirements

7.1 Vapor-Protective Ensemble Performance Requirements.

• Vapor-protective ensembles shall be tested for overall liquid integrity as specified in Section 8.3, and ensembles shall allow no liquid penetration; where outer gloves are designed to be worn in conjunction with gloves attached to the ensemble, the outer gloves shall not collect liquid; and where outer boots are designed to be worn in conjunction with garment booties, the outer boots shall not collect liquid.
• Ensembles shall be tested for overall function and integ­rity as specified in Section 8.4 and shall meet the following performance criteria:
  • Ensembles shall have an ending pressure of at least 80 mm (3 ^r/_S2) water gauge pressure upon completion of the functional test.
  • Ensembles shall allow the test subject to complete all tasks while wearing a head-protective device.
  • Ensembles shall permit the test subject to see through the combination of respiration and ensemble visor with a visual acuity of 20/35 or better.
  • Ensembles shall permit the test subject to remove and reinsert their hand into the glove system five times sequentially within a period of 2.5 minutes or less.
• Visor materials shall be tested for resistance to flame impingement as specified in Section 8.7 and shall have an after- flame time of not greater than 2.0 seconds and shall not melt and drip.
• Visor materials shall be tested for high mass impact as specified in Section 8.27 and shall not have full-thickness cracks, holes, or fractures.
• Visor material shall be tested for cold temperature bend­ing as specified in Section 8.14 and shall not crack or show evidence of visible damage.
• Visor material seams shall be tested for seam strength as specified in Section 8.22 and shall have a breaking strength of not less than 67 N/25 mm (15 lbf/1 in.).

7.4 Vapor-Protective Glove Element Performance Require­ments.

• Glove materials and glove seams shall be tested for permeation resistance as specified in Section 8.6 and shall have a cumulative permeation that does not exceed 6.0 [ig/cnr for the 1-hour test period and a cumulative permeation that does not exceed 2.0 (j,g/cm² for each 15-minute interval within the 1- hour test period for each chemical tested.
• Glove materials shall be tested for permeation resist­ance as specified in Section 8.26 and shall not exceed a cumu­lative permeation of 1.25 |xg/cm^L> for the chemical warfare agent Soman (GD or O-Pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate).
• Glove materials shall be tested for permeation resist­ance as specified in Section 8.26 and shall not exceed a cumu­lative permeation of 4 p,g/cm² for the chemical warfare agent sulfur mustard, distilled [HD or bis (2-chloroethyl) sulfide].
• Glove materials and glove seams shall be tested for permeation resistance as specified in Section 8.6 and shall have a cumulative permeation that does not exceed a cumulative permeation of 6.0 (j,g/cm² for the 1-hour test period and a cumulative permeation that does not exceed 2.0 pg/cm² for each 15-minute interval within the 1-hour test period for each additional chemical or specific chemical mixture for which the manufacturer is certifying the ensemble.
• Glove materials shall be tested for resistance to flame impingement as specified in Section 8.7 and shall have an after- flame time of not greater than 2.0 seconds and shall not melt and drip.
• Glove materials shall be tested for cut resistance as speci­fied in Section 8.15 and shall have a blade travel distance of not less than 20 mm (0.8 in.).
• Glove materials shall be tested for puncture resistance as specified in Section 8.16 and shall have a puncture resistance of not less than 22 N (5 lbf).
• Glove materials shall be tested for cold weather perform­ance as specified in Section 8.12 and shall have a bending moment of less than 0.057 N m (0.5 in.-lbf) at an angular deflection of 60 degrees and -25°G (-13°F).

7.4.6* Gloves shall be tested for dexterity as specified in Section 8.17 and shall have an average percent increase of bare-hand control ofless than 600 percent.

