Evaluation of CBRN Respirator Protection in Simulated Fire Overhaul Settings

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burgess JL ; Griffin SC ; Lee VST ; Lutz EA ; Staack SD
• Description:
  Overhaul is the phase of firefighting after flames have been extinguished but when products of combustion are still being released. While positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) provide the highest level of respiratory protection during overhaul, use of air-purifying respirators (APRs) with suitable filters could potentially provide a lower weight, longer duration option for first responders. The objective of this study was to assess whether an APR with a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) canister could be recommended as substitution for SCBA during overhaul. A total of 15 simulated standard overhaul environments were created by burning household materials. Sampling was conducted using mannequin heads fitted with full facepiece respirators with either a CBRN canister or SCBA. In-mask and personal samples were collected for aldehydes, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, inorganic acids, aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. An additional six simulated high-exposure overhaul environments were created in a flashover chamber by continuously adding household materials to a smoldering fire. The sampling train was the same for both the standard and high-exposure environments; however, the facepiece was sealed to the mannequin head in the high-exposure environments. In the standard overhaul environment, the CBRN canister effectively reduced the level of exposure for most contaminants, while in the high-exposure overhaul exposure setting in-mask acetaldehyde and formaldehyde were detected. In both exposure settings, the SCBA prevented almost all exposure, and therefore remains the recommended respiratory protection during overhaul. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Firefighters Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety
• Keywords:
  Air Purifying Respirators APR Author Keywords: Exposure Assessment CBRN Respirators Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Respirators Exposure Assessment Extreme Environments Firefighter Fire Fighters Fit Factors Personal Protective Equipment Personal Protective Equipment/PPE Usage PPE Respirator Testing

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• ISSN:
  2398-7308
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Interagency Agreement ; Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Arizona ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  NPPTL - National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  65
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20062368
• Citation:
  Ann Work Expo Health 2021 Aug; 65(7):843-853
• Contact Point Address:
  Jefferey L. Burgess, Department of Community, Environment and Policy, University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, 1295 North Martin Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
• Email:
  jburgess@email.arizona.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Performing Organization:
  University of Arizona, Tucson
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20100901
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Work Exposures and Health
• End Date:
  20260831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c7d1f875b5ba8b6a645fcd6eb4bfd3e01e18c92a6b29416e7e11f1752dd6c19901c3423cc7ab6ddce8468d74ad94e48493959c0abccf154de0bff1d766e10407
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225631/cdc_225631_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 403.77 KB ]