Helmets and other Safety Gear

Does anyone out there know how old is to old for Helmets and other Gear. I suppose more specifically Helmets. The reason I ask is our department has no issue what so ever replacing gear, if yours is damaged or heavily soiled. But it seems that unless your helmet is melted down to a ball or cracked in half most of the guys I work with don't seem to pay much attention to it. I admit I forgot about it myself until recently going through an extrication refresher and the instructor told us to remember to disable motorcycle helmets and carseats once they have been involved in a collision. That got me thinking what constitutes a "collision" so to speak for our FF Helmets.

Thanks in advance for your insight,

Jon

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Rob ElliottPermalink Reply by Rob Elliott on April 18, 2008 at 8:42pm
Jon, to start with you really need to get your hands on NFPA 1851. This is the selection, care inspection, maintenance, repair and most important .RETIREMENT guidelines. In fact, you'll be able to read just how much each firefighter has responsibility for the inspection of his own PPE. In the mean time if you grab your helmet by the side brims and try to twist it and can feel or hear grating or from your EMS side crepitis in all likelyhood you now have a real nice mantle decoration. If you've taken a real hard hit and notice that it's cracked or distorted from original again it's probably done. And if all else seems to technical go with your gut ----if it feels unsafe don't use it!! Rob (nagging Safety Officer)
Permalink Reply by Tom Chmielowiec Jr. on April 18, 2008 at 8:55pm
Jon- if your looking for true facts go with Rob's comment of the NFPA 1851, but from my experiences, Cairns says stop using the helmet if there is a surface crack (not all the way through) more than 1 inch long, and if there is a crack all the way through (no matter what length) Stop using it.
Hope this helps
Tommy Jr.
Omnis Cedo Domus

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