scope:

This standard shall specify the minimum design, performance, testing, documentation, and certification requirements for the following PPE, which is used by emergency responders during hazardous materials emergencies and CBRN terrorism incidents:

(1) Vapor-protective ensembles and ensemble elements for hazardous materials emergencies and CBRN terrorism incidents

(2) Liquid splash-protective ensembles and ensemble elements for hazardous materials emergencies

(3) Hazmat/CBRN protective ensembles and ensemble elements for hazardous materials emergencies and CBRN terrorism incidents

This standard shall specify requirements for new ensembles and new ensemble elements.

This standard shall also specify additional optional criteria for ensembles that provide escape from chemical flash fires encountered during hazardous materials emergencies and CBRN terrorism incidents.

This standard shall also establish requirements for ruggedized hazmat/CBRN protective ensembles or ensemble elements that provide a greater level of physical hazard resistance and increased durability and offer the potential for reuse.

This standard shall also establish additional optional requirements for hazmat/CBRN protective ensembles addressing stealth characteristics.

This standard alone shall not specify requirements for protective clothing for any firefighting applications or protective clothing for protection against ionizing radiation, cryogenic liquid hazards, or explosive atmospheres.

This standard shall not establish requirements for respiratory protection other than the type of respiratory protection that is specified for testing and certification of specific ensembles.

Certification of ensembles and ensemble elements to the requirements of this standard shall not preclude certification to additional appropriate standards where the ensemble or ensemble elements meet all the applicable requirements of each standard.

This standard shall not apply to any accessories that could be attached to a certified product, before or after purchase, that are not necessary for the certified product to meet the requirements of this standard.

This standard shall not be construed as addressing all the safety concerns associated with the use of compliant vapor-protective ensembles and ensemble elements, liquid splashprotective ensembles and ensemble elements, and hazmat/CBRN protective ensembles and ensemble elements. It shall be the responsibility of the persons and organizations that use compliant vapor-protective ensembles and ensemble elements, liquid splash-protective ensembles and ensemble elements, and hazmat/CBRN protective ensembles and ensemble elements to establish safety and health practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

This standard shall not be construed as addressing all the safety concerns, if any, associated with the use of this standard by testing facilities. It shall be the responsibility of the persons and organizations that use this standard to conduct testing of compliant vapor-protective ensembles and ensemble elements, liquid splash-protective ensembles and ensemble elements, and hazmat/CBRN protective ensembles and ensemble elements to establish safety and health practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to using this standard to design, manufacture, or test ensembles.

Nothing herein shall restrict any jurisdiction or manufacturer from exceeding these minimum requirements.

Purpose.

The purpose of this standard shall be to establish a minimum level of protection for emergency responders during hazardous materials emergencies and CBRN terrorism incidents.

The purpose of this standard shall be to establish a minimum level of liquified gas protection as an option for compliant vapor-protective ensembles and compliant ensemble elements.

The purpose of this standard shall be to establish a minimum level of limited chemical flash fire protection for escape in the event of a chemical flash fire as an option for compliant vapor-protective ensembles, compliant liquid splash-protective ensembles, and compliant hazmat/CBRN protective ensembles.

The purpose of these options shall be to provide emergency response organizations the flexibility to specify these options in their purchase specifications according to the anticipated exposure and expected needs of the emergency response organization.

The purpose of the hazmat/CBRN protective ensemble and ensemble element requirements shall be to establish five levels of hazmat/CBRN protective ensembles and ensemble elements that provide minimum protection of emergency first responder personnel based on what the incident risk analysis indicates is necessary protection for the intended operations.

The standard shall establish a level of physical hazard resistance for the ruggedized classes of hazmat/CBRN ensembles and ensemble elements that shall be used for operations requiring ensembles and ensemble elements with increased durability.

The purpose of this standard shall be to establish a minimum level of stealth characteristics as an option for compliant hazmat/CBRN ensembles.

Controlled laboratory tests used to determine compliance with the performance requirements of this standard shall not be deemed to be establishing performance levels for all situations to which personnel can be exposed.

This standard is not intended to be utilized for detailed manufacturing or purchase specification, but it shall be permitted to be referenced in purchase specifications as a minimum requirement.