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Chemical PPE mastery:
How fire department hazmat teams stay safe in the hot zone
By Dr Colin Deiner, chief director, Disaster Management and Fire Brigade Services, Western Cape Government
Article from FRI Volume 8 No 5, PPE in hazmat
Hazardous materials (hazmat) incidents remain among the most dangerous calls fire departments face Photo: Department of Fire Services
Hazardous materials (hazmat) incidents remain among the most dangerous calls fire departments face. Whether it’s a leaking tanker on the N1, a chemical spill at a Cape Town industrial site or an unknown release in a warehouse, the correct selection, use and decontamination of chemical personal protective equipment (PPE) can mean the difference between a successful operation and a line-of-duty injury or fatality.
In this article I will attempt to build on the information I shared in my previous article which dealt with understanding the utilisation of chemical PPE during hazmat operations. I will attempt to provide first responders with a practical, field-ready framework for chemical PPE management during hazmat responses. As with any fire, the decisions made during the first few minutes of a hazmat operation will determine the actions of the rest of the incident, this includes your choice and utilisation of your PPE!
In this article I will attempt to build on the information I shared in my previous article which dealt with understanding the utilisation of chemical PPE during hazmat operations. I will attempt to provide first responders with a practical, field-ready framework for chemical PPE management during hazmat responses. As with any fire, the decisions made during the first few minutes of a hazmat operation will determine the actions of the rest of the incident, this includes your choice and utilisation of your PPE!
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PPE selection – getting it right from the start
PPE selection must be based on a thorough hazard assessment: substance identity, concentration, physical state, exposure routes, oxygen levels, flammability and expected task duration. In my previous article I have dealt at length with this topic. The decision on which level of PPE is required for a specific hazardous materials incident must be made well before the emergency occurs. Through a thorough pre-incident risk assessment of fixed installations within your jurisdiction, combined with up-to-date intelligence on hazardous cargos regularly transported by road and rail, fire departments can ensure they have procured the appropriate levels and types of chemical protective clothing to handle the vast majority of products they are likely to encounter. As highlighted in the previous article, suit compatibility software programmes are invaluable tools in this process. In addition, suit manufacturers routinely supply detailed permeation charts that indicate safe working times for specific chemicals, while the Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Pocket Guide remain essential quick-reference resources for initial PPE selection. When making the final choice, responders must always consider factors such as heat stress, mobility restrictions, air supply duration and full component compatibility. For initial response and rapid reconnaissance or fire knockdown, structural turnout gear with SCBA is acceptable; however, personnel must upgrade to the appropriate chemical ensemble as soon as hazards are identified. Any downgrade in protection level may only be authorised by the Incident Safety Officer and must be supported by confirmed air monitoring data. Never downgrade based on assumption alone. |
PPE selection must be based on a thorough hazard assessment
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Pre-donning inspection
Every piece of PPE must undergo a thorough inspection before use to ensure it will provide the expected level of protection. Responders should carefully examine the suit for any tears, cracks, discoloration, seam failure or zipper damage. SCBA cylinders must be checked to confirm they are filled to more than 90 percent capacity, followed by a full regulator function test. Chemical compatibility of gloves and suits with the identified or suspected hazards must also be verified using the manufacturer’s permeation data. All inspections should be properly documented and any defective or compromised equipment must be immediately removed from service and tagged for repair or disposal.
Every piece of PPE must undergo a thorough inspection before use to ensure it will provide the expected level of protection. Responders should carefully examine the suit for any tears, cracks, discoloration, seam failure or zipper damage. SCBA cylinders must be checked to confirm they are filled to more than 90 percent capacity, followed by a full regulator function test. Chemical compatibility of gloves and suits with the identified or suspected hazards must also be verified using the manufacturer’s permeation data. All inspections should be properly documented and any defective or compromised equipment must be immediately removed from service and tagged for repair or disposal.
Every piece of PPE must undergo a thorough inspection before use
Core components of a Level A chemical protective ensemble
Fire department hazmat teams frequently operate under high-pressure, time-sensitive conditions with limited specialised hazmat resources. Many smaller departments lack dedicated teams, full training or the budget for complete, properly maintained Level A gear. As a result, responders may grab the most visible item (the encapsulating suit) and proceed without all supporting components.
Structural firefighting turnout gear (bunker gear) is sometimes mistakenly used or combined with chemical suits, even though it offers little to no chemical resistance (it can absorb or be permeated by many substances). This is not recommended for hazmat incidents.
