WAC 296-305-02001
Personal protective equipment and protective clothing.
Note:
For wildland fire fighting personal protective equipment and clothing requirements see WAC 296-305-07003, Personal
protective clothing and equipment for wildland fire fighting.
(1) Employers shall provide and maintain at no cost to the employee the appropriate
protective ensemble/protective clothing to protect from the hazards to which the member is or is
likely to be exposed. Employers shall ensure the use of all protective equipment and clothing
required by this standard. Employers shall assure that the protective clothing and equipment
ordered or purchased after the effective date of this standard meets the requirements of this
standard. Full protective equipment designated for the task, shall be worn for all department
activities.
(2) Fire fighters shall be trained in the function, donning and doffing, care, use,
inspection, maintenance and limitations of the protective equipment assigned to them or
available for their use.
(3) Protective clothing and protective equipment shall be used and maintained in
accordance with manufacturer's instructions. A written maintenance, repair, retirement,
servicing, and inspection program shall be established for protective clothing and equipment. Specific responsibilities shall be assigned for inspection and maintenance. This requirement
applies to fire fighter's personally owned equipment as well as equipment issued by the
employer.
(4) The fire department shall provide for the cleaning of protective clothing and
contaminated station/work uniforms at no cost to the employee. Such cleaning shall be
performed by either a cleaning service, or at a fire department facility, that is equipped to handle
contaminated clothing.
Note:
See Appendix A.
(5) Personal protective equipment and clothing shall be of a type specified by NIOSH,
MSHA, NFPA, ANSI, or as specifically referenced in the appropriate section of this chapter.
(6) Station/work uniforms. Station/work uniforms are not themselves intended as
primary protective garments.
(a) Station/work uniforms if provided, shall meet the requirements as specified in the
1990 or 1994 edition of NFPA 1975.
(b) All station/work uniforms purchased after the effective date of this regulation shall
meet the requirements set forth in this standard.
(c) Station/work uniforms include trousers, and/or coveralls, but exclude shirts,
underwear, and socks.
(d) Members shall not wear any clothing that is determined to be unsafe due to poor
thermal stability or poor flame resistance when engaged in or exposed to the hazards of
structural fire fighting. Because it is impossible to ensure that every member will respond to an
incident in a station/work uniform or will change out of fabrics that have poor thermal stability
or ignite easily, before donning protective garments, the fire department shall inform members
of the hazards of fabrics that melt, drip, burn, stick to the skin and cause burns to the wearer due
to poor thermal stability or poor flame resistance.
(e) Garments meeting the requirements of WAC 296-305-07003(1), meet the intent of
this section.
(f) Station/work uniforms purchased prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be
acceptable for a period of two years or until the employers current inventory has been exhausted,
whichever comes first.
(7) Turnout clothing/pants and coat:
Proximity clothing:
(a) All turnout clothing used as proximity clothing shall meet the requirements of NFPA,
1976 Standard on Protective Clothing for Proximity Fire Fighting, 1992 edition.
(b) There shall be at least a two-inch overlap of all layers of the protective coat and the
protective trousers so there is no gaping of the total thermal protection when the protective
garments are worn. The minimum overlap shall be determined by measuring the garments on
the wearer, without SCBA, with the wearer in the most stretched position, hands together
reaching overhead as high as possible.
(c) Single piece protective coveralls shall not be required to have an overlap of all layers
as long as there is continuous full thermal protection.
(d) Fire departments that provide protective coats with protective resilient wristlets
secured through a thumb opening may provide gloves of the gauntlet type for use with these
protective coats. Fire departments that do not provide such wristlets attached to all protective
coats shall provide gloves of the wristlet type for use with these protective coats.
(8) Structural fire fighting clothing.
(a) All turnout clothing purchased after the effective date of these regulations shall meet
the requirements of the 1991 edition of NFPA, Standard on Protective Clothing for Structural
Fire Fighting 1971 or the 1997 edition of NFPA, Standard on Protective Ensemble for Structural
Fire Fighting 1971. In no case, shall fire fighters wear personal protective clothing
manufactured prior to the 1986 edition, NFPA, Standard on Protective Clothing for Structural
Fire Fighting 1971.
(b) Turnout clothing shall be maintained as specified by the manufacturer.
(c) Repairs to turnout clothing shall be done to the manufacturers specification by
qualified individuals approved by the manufacturer. Repairs must be made using materials and
methods in accordance with the applicable standards under which the article was produced. Repairs include any and all alterations, modifications, additions, deletions or any other change
made to the manufacturers PPE article.
(d) Turnout clothing which is damaged or does not comply with this section shall not be
used.
(e) All turnout clothing shall be inspected semi-annually by an individual qualified by the
employer. Inspection intervals shall not exceed six months.