Reducing Firefighters’ Chemical Exposures from Contaminated Skin or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Through direct contact to the skin or off-gassing from PPE, firefighters can be exposed to potentially hazardous chemicals both during and after firefighting activities.  

OMAG is issuing this alert to Oklahoma Fire Departments to raise awareness of this type of chemical exposure and encourage them to train firefighters in ways to minimize it.  

Minimize breathing contaminants:  

• Maintain and test SCBAs routinely to ensure their proper function  

• Use proper respiratory protection from initial attack, overhaul, and investigation  

• Remain upwind of the fire if not directly involved in the response  

• Provide as much natural ventilation as feasible to burned structures before starting investigations and when responders are not wearing respiratory protection  

Minimize skin absorption:  

• Wear long hoods that are unlikely to come untucked during response  

• Keep protective ensembles on during overhaul  

• Do gross field decontamination of PPE to remove as much soot and particulate matter as possible  

• Wash hands immediately and shower as soon as possible after a fire response  

• Use moistened wipes to remove as much soot as possible from head, neck, jaw, throat, underarms, and hands immediately while still on the scene  

• Clean PPE, gloves, hood, and helmet immediately after a fire response  

• Have turnout gear cleaned routinely in accordance with NFPA 1851 or the latest version. 

Minimize inhalation of chemicals released from contaminated gear:  

• Remove SCBA and hood last when doffing gear during decontamination  

• Doff gear before entering the rehab area  

• Consider bagging contaminated PPE and securing it in an apparatus compartment  

• Do not take contaminated clothes or PPE home or store them in your vehicle  

• Decontaminate the interior of fire vehicles after fires 

Training firefighters to adhere to these precautions can save lives, prolong careers, and save thousands of dollars in workers’ compensation claims. 

Fire Extinguisher Basics

View fullsize

It’s important to help employees understand that with proper training and education, fire extinguishers can save lives and property. Many adults may not know how or when to use fire extinguishers. OMAG encourages our municipalities to hold fire safety training, teaching employees how to use a fire extinguisher, when to use one, and what a particular fire extinguisher’s limit are.  

There are five primary classes of fire extinguishers, each designed to put out different kinds of fires. Class A is for use on ordinary materials like cloth, wood, and paper. Class B is for use on combustible and flammable liquids like grease, gasoline, oil, and oil-based paints. Class C is used on electrical equipment like appliances, tools, computers, or other equipment that is plugged in. Class D extinguishers are for use on flammable metals and are specialized extinguishers usually for factories. Any time an SDS (Safety Data Sheet) recommends a product requiring a Class D extinguisher, there should be one present in the facility. Finally, there are Class K fire extinguishers, which are used for vegetable oils and animal fats used in cooking appliances. Most offices, vehicles, shops, and homes now use multipurpose fire extinguishers that are labeled Classes A, B, & C and can handle almost any type of fire. 

Help employees decide when to use a fire extinguisher: 

Fire extinguishers can be helpful on a small fire that hasn’t left its point of origin. Consider providing a checklist to help people prepare to use a fire extinguisher on a fire. 

• Have I alerted others in the facility that there is a fire? 

• Has someone called the fire department? 

• Am I physically able to use a fire extinguisher? 

• Is the fire small and contained in a single object (frying pan, wastebasket)? 

• Do I have a clear escape route, should my efforts fail? 

Use a fire extinguisher when all these questions are answered “Yes.” If you are unsure about whether or not it is safe to use an extinguisher, alert others, leave the building, and call 911 from a mobile phone. 

Teach employees how to use a fire extinguisher: 

When operating a fire extinguisher, remember the acronym PASS – 

Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, don’t grip the squeeze handles, and pull the pin preventing the squeeze handles from closing on themselves. 

Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire where the fuel is. 

Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly to disperse the fire repelling agent. Squeeze the lever intermittently to give you more control and fire fighting time. Avoid holding the trigger down and dispersing the agent all at once. 

Sweep the nozzle from side to side, covering the fuel area, and move in on the fire as it recedes. 

Educate employees on the importance of fire extinguisher maintenance: 

Remind employees to inspect fire extinguishers at least monthly. We don’t use them often, but when we need them, we need to be able to get to them and they must be reliable. 

• Easy access in an emergency – nothing is blocking or limiting our ability to get to it. The fire extinguishers are mounted and clearly marked with signage denoting where they are. 

• Inspect the extinguishers monthly – make sure the gauge arrow is in the green showing it is properly pressurized. Make sure all parts (can, hoses, nozzles) are free from damage and not clogged. Shake the extinguisher thoroughly to keep the retardant powder from compacting. 

• Make sure the extinguisher is clean and that there is no dust, oil, or grease on the outside of the extinguisher. 

• Make sure there are basic instructions on the use of the fire extinguisher on the label and that they are legible. 

Hands-on training by a qualified instructor is the best way to teach employees how to properly use a fire extinguisher. The experience will help employees better understand the procedures and processes in fighting a fire and the instructor can point out any concerns, field questions by the participants, and provide encouragement to anyone who doesn’t feel confident in their ability to use the extinguisher. 