• Vapor-Protecdve Footwear Element Performance Require­ments.
• Footwear upper materials shall be tested for permeation resistance as specified in Section 8.6 and shall have a cumula­tive permeation that does not exceed 6.0 pg/cm² for the 1-hour test period and a cumulative permeation that does not exceed 2.0 ng/cm² for each 15-minute interval within the 1-hour test period for each chemical tested.
• Footwear upper materials shall be tested for permea­tion resistance as specified in Section 8.26 and shall not exceed a cumulative permeation of 1.25 ng/cm² for the chemical warfare agent Soman (GD or O-Pinacolyl methylphosphono­fluoridate).
• Footwear upper materials shall be tested for permea­tion resistance as specified in Section 8.26 and shall not exceed a cumulative permeation of 4 ng/cm² for the chemical warfare agent sulfur mustard, distilled [HD or bis (2-chloroethyl) sulfide].
• Footwear upper materials shall be tested for permea­tion resistance as specified in Section 8.6 and shall have a cumulative permeation that does not exceed 6.0 ng/cm² for the 1-hour test period and a cumulative permeation that does not exceed 2.0 pg/cm² for each 15-minute interval within the 1- hour test period for each additional chemical or specific chem­ical mixture for which the manufacturer is certifying the ensemble.
• Footwear upper materials shall be tested for resistance to flame impingement as specified in Section 8.7 and shall have an afterflame time of not greater than 2.0 seconds and shall not melt and drip.
• Footwear upper materials shall be tested for cut resist­ance as specified in Section 8.15 and have a blade travel distance of not less than 20 mm (0.8 in.).
• Footwear upper materials shall be tested for puncture resistance as specified in Section 8.16 and have a puncture resistance of not less than 36 N (8 lbf).
• Footwear heels and soles shall be tested for abrasion resistance as specified in Section 8.19, and the relative volume loss shall not be greater than 250 mm³.
• Footwear soles or ladder shanks shall be tested for bend­ing resistance as specified in Section 8.20 and shall not deflect more than 6 mm (‘4 in.).
• Footwear soles and heels shall be tested for slip resistance as specified in Section 8.21 and shall have a coefficient of 0.40 or greater.
• Footwear toes shall be tested for impact and compression resistance as specified in Section 8.29, and shall have an impact resistance of not less than 101.7 J (75 ft-lb) and shall have a compression resistance of not less than 11,121 N (2500 lbf).
• Footwear soles and heels shall be tested for puncture resistance as specified in Section 8.28 and shall show no punc­ture.
• Optional Liquefied Gas Protection Performance Require­ments for Vapor-Protective Ensembles and Ensemble Elements.

7.6.1 Vapor-protective ensembles and ensemble elements that will be certified as compliant with the additional optional crite-

• Embrittlement shall be conducted in a freezer having a temperature no higher than-25°C (-13°F).
• The material sample shall first be placed on a flat sheet of dry ice with outer surface of the material in contact with the dry ice for a period of 15 minutes under a pressure of 3.5 kPa (14 psi).
• The material sample shall be removed from the dry ice after 15 minutes of contact and immediately placed in the test apparatus.
• The bending action of the test apparatus shall be immedi­ately activated while the sample is still in the freezer.

8.1.9 Elevated Temperature and Humidity Conditioning Proce­dure.

• Samples or specimens shall be conditioned at a temper­ature of 32°C, ±2°C (90°F, ±4°F) and a relative humidity of 80 percent, ±5 percent until equilibrium is reached, as speci­fied in ASTM D1776, Standard Practice for Conditioning and Test­ing Textiles, or for at least 24 hours.
• Specimens shall be tested within 5 minutes after removal from conditioning.

8.2 Gastight Integrity Test.

•  
• This test method shall apply to vapor-protective ensem­bles and to glove and footwear elements.
• Modifications to this test method for testing vapor- protective ensembles shall be as specified in 8.2.7.
• Modifications to this test method for testing glove elements shall be as specified in 8.2.8.
• Modifications to this test method for testing footwear elements shall be as specified in 8.2.9.
• Sample Preparation.
• Samples shall be complete vapor-protective ensemble, glove elements, or footwear elements.
• Samples shall be conditioned as specified in1.2.
•  
• Specimens shall be complete vapor-protective ensem­ble, glove elements, and footwear elements.
• At least 3 specimens shall be tested.
• Where the vapor-protective ensemble consists of multi­ple separate layers, and outer layers are not considered gastight, then only the portion of the vapor-protective suit that is considered gastight shall be tested.
•  
• Specimens shall be tested in accordance with ASTM F1052, Standard Test Method for Pressure Testing of Vapor-Protective Ensembles.
• The following pressures shall be used during testing:
  • Pre-test expansion pressure of 125 mm (5 in.) water gauge
  • Test pressure of 100 mm (4 in.) water gauge
• The ending pressure shall be recorded and reported for each specimen.
•  
• The pressure upon completion of the inflation test shall be used to determine pass or fail performance.
• Any one specimen failing the test shall constitute fail­ure of the test.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Vapor-Protective Ensembles.
• A minimum of one vapor-protective ensemble shall be tested.
• Where the vapor-protective suit consists of multiple separate layers, and outer layers are not considered gastight, then only the portion of the vapor-protective suit that is consid­ered gastight shall be tested.
• Ensembles failing the test shall be permitted to be repaired. A report indicating the repairs made shall be provi­ded by the manufacturer.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Glove Elements.
• A minimum of one pair of gloves shall be tested.
• A test fixture that provides a gastight seal with the cuff of the glove shall be utilized.
• The fixture shall have a valved port to allow air intro­duction and pressure measurement.
• The test fixture shall be permitted to be a vapor- protective suit.
• Gloves failing this test shall not be permitted to be repaired.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Footwear Elements.
• A minimum of one pair of footwear shall be used.
• A test fixture that provides a gastight seal with the foot­wear shall be utilized.
• The fixture shall have valved port to allow air introduc­tion and pressure measurement.
• The test fixture shall be permitted to be a vapor- protective suit.
• Repairs to footwear failing this test shall not be permit­ted.

