NFPA 1991
Standard on Vapor-Protective Ensembles for Hazardous Materials Emergencies and CBRN Terrorism Incidents
Organization: | NFPA |
Publication Date: | 1 January 2016 |
Status: | active |
Page Count: | 76 |
scope:
This standard shall specify minimum requirements for the design, performance, testing, documentation, and certification of vapor-protective ensembles and ensemble elements used by emergency response personnel during hazardous materials incidents and for protection from chemicals, biological agents, and radiological particulates (CBRN) encountered as terrorism agents.
This standard shall also specify additional optional criteria for vapor-protective ensembles that provide escape protection from chemical flash fires encountered during hazardous materials incidents.
This standard shall specify requirements for new vaporprotective ensembles and new ensemble elements.
This standard alone shall not specify requirements for protective clothing for any fire fighting applications.
This standard alone shall not specify requirements for protection against ionizing radiation, cryogenic liquid hazards, or explosive atmospheres.
This standard shall not specify requirements for the respiratory protection that is necessary for proper protection with the protective ensemble. Respiratory protection for hazardous materials emergencies and CBRN terrorism incidents is a critical part of the overall protection and shall be specified by the authority having jurisdiction.
Certification of compliant vapor-protective ensembles and compliant 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 be construed as addressing all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use for the designing, manufacturing, testing, or certifying of product to meet the requirements of this standard. It shall be the responsibility of the persons and organizations that use this standard to establish safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use of this standard.
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 response personnel against adverse vapor, liquid-splash, and particulate environments during hazardous materials incidents, and from specified chemical and biological terrorism agents in vapor, liquid splash, and particulate environments during CBRN terrorism incidents.
The purpose of this standard shall also be to establish a minimum level of liquefied gas protection as an option for compliant vapor-protective ensembles and compliant ensemble elements.
The purpose of this standard shall also be to establish a minimum level of limited chemical flash fire protection, for escape only in the event of a chemical flash fire, as an option for compliant vapor-protective ensembles and compliant ensemble elements.
The purpose of these options shall be to provide emergency response organizations the flexibility to specify neither, one, or both of these options in their purchase specifications according to the anticipated exposure and expected needs of the emergency response organization.
Controlled laboratory tests used to determine compliance with the performance requirements of this standard shall not be deemed as establishing performance levels for all situations to which personnel can be exposed.
This standard is not intended to be utilized as a detailed manufacturing or purchase specification, but shall be permitted to be referenced in purchase specifications as minimum requirements.