The critical components that are often overlooked include:
Respiratory protection: The suit is useless without positive-pressure SCBA worn inside the encapsulating garment for vapour tight integrity or an externally placed airline system. It is of critical importance to ensure that the SCBA or airline systems are of sufficient capacity to ensure that the user is able to operate for the required time. Teams might have to wait for an extended period before entering the hot zone and might, in this time, must be suited up (especially if they are the decon or emergency back-up teams).
Inner and outer gloves: Many incidents see responders skipping the double-glove system, leading to reduced dexterity or direct exposure if outer gloves are damaged. “Undergloving” typically entails using cotton gloves to absorb the sweat that will form from the heat generated inside the suite and to prevent the users’ hands from slipping while carrying out work with leak sealing equipment. “Overgloving is when a durable outer glove is placed over the glove on the Level A suit to protect it from any mechanical damage and possible penetration of the hazardous material involved into the suit. This obviously makes tool handling and more detailed work difficult. It is therefore important for hazmat technicians to spend time practicing the possible activities such as leak sealing, product control and operating valves wearing all three layers.
Chemical-resistant boots: Suits may have integrated booties but proper overboots with steel toes/shanks are often omitted, risking punctures or permeation at the feet.
Hard hat/head protection: Rarely worn under the suit due to bulk and discomfort, yet it is required for impact protection in dynamic scenes.
Sealing and compatibility: Tape at interfaces is very seldom done. You may have the best possible suit for the chemical you are trying to control but even then, you may be exposed to the one structural weakness in the suit: the interface areas where the gloves are connected to the arms or where the zippers are located. These interface areas are sometimes not manufactured with the same material as the suit and need additional protection in the case of highly toxic materials. Using chemically resistant tape to seal these areas is the best solution. Also note that when you are utilising an airline system you will also need to tape the area where the airline enters the suit. Despite being an area of “weakness” continuous tugging or stretching on the airline could cause it to be compromised.
Cooling: Working inside a fully encapsulating suit for an extended period of time can create high temperatures inside the suit which could have a debilitating effect on the wearer. There are a number of cooling garments available such as ice-vests or cooling vests, which can provide a level of temperature control. The costs of these cooling garments may vary according to their complexity, however, the simplest (and cheapest) is the vest which has a number of “slots” on its front and back sides which allow you to fit frozen ice packs into them. These vests are very effective, however, the ice will eventually melt causing the water to slosh around and lose its effect. It’s also important to have freezing capability on your hazmat unit to keep the ice packs frozen and ready for deployment.
Fire department hazmat teams frequently operate under high-pressure, time-sensitive conditions with limited specialised hazmat resources. Many smaller departments lack dedicated teams, full training or the budget for complete, properly maintained Level A gear. As a result, responders may grab the most visible item (the encapsulating suit) and proceed without all supporting components.
Structural firefighting turnout gear (bunker gear) is sometimes mistakenly used or combined with chemical suits, even though it offers little to no chemical resistance (it can absorb or be permeated by many substances). This is not recommended for hazmat incidents.
The critical components that are often overlooked include:
Respiratory protection: The suit is useless without positive-pressure SCBA worn inside the encapsulating garment for vapour tight integrity or an externally placed airline system. It is of critical importance to ensure that the SCBA or airline systems are of sufficient capacity to ensure that the user is able to operate for the required time. Teams might have to wait for an extended period before entering the hot zone and might, in this time, must be suited up (especially if they are the decon or emergency back-up teams).
Inner and outer gloves: Many incidents see responders skipping the double-glove system, leading to reduced dexterity or direct exposure if outer gloves are damaged. “Undergloving” typically entails using cotton gloves to absorb the sweat that will form from the heat generated inside the suite and to prevent the users’ hands from slipping while carrying out work with leak sealing equipment. “Overgloving is when a durable outer glove is placed over the glove on the Level A suit to protect it from any mechanical damage and possible penetration of the hazardous material involved into the suit. This obviously makes tool handling and more detailed work difficult. It is therefore important for hazmat technicians to spend time practicing the possible activities such as leak sealing, product control and operating valves wearing all three layers.
Chemical-resistant boots: Suits may have integrated booties but proper overboots with steel toes/shanks are often omitted, risking punctures or permeation at the feet.
Hard hat/head protection: Rarely worn under the suit due to bulk and discomfort, yet it is required for impact protection in dynamic scenes.
Sealing and compatibility: Tape at interfaces is very seldom done. You may have the best possible suit for the chemical you are trying to control but even then, you may be exposed to the one structural weakness in the suit: the interface areas where the gloves are connected to the arms or where the zippers are located. These interface areas are sometimes not manufactured with the same material as the suit and need additional protection in the case of highly toxic materials. Using chemically resistant tape to seal these areas is the best solution. Also note that when you are utilising an airline system you will also need to tape the area where the airline enters the suit. Despite being an area of “weakness” continuous tugging or stretching on the airline could cause it to be compromised.