8.3 Liquidtight Integrity Test.

8.3.1.1 This test method shall apply to complete vapor- protective ensembles.

• Sample Preparation.
• Samples shall be complete ensembles.
• Samples shall be conditioned as specified in1.2.
•  
• Specimens shall be complete ensembles with all layers assembled that are required for the ensemble to be compliant.
• At least one specimen shall be tested.
  • Sodium hydroxide, 50 percent w/w
  • Sulfuric acid, 96.1 percent w/w
  • Tetrachloroethylene
  • Tetrahydrofuran
  • Toluene
•  
• The following information and results shall be recor­ded and reported:
  • Material type or name
  • Chemical or chemical mixture (volume composition of mixture)
  • Cumulative permeation mass (pg/cm²) for each 15-minute interval and for the entire 1-hour test period
  • Minimum detectable cumulative permeation mass (Hg/cnr)
  • Detection method
  • Date of test
  • Testing laboratory
• The average cumulative permeation mass shall be determined for each chemical for each 15-minute exposure interval and for the entire 1-hour test period.
• If no chemical is detected for any replicate permea­tion resistance test, then the cumulative permeation mass used for that replicate shall be the minimum detectable cumulative permeation mass for purposes of calculating the average cumu­lative permeation mass.
• If no chemical is detected for all replicates in a specific chemical test, then the average cumulative permeation mass shall be reported as a value less than the minimum detect­able cumulative permeation mass.
• The manufacturer shall report the average cumulative permeation masses for each 15-minute exposure interval and for the entire 1-hour test period in the technical data package.
• The average cumulative permeation mass for each 15-minute exposure interval and for the total 1-hour exposure period shall be used in determining compliance for the particular material/chemical combination.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Suit Materials After Flexing and Abrading.
• Samples for conditioning shall be 200 mm x 280 mm (8 in. x 11 in.) rectangles and shall consist of all layers as configured in the suit.
• Two samples shall first be conditioned by flexing as specified in 8.1.3.
• One sample shall be flexed with the longitudinal axis parallel to the machine direction of the material, and the second sample shall be flexed with the longitudinal axis paral­lel to the cross-machine direction of the material.
• Following flexing, two samples for abrasion condi­tioning, each measuring 45 mm x 230 mm (1 % in. x 9 in.), shall be cut from the center of the flexed samples.
• At least one specimen for abrasion conditioning shall be taken from a sample flexed in the machine direction, and at least one specimen for abrasion conditioning shall be taken from a sample flexed in the cross-machine direction for each chemical tested.

8.6.7.3 These new samples for abrasion conditioning shall then be conditioned by abrading as specified in 8.1.4.

• Following abrasion, only one specimen for permea­tion resistance testing shall be taken from each sample subjec­ted to abrasion.
• The permeation test specimen shall be taken from the exact center of the abraded sample so that the center of the permeation test and the center of the abraded sample coin­cide.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Glove Materials After Abrading.
• Samples for conditioning shall be whole glove compo­nents or whole glove individual elements.
• Three samples for abrasion conditioning, each measur­ing 45 mm x 230 mm (1 % in. x 9 in.), shall be cut from the gauntlet portion of the sample.
• These new samples for abrasion conditioning shall then be conditioned by abrading as specified in 8.1.4.
• Following abrasion, only one specimen for permea­tion resistance testing shall be taken from each sample subjec­ted to abrasion.
• The permeation test specimen shall be taken from the exact center of the abraded sample so that the center of the permeation test and the center of the abraded sample coin­cide.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Footwear Materials After Abrading.
• This test shall apply to all types of footwear configura­tions. Where the footwear incorporates a bootie constructed of suit material, the suit material flex fatigue resistance test shall be permitted to be substituted for this test.
• Samples for conditioning shall be whole footwear components or whole footwear individual elements.
• Samples for abrasion conditioning, each measuring 45 mm x 230 mm (1 % in. x 9 in.), shall be cut from the center of the footwear upper.
• The samples for abrasion conditioning shall then be conditioned by abrading as specified in1.4.
• Following abrasion, only one specimen for permea­tion resistance testing shall be taken from each sample subjec­ted to abrasion.
• The permeation test specimen shall be taken from the exact center of the abraded sample so that the center of the permeation test and the center of the abraded sample coin­cide.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Seams.
• Seam specimens shall be prepared from seam samples that have a minimum of 150 mm (6 in.) of material on each side of the seam center.
• Permeation test specimens shall be cut such that the exact seam center divides the specimen in half.
• Seam specimens shall be prepared representing each different seam or shall be taken from each different type of

