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What are NFPA rules on the age of bunker gear? Having a hard time finding answers.
I am a member of a small volunteer fire department and the question is what the NFPA standards are for the age of bunker gear. Alot of our gear is older and in great shape but is 10 years plus. If anyone knows or can point me in the right direction it would be great!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Holly on
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. RETIREMENT
•Fire departments must develop specific criteria for removing ensemble and ensemble elements from service.
•Ensemble and ensemble elements must be retired ten years from manufacturing date. The radiant reflective shell on proximity gear must be replaced at five years.
found this one on www.911clean.com/nfpa1851.html
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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I believe it is NFPA 1971...but it was updated a little more than 1 year ago....Now the gear has to be inspected by certified inspector annually and replaced every 10 years.....there is lso new guidelines on equipment you mat want to check out as well...specing out a new rig is going to be a lot more costly.....Paul
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Permalink Reply by Eng10Squad on
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NFPA is only GUIDELINES not standards. We ran into this issue a little while ago at our department. If you keep your gear out of direct sunlight and is cleaned every 6 months the gear should last more than 10 years.
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Best check with both OSHA and your lawyer...if you follow ANY NFPA "guidelines" and not all then you are opening your Department up to a number of legal issues....in court you will be asked why you follow some and not all...when you buy gear is it compliant...? then you followed some didn't you.....? Paul
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I had to go back and make sure before I open my mouth again.....Sorry you are mistaken....NFPA are CODES and STANDADS.....You can check them out by going to their web site.....
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Engine 10 you are correct as they are a guideline. One that most fire chiefs will be held to when they are sued over a gear issue that contributed to an injury or death.
But you are incorrect on the number of years they will last. In the new guideline, the liners need to be tested individually and is expected to fail the water saturation tests (without direct sunlight, without even seeing a fire) in about 3-4 years of general wear. So for a set of gear to last the guidelines recommendation of 10 years, you will have to replace the liners multiple times. I took the certification inspector class and inspect our gear.
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Permalink Reply by Mark C. Oswald on
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NFPA says ten years for the wearlife of the gear. It is a major bone of contention right now as to how far this goes or doesn't go and where the guidelines and SOP's begin and end. A really good gauge is the liner, Gore Tex doesn't like reacting to heat very well, a darker brown area on a normally ivory colored liner is a good indication that it has taken a real good hit of heat. This area will fail the water saturation test. Wearlife in the liner i.e. how long it lasts can only be determined by this test, it is a very hard thing to eyeball when inspecting. If your department is deciding on new gear, I highly recommend that you build inspection panels into the liner to allow you to better determine if the liner system is deteriorating. My new set of gear has this, though it does cost the bucks, it is peace of mind. Failing that, you can send it to a cleaning company for inspection and cleaning, again I recommend this, but you want to go with a company that knows what it is doing and has a good reputation in the service. Other companies can put you at risk by not knowing what to look for.
My own personal view is that this is our gear, if it's issued to me, it's my responsibility to look after it and inspect it for any failure in the system. If I wasn't sure I'd do the same thing and ask someone else who was sure of what they were doing. I used to work for National Safety Clean in PA, who is now Lion Total Care, they would be a great place to start in the education arena, I learned a boatload working there... My $.02 anyway.
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Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on
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I thought it was 8 years, but please check to be sure.
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The most common failure portion of the "liners" during the water saturation test will be in the arm pit area of the jacket/liner. This area has repeated rubbing from normal movement. Yes, seeing a big brown spot from heat is an indicator, but is just that. The liners are failing without ever being exposed to fire. Same goes for the pants/liners.... it will be the crotch or inner thigh from repeated rubbing. This will also be worse, should the gear not fit right and be too big on you. It can become non-compliant from just walking around.
BTW: You don't have to send it out for inspection, you can have your own fire department personnel become trained and certified in your own chosen brand, I suggest contacting your gear manufacturing company.
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Permalink Reply by Brandon Sleczka on
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Thanks everyone you've all been a huge help! This site is great.
Plus if you have time, and are into music made by fire fighters, check out this band "Rule Of Nines",
http://www.ruleofnines.ca/#tab/1
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