Cooling: Working inside a fully encapsulating suit for an extended period of time can create high temperatures inside the suit which could have a debilitating effect on the wearer. There are a number of cooling garments available such as ice-vests or cooling vests, which can provide a level of temperature control. The costs of these cooling garments may vary according to their complexity, however, the simplest (and cheapest) is the vest which has a number of “slots” on its front and back sides which allow you to fit frozen ice packs into them. These vests are very effective, however, the ice will eventually melt causing the water to slosh around and lose its effect. It’s also important to have freezing capability on your hazmat unit to keep the ice packs frozen and ready for deployment.
One of the biggest challenges is communicating while wearing full encapsulating suits and breathing systems
Hazmat team communications systems
One of the biggest challenges for hazmat teams is communicating while wearing full encapsulating suits and breathing systems. Heavy PPE with under- and overgloving procedures in place presents challenges to using push-to-talk (PTT) radios. Responders may have limited physical access to the radio and face masks can muffle outgoing voice transmissions and obscure incoming audio. An integrated suit communication (ISC) system typically consists of a speaker, a microphone and a push-to-talk button (and many can be powered by the radio itself). There are a number of modern, innovative solutions such as uniquely engineered earpieces combining an in-ear microphone with speakers for seamless voice communication. There are also push-to-talk systems with a heavy-duty control unit that offers rugged and reliable performance even under harsh conditions. The limit to this is only determined by your budget!
An essential practice on any broader hazmat scene must be the employment of intrinsically safe (IS) radios. An intrinsically safe radio is a two-way radio engineered to operate in explosive atmospheres without generating heat or sparks that could ignite flammable gases or vapours. Modern IS radios have many advantages for hazmat operations which include the elimination of ignition risk in explosive environments with digital radios now offering clearer audio, better battery life, encryption and extended ranges. Modern IS radios also support features like Bluetooth, GPS, man-down alerts, text messaging and Wi-Fi connectivity. Features like lone worker alerts and man-down detection allow real-time emergency response in explosive atmospheres and once considered unsafe, Bluetooth accessories are now entering IS territory thanks to better shielding and smarter circuit design.
Donning/doffing
Having dealt with the requirements for a “full ensemble” we will look at the donning or doffing of chemical PPE.
Donning and doffing chemical PPE in a hazmat environment must always be done by two people because the suit wearer cannot reliably see, reach or check all critical areas, such as zipper seals, glove and boot interfaces, hood alignment and breathing apparatus connections, meaning small errors can result in catastrophic chemical exposure. A second trained person acts as a safety monitor to ensure the suit is correctly fitted, fully sealed and not damaged before entry and to control the doffing process in a slow, methodical way that prevents contaminated outer surfaces from contacting the wearer’s skin, clothing or respirator.
This buddy system also provides immediate assistance if the wearer becomes fatigued, disoriented, suffers equipment failure or is exposed during removal, making it a vital control measure to prevent injury, contamination and operational failure.
Donning procedures – Standard operating procedure
A system we implemented at a previous service I worked at was to have the hazmat team leader taking up a position in front of the hazmat entry team and taking them through the donning procedure step-by-step with the technician assisting the wearier to suit up verbally confirming that each step had been concluded correctly. This way no steps were missed and the incident commander was assured that the teams were having the full benefit of their PPE. Donning must occur in a clean, well-lit Cold Zone area. All jewellery and personal items are removed. The following procedure can be used as a guide:
Level A (fully encapsulating) – step-by-step:
Level B follows a similar sequence but is non-encapsulating. Level C requires donning the suit before the respirator. Log every entrant with suit number and time in.
One of the biggest challenges for hazmat teams is communicating while wearing full encapsulating suits and breathing systems. Heavy PPE with under- and overgloving procedures in place presents challenges to using push-to-talk (PTT) radios. Responders may have limited physical access to the radio and face masks can muffle outgoing voice transmissions and obscure incoming audio. An integrated suit communication (ISC) system typically consists of a speaker, a microphone and a push-to-talk button (and many can be powered by the radio itself). There are a number of modern, innovative solutions such as uniquely engineered earpieces combining an in-ear microphone with speakers for seamless voice communication. There are also push-to-talk systems with a heavy-duty control unit that offers rugged and reliable performance even under harsh conditions. The limit to this is only determined by your budget!