Coated Fabrics, using the tension testing machine with ring clamp.

• The burst strength of each specimen shall be recorded and reported to the nearest 1 N (‘4 Ibf). The average burst strength of all specimens shall be calculated, recorded, and reported.
• The average burst strength shall be used to determine pass or fail performance.
• Puncture Propagadon Tear Resistance Test.
•  
• This test shall apply to vapor-protective suit elements and visor materials.
• Where the suit element is constructed of several layers, then all layers, assembled in the order in which they appear in the suit, shall be tested as a composite.
• Sample Preparation.
• Samples shall be at least 1 m (1 yd) squares of mate­rial.
• Samples shall be conditioned as specified in 8.1.2.
•  
• Specimens shall be the size specified in ASTM D2582, Standard Test Method for Puncture Propagation Tear Resistance of Plastic Film and Thin Sheeting.
• A minimum of five specimens in each of the warp, machine or coarse, and the filling, cross-machine or wale, directions shall be tested.
• If the material is isotropic, then 10 specimens shall be tested.
• Specimens shall be tested in accordance with ASTM D2582, Standard Test Method for Puncture Propagation Tear Resistance of Plastic Film and Thin Sheeting.
•  
• The puncture propagation tear resistance of each specimen shall be recorded and reported to the nearest 1 N (4 lbf).
• An average puncture propagation tear resistance shall be calculated, recorded, and reported for the warp and filling directions.
•  
• Pass or fail performance shall be based on the average puncture propagation tear resistance in the warp and filling directions.
• Failure in any one direction constitutes failure for the material.
• Cold Temperature Performance Test One.
• This test method shall apply to vapor- protective suit element and glove element materials.
• Sample Preparation.

8.12.2.1 Samples for conditioning shall be at least 1 m (1 yd) squares of material.

8.12.2.2 Samples shall be conditioned as specified in 8.1.2.

•  
• Specimens shall be the size specified in ASTM D747, Standard Test Method for Apparent Bending Modulus of Plastics by Means of a Cantilever Beam.
• A minimum of five specimens consisting of all layers in each of the warp, machine or coarse, and filling, cross- machine or wale, directions shall be tested.
• If the material is isotropic, then 10 specimens shall be tested.
• Specimens shall be tested in accordance with ASTM D747, Standard Test Method for Apparent Bending Modulus of Plastics by 100
• Cold temperature performance results shall be recorded and reported as the average for each material direc­tion.
• Failure of the material in any direction shall constitute failing performance.

8.13 Fitting Pull Out Strength Test.

• This test method shall apply to each type of external fitting used in vapor-protective ensembles.
• Sample Preparation.
• Samples shall be an external fitting and the suit element material assembly representative of the construction practices used to fabricate the vapor-protective suit.
• Samples shall be conditioned as specified in 8.1.2.
•  
• Specimens shall be an external fitting and suit mate­rial assembly representative of the construction practices used to fabricate the vapor-protective suit.
• At least three specimens shall be tested.
•  

8.13.4.1 A specimen mounting ring shall be used for clamping the sample.

• The mounting ring shall have an inner diameter of 150 mm (6 in.).
• The mounting ring shall have a means for tighdy clamping the specimen along the circumference of the ring and shall hold the specimen perpendicular to the motion of the pushing force.

8.26.8.3 Any observations of degradation or other abnormali­ties shall be reported at the conclusion of the testing of each specimen.