Counterfeit Respirators

Be Careful When Purchasing Respirators 

Some supply distributors are selling counterfeit respirators that are falsely being sold as NIOSH- approved and may not be capable of providing appropriate respiratory protection to workers.  

NIOSH-approved respirators have an approval label on or within the packaging of the respirator (i.e. on the box or within the user instructions). Additionally, an abbreviated approval is on the FFR (filtering facepiece respirator) itself. You can verify the approval number on the NIOSH Certified Equipment List or the NIOSH Trusted-Source page to determine if the respirators you are intending to purchase have been approved by NIOSH. NIOSH-approved FFRs will always have one of the following designations: N95, N99, N100, R95, R99, R100, P95, P99, or P100.  

Signs a respirator may be counterfeit:  

• No markings at all on the filtering facepiece respirator  

• No approval number on the filtering facepiece respirator or headband  

• No NIOSH markings  

• NIOSH spelled incorrectly  

• Presence of decorative fabric or other decorative add-ons (e.g. sequins)  

• Claims for the approval for children (NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children)  

• Filtering facepiece respirator has ear loops instead of headbands  

Before buying large quantities of respirators from a third-party marketplace or unfamiliar website, look for the following possible warning signs:  

• Third-party marketplaces 

• If a listing claims to be “legitimate” or “genuine,” it probably isn’t  

• Examine transactions history and feedback/comments section if possible  

• Are there fluctuations of items traded over time (high and low periods of transactions)?  

• Are there price deviations and fluctuations (is it too good to be true)?  

• Look at the quantity a seller has in stock (advertising unlimited stock could be an indication the respirators are not approved)  

• Does the seller break marketplace policy and hide their contact information within images to circumvent filters?  

• On websites  

• Is the primary contact email address connected to the website or is it a free email account?  

• Look for bad grammar, typos, and other errors  

• Watch for cookie-cutter websites, where sellers interchange several websites, making mistakes (mixed up logos, site partially unfinished, blank pages, a nonsense privacy policy, misspelling the domain)  

If you are purchasing safety equipment for your employees (like respirators) and you find an incredible deal, do some further research before buying. Don’t put your limited resources and your employees at risk. Make sure the equipment has a proper NIOSH approval. 

First Recipient of the OMAG Sanitary Sewer Equipment Grant (Lone Wolf)

Congratulations to the Town of Lone Wolf! They are the first municipality to receive OMAG’s new Sanitary Sewer Equipment (SSE) grant.  The grant was used to purchase a refurbished Sewer Equipment Co. of America Model 747 jetter unit. Prior to making use of the SSE grant, Lone Wolf didn’t have a jetter. Now, with the addition of this jetter along with their sewer push camera, Lone Wolf will be able to better identify problem areas and maintain their sewer collection system.  

OMAG recognizes there are few if any grant opportunities for the purchase of sanitary sewer equipment. In response, the SSE grant was introduced in July 2020.  The SSE grant is a 1:1 matching funds, post-purchase grant with a maximum benefit of $10,000, and is available to all OMAG members.  

Fire Safety Procedures for the Workplace

A fire in the workplace can be one of the most devastating hazards for not only workers but for the public as well. It can result in numerous serious injuries or even fatalities, not to mention extensive property damage. Fire safety is very important! Be sure to train employees on your municipality’s fire procedures. If procedures are being ignored or are unclear, then schedule a fire safety meeting to train new employees, retrain veteran employees, and give knowledge and confidence to them all.  

Basic fire safety you must know for every worksite:  

• Know the location of fire extinguishers and/or fire alarm pull stations in your work environment. You should always know where the closest extinguisher is.  

• Know where the nearest emergency exit is and where alternate exits are located.  

• Know the difference between alarm signals to quickly recognize the situation (fire, tornado, active shooter, etc.)  

If you discover a fire:  

• Alert all other individuals in the workplace by activating the nearest fire alarm, shouting clearly, or by using other procedures set in place by your municipality.  

• Use the nearest exit to evacuate the workplace and go to the appropriate rendezvous location.  

• Use a fire extinguisher to put the fire out if it has not left its point of origin, you have been trained to use a fire extinguisher, and you have a sufficient way to escape if your efforts don’t put the fire out.  

During an evacuation of a worksite:  

• Stay calm and evacuate immediately when you hear the alarm.  

• Along the escape route close (but don’t lock) all windows and doors you pass. This helps reduce fire, smoke, and fumes from spreading throughout the facility.  

• Go to the rendezvous or assembly area immediately and check in with your supervisor so he/she knows you are safe outside the building.  

• Follow all procedures put in place by your municipality. 

A safe workplace is crucial and ensures you have the correct safety procedures and policies in place for such things as first aid and CPR training of employees. Employees must understand their role in a fire emergency especially if they have been given a special task like assisting a disabled co-worker safely out of the building. Holding fire drills at least annually and providing employees the opportunity to practice the information provided in safety meetings is another important part of fire safety. Don’t leave it out of your training procedures.