An essential practice on any broader hazmat scene must be the employment of intrinsically safe (IS) radios. An intrinsically safe radio is a two-way radio engineered to operate in explosive atmospheres without generating heat or sparks that could ignite flammable gases or vapours. Modern IS radios have many advantages for hazmat operations which include the elimination of ignition risk in explosive environments with digital radios now offering clearer audio, better battery life, encryption and extended ranges. Modern IS radios also support features like Bluetooth, GPS, man-down alerts, text messaging and Wi-Fi connectivity. Features like lone worker alerts and man-down detection allow real-time emergency response in explosive atmospheres and once considered unsafe, Bluetooth accessories are now entering IS territory thanks to better shielding and smarter circuit design.
Donning/doffing
Having dealt with the requirements for a “full ensemble” we will look at the donning or doffing of chemical PPE.
Donning and doffing chemical PPE in a hazmat environment must always be done by two people because the suit wearer cannot reliably see, reach or check all critical areas, such as zipper seals, glove and boot interfaces, hood alignment and breathing apparatus connections, meaning small errors can result in catastrophic chemical exposure. A second trained person acts as a safety monitor to ensure the suit is correctly fitted, fully sealed and not damaged before entry and to control the doffing process in a slow, methodical way that prevents contaminated outer surfaces from contacting the wearer’s skin, clothing or respirator.
This buddy system also provides immediate assistance if the wearer becomes fatigued, disoriented, suffers equipment failure or is exposed during removal, making it a vital control measure to prevent injury, contamination and operational failure.
Donning procedures – Standard operating procedure
A system we implemented at a previous service I worked at was to have the hazmat team leader taking up a position in front of the hazmat entry team and taking them through the donning procedure step-by-step with the technician assisting the wearier to suit up verbally confirming that each step had been concluded correctly. This way no steps were missed and the incident commander was assured that the teams were having the full benefit of their PPE. Donning must occur in a clean, well-lit Cold Zone area. All jewellery and personal items are removed. The following procedure can be used as a guide:
Level A (fully encapsulating) – step-by-step:
- Don inner chemical-resistant gloves.
- Step into suit legs and pull to waist.
- Don chemical boots (or integral booties).
- Don and check SCBA or airline (open valve, perform positive/negative pressure tests on facepiece).
- Pull suit over torso, arms and SCBA; assistant seats hood without breaking seal.
- Close and seal zipper; connect breathing hose; tape all junctions (double-tape where required).
- Don outer gloves and tape wrists (leave pull-tabs for easy removal).
- Final buddy check: suit integrity, mobility, communications and air supply.
Level B follows a similar sequence but is non-encapsulating. Level C requires donning the suit before the respirator. Log every entrant with suit number and time in.
Donning and doffing chemical PPE in a hazmat environment must always be done by two people Photo: DH7
Operational use guidelines
When operating in hazardous materials environments, strict PPE guidelines are essential to ensure responder safety and operational effectiveness. Level A or Level B chemical protective suits are typically required for entry into the Hot Zone, where the highest level of contamination risk exists, while Level C may be suitable for use in the Warm Zone, provided conditions are closely monitored and the hazard is clearly identified. Air management remains a critical safety factor and personnel must withdraw from the hazard area when one-third of their air supply remains or immediately if the low-pressure alarm activates.
Equally important is the management of heat stress, as encapsulated suits and respiratory protection rapidly increase fatigue and dehydration. Teams must be monitored continuously, rotated frequently and cooling vests used whenever possible. These suits also impose significant limitations, reducing visibility, dexterity, mobility and communication and responders must remember that chemical PPE is not automatically flame-resistant unless specifically certified. In emergencies, any suit breach or SCBA failure requires immediate notification and rapid withdrawal to decontamination, while medical incidents should be managed with the casualty still in PPE until they can be safely moved into the Warm Zone.
Decontamination procedures
Decontamination is a critical control measure designed to prevent secondary exposure and must always be planned, controlled and substance specific. It is often treated as an afterthought, yet the same hazardous product that created the incident in the Hot Zone can easily be transferred onto the entry team’s suits and “walk out” to the decon zone with them. This places the decon team at serious risk, especially if they are wearing lower-level PPE. As a rule, the decon team must wear the same level of protection as the entry team, Level B for Level B operations and Level A for Level A operations.
Decontamination is divided into three categories: gross decon, which involves rapid removal of bulk contamination at the Hot/Warm Zone boundary; technical decon, which includes detailed scrubbing, rinsing and verification in the Warm Zone and emergency decon, which is improvised rapid action in life-threatening situations. A professionally designed decon corridor should follow a structured flow, typically including tool drop, gross rinse, scrub stations, rinse, PPE removal, inner wash and finally drying, redressing and medical rehabilitation in the Cold Zone.