• The average cumulative permeation for each challenge chemical shall be used to determine pass or fail performance.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Suit Materials After Flexing and Abrading.
• Samples for conditioning shall be 200 mm x 280 mm (8 in. x 11 in.) rectangles and shall consist of all layers as configured in the suit.
• Two samples shall first be conditioned by flexing as specified in 8.1.3.
• One sample shall be flexed with the longitudinal axis parallel to the machine direction of the material, and the second sample shall be flexed with the longitudinal axis paral­lel to the cross-machine direction of the material.
• Following flexing, two samples for abrasion condi­tioning, each measuring 45 mm x 230 mm (1% x 9 in.), shall be cut from the center of the flexed samples.
• At least one specimen for abrasion conditioning shall be taken from a sample flexed in the machine direction, and at least one specimen for abrasion conditioning shall be taken from a sample flexed in the cross-machine direction for each chemical tested.
• These new samples for abrasion conditioning shall then be conditioned by abrading as specified in 8.1.4.
• Following abrasion, only one specimen for permea­tion resistance testing shall be taken from each sample subjec­ted to abrasion.
• The permeation test specimen shall be taken from the exact center of the abraded sample so that the center of the permeation test and the center of the abraded sample coin­cide.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Glove Materials After Abrading.
• Samples for conditioning shall be whole glove components or whole glove individual elements.
• Three samples for abrasion conditioning, each meas­uring 45 mm x 230 mm (1 Y,_t x 9 in.), shall be cut from the center of the gauntlet portion of the sample.
• These new samples for abrasion conditioning shall then be conditioned by abrading as specified in 8.1.4.
• Following abrasion, only one specimen for permea­tion resistance testing shall be taken from each sample subjec­ted to abrasion.
• The permeation test specimen shall be taken from the exact center of the abraded sample so that the center of the permeation test and the center of the abraded sample coin­cide.
• Specific Requirements for Testing Footwear Materials After Flexing.

8.26.12.1 This test shall apply to all types of footwear configu­rations. Where the footwear incorporates a bootie constructed of suit material, the suit material flex fatigue resistance test shall be permitted to be substituted for this test.

• Samples for conditioning shall be whole footwear components or whole footwear individual elements.
• Samples for abrasion conditioning, each measuring 45 mm x 230 mm (1 % in. x 9 in.), shall be cut from the center of the footwear upper.
• The samples for abrasion conditioning shall then be conditioned by abrading as specified in 8.1.4.
• Following abrasion, only one specimen for permea­tion resistance testing shall be taken from each sample subjec­ted to abrasion.
• The permeation test specimen shall be taken from the exact center of the abraded sample so that the center of the permeation test and the center of the abraded sample coin­cide.

8.26.13 Specific Requirements for Testing Seams.

• Seam specimens shall be prepared from seam samples that have a minimum of 150 mm (6 in.) of material on each side of the seam center.
• Permeation test specimens shall be cut such that the exact seam center divides the specimen in half.
• Seam specimens shall be prepared representing each different seam or shall be taken from each different type of seam found in the vapor-protective suit, including as a mini­mum the suit-to-suit material seams and the suit-to-visor mate­rial seams.
• Samples for conditioning shall be 600 mm (23⁹/_]6) lengths of prepared seam or cut from vapor-protective ensem­bles.

8.27 Visor High-Mass Impact Resistance Test.

•  
• This test shall apply to visor materials.
• Where the visor is constructed of several layers, then all layers, assembled in the order in which they appeal’ in the suit, shall be tested as a composite.
• Sample Preparation.
• Samples shall be at least 2 nf (2 yd²) of material.
• Samples shall be conditioned as specified in 8.1.2.
•  
• Specimens shall be 450 mm x 305 mm.
• A minimum of five specimens shall be tested.
• Specimens shall be tested in accordance with Section 9.11 of ANSI Z87.1, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection, with the following modifications:
  • Visor material shall be securely mounted to the test fixture.
  • The sample number shall be indicated.
  • The impact location shall be in the center apex of the visor between the frame members.

The following information is provided to assist emergency response organizations in transitioning from Levels A, B, and C to compliant protection-based standards terminology. Because the OSHA/EPA Levels are expressed in more general terms than the standards and do not include testing to determine protection capability, it is not possible to “map” the Levels to specific standards. However, it is possible to look at specific configurations and suggest their OSHA/EPA Level based on the definitions provided above. Some examples of ensembles and the approximate corresponding levels are provided in the table below.

Emergency response organizations are cautioned to examine their hazard and mission requirements closely, and select appropriate performance standards. All personal protective equipment should be employed in accordance with federal OSHA standards, including those contained in 29 CFR 1910, Subpart H — Hazardous Materials (including 29 CFR 1910.120 — Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response); 29 CFR 1901, Subpart I — Personal Protective Equipment (including 29 CFR 1901.134 — Respiratory Protection) that include requirements for safety and health plans, medical eval­uation, and training.

