GN 4-8 Care Maintenance Inspection and Replacement of Structural

Ontario Fire Service
Section 21 Advisory
Committee
Ministry of Labour
Ministére du Travail
FIRE FIGHTERS GUIDANCE NOTE # 4-8
ISSUE:
CARE, MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT
OF STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTING PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Under clause 25(1)(b) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), employers
have a duty to maintain equipment in good condition. Clause 25(2)(h) of the OHSA also
requires the employer to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the
protection of a worker and so the care and maintenance of structural firefighting
personal protective equipment (PPE) is of the utmost importance.
All PPE should be kept clean as soiled or dirty elements may expose firefighters to
hazardous chemicals and reduce the effectiveness of the protection it is intended to
provide. It is also important that soiled or contaminated PPE not be transported in a
personal vehicle, taken into the fire fighter’s home or into the living quarters of a fire
station unless in an approved gear bag or container.
Carrying PPE in personal vehicles may facilitate the off-gassing of toxins and
carcinogens, especially when the PPE is heated by elevated temperatures (i.e.: from
the sun). Career and volunteer firefighters and combination fire services have some
specific challenges that are different and need to be addressed.
After responding to an incident where PPE has been contaminated it must be cleaned
and clothing must be washed. Departments should establish, where possible, field
decontamination procedures and additionally identify or provide proper facilities that can
be responsive to quickly clean and decontaminate PPE. Other protective actions could
include: keeping contaminated PPE in closed, zippered duffle bags or large sealed
storage bins and taking contaminated PPE back to the fire station (ideally on the fire
apparatus) for washing, cleaning and decontamination prior to inspection.
Life expectancy of PPE depends on such factors as the type of and amount of use to
which each element has been exposed and the length of time since it was
manufactured. Elements of PPE include: boots, gloves, helmet, turnout coat and pants
(Bunker gear) and protective hoods.
Fire departments should develop a program for the care, maintenance, inspection and
replacement of all PPE elements. Implementation of a program should require that all
Care, Maintenance, Inspection and Replacement of
Structural Firefighting Personal Protective Equipment
Effective: June 2002
Revised: May 2011, Aug2014
Page 1 of 2
Ontario Fire Service
Section 21 Advisory
Committee
Ministry of Labour
Ministére du Travail
PPE elements are inspected after use and on a regular basis. PPE elements should be
assessed at each inspection to determine whether the element needs to be repaired or
replaced. A program should include requirements for cleaning and decontamination,
advanced cleaning, routine inspection, advanced inspection, repairs, storage, records,
and retirement of bunker gear (coat, trousers, and coverall elements of the protective
ensemble) from emergency service operations after no longer than a 10-year life cycle.
(reference: NFPA 1851)
Depending on its condition and the circumstances, it may still be possible to use some
ensemble components that have been removed from emergency service operations for
activities that do not involve the risk of exposure to thermal hazards, such as certain
training evolutions. Retired bunker gear should be appropriately marked as being for
non-live fire training only.
Reference:
See s. 5 of Ontario Regulation 714/94 (Firefighters – Protective Equipment), regarding
the standards for minimum design, performance, testing, and certification requirements
that structural firefighting protective garments must meet or exceed.
GN # 4-1 Firefighters Protective Equipment Regulation
Occupational Health and Safety Act, clauses 25(1)(b) and 25(2)(h)
The manufacturers’ instructions on the care, use, and limitations of the equipment,
including the information contained on equipment labels, should also be consulted by
the employers’ program administrators.
For additional information regarding the maintenance of structural firefighting personal
protective equipment NFPA 1851, 2014 edition, Standard on Selection, Care and
Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire
Fighting may be consulted.
Care, Maintenance, Inspection and Replacement of
Structural Firefighting Personal Protective Equipment
Effective: June 2002
Revised: May 2011, Aug2014
Page 2 of 2

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