Unit_Iii

PPE is one of the most important elements when dealing with HAZMAT. Whether it’s gloves and an apron for dealing with chemicals, a respirator for painting, or an SCBA for a fire. This is what we deal with every day in the United States Navy. It’s a way of life. This section was a little easy for me because we get HAZMAT qualifications, PPE qualifications, and go through rigorous firefighter training all the time in my job. With death, disease and injury present in many work environments, personal safety equipment is a necessity for workers. These items help stop falls, block fumes and prevent exposure to hazardous materials. One-third of fatalities in construction work are due to falls. Protective equipment such as harnesses and "fall arrest systems" can help prevent death or serious injury from occurring. These systems are essential on steep roofs or other places with a vertical drop-off. There are many hazards that can injure the face or eyes, such as chemical splashes, intense light and flying debris. Personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, face shields and goggles prevent injury from occurring. This is important in work that includes welding, woodworking or grinding, for example. When a worker may be exposed to toxic fumes or particles in an environment, respirators may be required. These are essential to prevent disease and related problems. For example, those that work with asbestos cleanup wear respirators to stop the small particles from entering their lungs, which can lead to mesothelioma, a form of cancer. Employees in the scientific and medical industry are among those who can be exposed to bodily fluids, dangerous chemicals and other materials. Face shields, gowns, gloves and masks are among the gear that keep disease, chemical spills and blood-borne pathogens from coming into contact with workers. Identifying hazards and wearing the proper level of personal protective equipment is essential to worker safety. It can also reduce the overall costs of health care by preventing injury and illness in the workplace. Building materials have changed over the years and many new materials give off toxic byproducts when burned. Any amount of these toxic byproducts can cause negative health conditions to unsuspecting firefighters. Today’s firefighter has been highly trained in using their personal protective equipment (PPE) to guard them against injury and possible death. All parts of a firefighters PPE is essential but one piece that is sometimes left on the truck is the SCBA. Firefighters have become complacent in wearing their SCBA during seemingly “routine” fire runs. These runs include smoke investigations, car fire extinguishments, grass fire extinguishments, overhaul operations, dumpster fire extinguishments, exterior firefighting operations, and training evolutions by the trainers themselves. This lack of protection may be caused by several factors including the bulkiness of an SCBA, the time it takes to refill an SCBA tank, the lack of knowledge of the hazards that are present, and maybe even the traditional “smoke eater” mentality. Firefighting is a unique job that presents many different situations with many different hazards. Fire fighting has evolved over the years to include the state of the art equipment that is currently in use today. Decades ago firefighters were able to extinguish fires by not wearing SCBA primarily because of the products that were being used to build the houses. Wood was a primary source for building materials. There was no carpeting except for an occasional rug. There was no polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for plumbing. There were no plastics or upholsteries, nor were there any synthetic fibers. These materials have been shown to produce toxic gases during combustion. These toxins are produced and are present in smoke. Toxins do not differentiate between large fires or small fires; they are present in smoke regardless of the size of the fire. The problem in the modern day firefighting atmosphere is that most firefighters have become very good at wearing their SCBA during active structural firefighting but they forget to wear their SCBA during many routine calls. Reference, Albinson, B. (1996). Fire pollutants in the atmosphere. Fire Engineers Journal, 32-35.