Types of personal protective equipment and information on related standards, certifications, and products are all available on the DHS-sponsored Responder Knowledge Base website https://wvvv.llis.dhs.gov/knowledgebase?.

1. 1.1.1 This standard does not include any specific design or performance requirements or test methods that demonstrate protection from particulates such as radiological particulates or particulate toxins. Protection from particulates is predicated on the performance provided by the overall ensemble leakage required and tested in 7.1.8 and Section 8.8.

Organizations responsible for specialized hazardous materi­als response functions including ionizing radiation, cryogenics, or fire fighting applications should use protective clothing and equipment specifically designed for protection for those opera­tions.

A.l.1.2 At the time this standard was prepared, the characteris­tics of a dust or particulate flash fire had not been defined by this Committee and, therefore, the Committee has chosen not to assume that these exposures are similar to a chemical flash fire nor are the requirements for chemical flash fire protection adequate as minimum requirements for dust or particulate flash fire protection.

A.l.1.6 The appropriate respiratory protection for this ensem­ble is a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) that is certi­fied to NFPA 1981 and to NIOSH requirements for CBRN SCBA. The testing for this ensemble was performed using an NFPA 1981-compliant SCBA, which is designated in the techni­cal data package. Any NFPA 1981-compliant SCBA can be considered for use by the authority having jurisdiction. However, it is the responsibility of the authority having jurisdic­tion to ensure that the ensemble is interoperable with the intended wearing configuration for that ensemble, which includes all items to be worn by the end user including SCBA.

1. 1.2.1 The requirements of this standard were developed taking into consideration the needs of emergency response personnel for hazardous materials emergencies. This applica­tion can entail a variety of chemical, physical, and other hazards. Other protection needs, such as for routine industrial operations, should warrant a thorough review of the require­ments in this standard to determine applicability.

There are no requirements in this standard that address reuse or multiple wearings of vapor-protective ensembles. Users are cautioned that exposure of vapor-protective ensembles to chemicals could require disposal, particularly if the effective­ness of decontamination cannot be assessed.

A.l.2.2 The testing requirements in Chapter 8 of this standard are intended to establish material performance, not the limita­tions of the working environment for technical rescue.

Users should be advised that if unusual conditions prevail, or if there are signs of abuse or mutilation of the protective ensemble or any element or component thereof, or if modifica­tions or replacements are made or accessories are added with­out authorization of the protective ensemble element manufacturer, the margin of protection could be reduced.

Users should also be advised that the protective properties in new vapor-protective ensembles, as required by this standard, can diminish as the product is worn and ages.

It is strongly recommended that purchasers of vapor- protective ensembles consider the following circumstances:

• Emergency response personnel must wear many items of protective clothing and equipment. Any interference by one item of another item’s use could result in inefficient operations or unsafe situations.
• Different breathing apparatus, communications systems, cooling devices, and other protective equipment might not be equally accommodated by each vapor-protective suit.

A.3.3.13 Chemical-Protective Layer. The chemical-protective layer is considered as “primary material” and can be configured as a separate layer or as composite with other primary materi­als. The chemical-protective layer can depend on the other primary material to provide the physical protection.

A.3.3.15 Component(s). Components include items required for the design and construction of the product and are evalu­ated and tested individually, or are evaluated and tested as a part of the whole product.

A.3.3.19 Cryogenic Liquid. Cryogenic liquids include, but are not limited to, helium, nitrogen, and oxygen.

A.3.3.24 Ensemble Elements. The vapor-protective ensemble elements are the suit (the garment), the gloves, and the foot­wear.

A.3.3.25 Exhaust Valve. Nonencapsulating vapor-protective suits cannot have exhaust valves.

A.3.3.26 External Fittings. Airline, cooling device, and communications system connections or pass-throughs, and glove and boot interface materials are examples of external fittings.

3. 3.3.33 Hazardous Materials. Hazardous materials are any solid, particulate, liquid, gas, aerosol, or mixture thereof that can cause harm to the human body through respiration, inges­tion, skin absorption, injection, or contact.

A.3.3.34 Hazardous Materials Emergencies. Hazardous materi­als emergencies are a special subset of activities during hazard­ous materials incidents. These emergencies are characterized as activity where significant hazards exist to personnel or the environment. Emergency activity takes place in the hot zone as opposed to support functions, which take place in the warm and cold zones.

