Breakout Session 2, March 2-3, 2010

PPT Program Stakeholder Meeting
March 2-3, 2010

Breakout Session 2

PPE Selection, Interoperability and Compatibility Issues

Dysfunction of Co-Function

Bill Haskell

NIOSH/NPPTL

Policy and Standards Development Branch

i

Safety and Health

niosH

NPPTL

Research to Practice
through Partnerships

Breakout Session 2 Objectives

Review interoperability and compatibility issues

Discuss questions from the NIOSH PPT Program
concerning approaches to address the issues
through brainstorming and discussion

Safety and Health

niosH

NPPTL

Research to Practice
through Partnerships

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Interoperability

&
Compatibility

What's Your Definition as Applied to PPE?

I

Safety and Health

niosH

NPPTL

Research to Practice
through Partnerships

Department for Homeland Security Definitions

Interoperability - The ability of critical emergency
response systems or products to work with other
systems or products without special effort on the
part of the user.

Compatibility - The capability of two or more
items or components to exist or function in the
same system or environment without
modifications

Safety and Health

Emergency Response and Public Safety Response

CBRN Protective Ensembles for Law Enforcement
Structural & Proximity Fire Fighting
Technical Rescue/USAR
Emergency Medical Service
Hazardous Materials Response

Vapor Protective

Liquid Splash Protective

CBRN Incident Protective
Surface Water Operations
Diving Water Operations
Wildland Fire Fighting

Safety and Health

Approaches to PPE Certification

Federal Agency Certification - CFR
Third Party Certification

• System Level - dermal, physical and inhalation

• Ensemble

• Ensemble Elements including garments, coats,
helmets, face protection, gloves, footwear and
interface components

• Materials of construction (outer shell, moisture
barrier, thermal liner, permeation resistant layers)

Safety and Health

niosH

NPPTL

Research to Practice
through Partnerships

Personal Protective Equipment- Worn as a System to Provide

Inhalation, Dermal & Physical Protection
(masks, garments, gloves & boots)

What About Mission
Essential Equipment?

• Interoperability?
•Compatibility?

• Evaluation & Certification?

i

Safety and Health

niosH

NPPTL

Research to Practice
through Partnerships

Questions that NIOSH PPT Program Would Like to Discuss

in Breakout Session 2

What are the PPE interoperability and compatibility (l&C) challenges
faced by workers as they perform their work tasks?

What are the issues that federal regulations and consensus
standards development organizations should emphasize in
addressing these challenges and establishing applicable standards?

What are the issues faced by PPE manufacturers related to product
certification and design considerations for l&C?

Are there very near-term things that can be done to effect almost
immediate improvements as to l&C issues?

What are the two or three most important things that NIOSH should
do to support this issue?

Safety and Health

niosH

NPPTL