The process must be systematic and buddy-assisted, beginning with a gross rinse while still on air, followed by careful removal of outer coverings and thorough head-to-toe scrubbing and rinsing before controlled suit removal. SCBA and facepiece are removed last, followed by a full soap-and-water shower and medical evaluation.
Decon solutions must always be compatible with the chemical involved, as water is not always safe and may react violently with certain substances. All runoff must be contained as hazardous waste, reusable suits cleaned and inspected to manufacturer and NFPA standards and disposable items correctly bagged for hazardous disposal. Effective decon depends on proper post-use care, accurate recordkeeping and regular training, including annual refresher drills, medical surveillance, fit testing and ongoing SOP updates.
When operating in hazardous materials environments, strict PPE guidelines are essential to ensure responder safety and operational effectiveness. Level A or Level B chemical protective suits are typically required for entry into the Hot Zone, where the highest level of contamination risk exists, while Level C may be suitable for use in the Warm Zone, provided conditions are closely monitored and the hazard is clearly identified. Air management remains a critical safety factor and personnel must withdraw from the hazard area when one-third of their air supply remains or immediately if the low-pressure alarm activates.
Equally important is the management of heat stress, as encapsulated suits and respiratory protection rapidly increase fatigue and dehydration. Teams must be monitored continuously, rotated frequently and cooling vests used whenever possible. These suits also impose significant limitations, reducing visibility, dexterity, mobility and communication and responders must remember that chemical PPE is not automatically flame-resistant unless specifically certified. In emergencies, any suit breach or SCBA failure requires immediate notification and rapid withdrawal to decontamination, while medical incidents should be managed with the casualty still in PPE until they can be safely moved into the Warm Zone.
Decontamination procedures
Decontamination is a critical control measure designed to prevent secondary exposure and must always be planned, controlled and substance specific. It is often treated as an afterthought, yet the same hazardous product that created the incident in the Hot Zone can easily be transferred onto the entry team’s suits and “walk out” to the decon zone with them. This places the decon team at serious risk, especially if they are wearing lower-level PPE. As a rule, the decon team must wear the same level of protection as the entry team, Level B for Level B operations and Level A for Level A operations.
Decontamination is divided into three categories: gross decon, which involves rapid removal of bulk contamination at the Hot/Warm Zone boundary; technical decon, which includes detailed scrubbing, rinsing and verification in the Warm Zone and emergency decon, which is improvised rapid action in life-threatening situations. A professionally designed decon corridor should follow a structured flow, typically including tool drop, gross rinse, scrub stations, rinse, PPE removal, inner wash and finally drying, redressing and medical rehabilitation in the Cold Zone.
The process must be systematic and buddy-assisted, beginning with a gross rinse while still on air, followed by careful removal of outer coverings and thorough head-to-toe scrubbing and rinsing before controlled suit removal. SCBA and facepiece are removed last, followed by a full soap-and-water shower and medical evaluation.
Decon solutions must always be compatible with the chemical involved, as water is not always safe and may react violently with certain substances. All runoff must be contained as hazardous waste, reusable suits cleaned and inspected to manufacturer and NFPA standards and disposable items correctly bagged for hazardous disposal. Effective decon depends on proper post-use care, accurate recordkeeping and regular training, including annual refresher drills, medical surveillance, fit testing and ongoing SOP updates.
Decontamination is a critical control measure designed to prevent secondary exposure
Conclusion: A culture of safety
Chemical PPE is only as effective as the personnel who select, don, use and decontaminate it. By following this approach, fire departments can significantly reduce the risk to responders while maintaining the ability to protect the public and the environment.
Every hazmat response should end with the same outcome: All personnel return home safely.
Departments are encouraged to adapt this SOP to their specific equipment, local hazards and regulatory requirements (including the OHS Act and SANS standards). Regular table-top and live drills using this framework will build muscle memory and confidence.
Stay safe. Train hard. Go home every time.
Chemical PPE is only as effective as the personnel who select, don, use and decontaminate it. By following this approach, fire departments can significantly reduce the risk to responders while maintaining the ability to protect the public and the environment.
Every hazmat response should end with the same outcome: All personnel return home safely.
Departments are encouraged to adapt this SOP to their specific equipment, local hazards and regulatory requirements (including the OHS Act and SANS standards). Regular table-top and live drills using this framework will build muscle memory and confidence.
Stay safe. Train hard. Go home every time.