A.3.3.37 Liquefied Gas. Examples of liquefied gases include, but are not limited to, ammonia, 1,2-butadiene, chlorine, ethyl­ene oxide, hydrogen chloride, liquefied petroleum gas, and methyl chloride. Testing in this standard is only conducted for a limited number of liquefied gases. Users should consult the technical data package to determine which liquefied gases have been tested with the suit’s primary materials.

A.3.3.46 Particulates. For the purposes of this standard, partic­ulates do not include aerosols or liquid droplets suspended in air. Aerosols are considered liquids.

A.3.3.47 Primary Materials. The primary materials can include, in addition to the materials noted in 3.3.47, the wear­er’s respiratory protective equipment where designed to be worn outside the vapor-protective ensemble, the umbilical air hose, and all other exposed respiratory protective equipment materials designed to protect the wearer’s breathing air and air path.

A.3.3.64 Vapor-Protective Ensemble. The vapor-protective ensemble elements are the suit, gloves, and footwear.

3. 3.3.66 Vapor-Protective Ensemble with Optional Chemical Flash Fire Escape Protection. Ensembles meeting these requirements are intended to offer the wearer limited protec­tion for escape only in situations that can result in chemical flash fires. This requirement does not imply any protection for any fire-fighting activities but offers minimum protection from the thermal effects of a chemical flash fire with no loss of suit gastight integrity.

A.3.3.67 Vapor-Protective Ensemble with Optional Liquefied Gas Protection. Ensembles meeting these requirements are intended to offer the wearer limited protection for exposure to liquefied gases for a maximum exposure time of 15 minutes.

A.3.3.68 Vapor-Protective Footwear. Vapor-protective footwear includes boots or outer boots in conjunction with booties.

A.3.3.70 Vapor-Protective Suit. Vapor-protective suits can be encapsulating or nonencapsulating.

A.4.1.4 The compliance of vapor-protective ensembles in meet­ing this standard is determined by the NFPA battery of chemi­cals. Each vapor-protective suit meeting the requirements of this standard has a list of chemicals or chemical mixtures asso­ciated with it.

A.4.1.7 The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), from time to time, has received complaints that certain items of fire and emergency services protective clothing or protective equip­ment might be carrying labels falsely identifying them as compliant with an NFPA standard. The requirement for plac­ing the certification organization’s mark on the product label is to help ensure that the purchaser can readily determine compliance of the respective product through independent third-party certification.

A.4.2.1 The certification organization should have a sufficient breadth of interest and activity so that the loss or award of a specific business contract would not be a determining factor in the financial well-being of the agency.

A.4.2.5 The contractual provisions covering a certification program should contain clauses advising the manufacturer that if requirements change, the product should be brought into compliance with the new requirements by a stated effective date through a compliance review program involving all currently listed products.

Without such clauses, certifiers would not be able to move quickly to protect their name, marks, or reputation. A product safety certification program would be deficient without these contractual provisions and the administrative means to back them up.

A.4.2.6 Investigative procedures are important elements of an effective and meaningful product safety certification program. A preliminary review should be carried out on products submit­ted to the agency before any major testing is undertaken.

A.4.2.7.1 For further information and guidance on recall programs, see 21 CFR 7, Subpart C.

A.4.2.9 Such inspections should include, in most instances, witnessing of production tests. With certain products, the certif­ication organization inspectors should select samples from the production line and submit them to the main laboratory for countercheck testing. With other products, it can be desirable to purchase samples in the open market for test purposes.

A.4.3.16 Manufacturers are not limited in their approaches for designing vapor-protective ensembles compliant with this standard. If the suit design uses combinations of materials or garments to meet one part of the standard, then the same combinations must be assessed for all parts of the standard. For example, if a two-part visor is used such that the visor materials meet the chemical resistance requirement, the outer visor cannot be removed to meet the light transmission require­ment. The same configuration must be used for all perform­ance requirements.

A.4.5.3 For the purposes of this standard, ISO/TS 16946, Qual­ity management systems; ISO 13485, Medical devices — Quality management systems — Requirements for regulatory purposes’, and AS 9100, Quality management systems, should be considered equiva­lent to ISO 9001, Quality management systems — Requirements. Each of these quality management systems incorporate ISO 9001 as the base requirement.

A.4.5.4 For example, such a situation can exist when a product is wholly manufactured and assembled by one or more entities for a separate entity that, in turn, puts its name and label on the product, a practice called “private labeling,” and markets and sells the product as its own.

