What will you receive?
The Expert Commentary document, with detailed information on the new BS 8617:2019 done by industry experts.
What is this standard about?
This new British Standard sets out a cleaning, maintenance and repair programme for personal protective equipment used in firefighting. The idea is to reduce the health and safety risks associated with poorly maintained, contaminated or damaged PPE.
Who is this standard for?
The standard will be used by anyone responsible for establishing a programme for the minimum selection, use, care and maintenance of structural firefighting PPE and individual PPE elements. It will be used in industries where heat and/or flame are involved by e.g.:
- Firefighters
- Railway workers
- Construction workers
- Those working on or near highways
Why should you use this standard?
It establishes a cleaning, maintenance and repair programme for structural fire-fighting PPE to reduce the safety risks and potential health risks associated with poorly maintained, contaminated, or damaged protective firefighting PPE.
This is a critical issue because firefighters are now considered to be at high risk of carcinomas, some of which have been linked to contamination through suits.
The standard also establishes basic criteria for inspection, cleaning, decontamination, repair, storage and retirement of structural firefighting PPE and individual PPE elements. It applies to garments, helmets, gloves, footwear and interface components as used by firefighters.