A.4.5.5 Subcontractors should be considered to be, but not limited to, a person or persons, or a company, firm, corpora­tion, partnership, or other organization having an agreement with or under contract with the compliant product manufac­turer to supply or assemble the compliant product or portions thereof.

A.4.6.1 ISO 27, Guidelines for corrective action to be taken by a certif­ication body in the event of misuse of its mark of conformity, is a component of accreditation of certification organizations speci­fied in 4.1.3 and 4.2.3 of this standard. Those paragraphs contain a mandatory reference to ISO 17065, Conformity assess­ment — Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and serv­ices, in which ISO 27 is referenced.

A.4.6.2 By definition, a hazard might involve a condition that can be imminently dangerous to the end user. With this thought in mind, the investigation should be started immedi­ately and completed in as timely a manner as is appropriate considering the particulars of the hazard being investigated.

A.4.6.11 The determination of the appropriate corrective action for the certification organization to initiate should take into consideration the severity of the product hazard and its potential consequences to the safety and health of end users. The scope of testing and evaluation should consider, among other things, testing to the requirements of the standard to which the product was listed as compliant, the age of the prod­uct, the type of use and conditions to which the compliant product has been exposed, care and maintenance that has been provided, the use of expertise on technical matters outside the certification organization’s area of competence, and product hazards caused by circumstances not anticipated by the requirements of the applicable standard. As a guideline for determining which is more appropriate, a safety alert or a product recall, the following product hazard characteristics are provided, which are based on 42 CFR 84, Subpart E, §84.41:

• Critical: A product hazard that judgment and experience indicate is likely to result in a condition immediately hazardous to life or health (IHLH) for individuals using or depending on the compliant product. If an IHLH condition occurs, the user will sustain, or will be likely to sustain, an injury of a severity that could result in loss of life, significant bodily injury, or loss of bodily function, either immediately or at some point in the future.
• Major A: A product hazard, other than Critical, that is likely to result in failure to the degree that the compliant product does not provide any protection or reduces protection, and is not detectable to the user. The phrase reduces protection means the failure of specific protective design (s) or feature(s) that results in degradation of protection in advance of reasonable life expectancy to the point that continued use of the product is likely to cause physical harm to the user, or where continued degrada­tion could lead to IHLH conditions.
• Major B: A product hazard, other than Critical or Major A, that is likely to result in reduced protection and is detect­able to the user. The phrase reduces protection means the failure of specific protective design (s) or feature (s) that results in degradation of protection in advance of reason­able life expectancy to the point that continued use of the product is likely to cause physical harm to the user, or where continued degradation could lead to IHLH condi­tions.
• Minor: A product hazard, other than Critical, Major A, or Major B, that is not likely to materially reduce the usability of the compliant product for its intended purpose or a product hazard that is a departure from the established applicable standard and has little bearing on the effective use or operation of the compliant product for its inten­ded purpose.

Where the facts are conclusive, based on characteristics of the hazard classified as indicated previously, the certification organization should consider initiating the following corrective actions with the authorized and responsible parties:

• Critical product hazard characteristics: product recall
• Major A product hazard characteristics: product recall or safety alert, depending on the nature of the specific prod­uct hazard
• Major B product hazard characteristics: safety alert or no action, depending on the nature of the specific product hazard
• Minor product hazard characteristic: no action

A.4.6.13 Reports, proposals, and proposed TIAs should be addressed to the technical committee that is responsible for the applicable standard and be sent in care of Standards Adminis­tration, NFPA, 1 Batteiymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471.

A.5.2 Purchasers should consider testing prospective suits by evaluating their comfort, function, fit, and integrity as specified in ASTM F1154, Standard Practices for Qualitatively Evaluating the Comfort, Fit, Function, and Durability of Protective Ensembles and Ensemble Components. These practices entail having a test subject don the suit and wear it during a series of exercises. Two exer­cise batteries are used. The first includes a number of in-place exercises such as toe touches, deep knee bends, and cross arm reaches that are intended to assess the subject’s mobility and create stresses on different parts of the suit. The second involves more realistic activities such as crawling, climbing a ladder, turning a valve, operating a hand truck, and coiling a hose. These tasks attempt to simulate actions that an emer­gency responder might undertake during a hazardous materi­als emergency.

Purchasers and users should be aware that no reliable, nondestructive methods exist to determine the level of contam­ination for exposed vapor-protective ensembles or their materi­als. Therefore, users will not be able to determine how effective decontamination methods are in removing chemical contami­nation from the vapor-protective suit. Vapor-protective ensem­bles that have received a significant exposure to a chemical or