Purpose
These resources provide firefighters information about personal protective equipment (PPE) to help keep them safe. NIOSH supports firefighters by approving the respirators they use and conducting research on firefighter PPE. NIOSH also evaluates self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs) worn during incidents investigated by the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program.
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New Fact Sheets
The NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program created a series of fact sheets for firefighters to learn about best practices for SCBA use.
Learn about SCBA risks and how firefighters can prepare to ensure readiness and avoid injury.
Learn about SCBA risks and how firefighters can prepare to ensure readiness and avoid injury.
Prompt reporting of SCBA failures or performance issues helps NIOSH identify problems early.
PPE Case Reports
NIOSH staff with expertise in PPE assist with the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program investigations. They evaluate NIOSH Approved® SCBAs that may have contributed to a firefighter fatal event. They also test to determine if the SCBA unit met the applicable regulations while worn during the incident.
Below is a collection of completed evaluations, called PPE Case Reports, of SCBAs for potential contribution to an event.
- Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department - NIOSH Task Number 20619
- Hamilton, Ohio Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 20731
- Houston, Texas Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 20842
- Valley Springs, South Dakota Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 20855
- Pineville, North Carolina Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 20922
- Wilmington Delaware Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 21198
- San Antonio County Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 21618
- Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services – NIOSH Task Number 22491
- Watertown Fire Department, 2018 – NIOSH Task Number 22547
- Clinton Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 22941
- Worcester Fire Department, 2019 – NIOSH Task Number 22942
- Christopher Illinois Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 23126
- Worcester Fire Department, 2020 – NIOSH Task Number 23616
- Watertown Fire Department, 2021 – NIOSH Task Number 24882
- New Haven Connecticut Fire Department - NIOSH Task Number 24967
- Frederick County Fire and Rescue – NIOSH Task Number 25250
- Lower Merion Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 25965
- Indianapolis, Indiana Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 20931
- Birmingham, Alabama Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 21002
- Rock Creek, Idaho Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 21014
- Loudoun County, Virginia Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 21374
- East Hartford, Connecticut Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 21971
- Clinton Fire Department – NIOSH Task Number 22941
- Bedford County, Virginia, Fire and Rescue – Task Number 25514 (rev. 10/2022)
- Houston, Texas Fire Department – Task Number 27934
Related resources
- Reporting Adverse Conditions Involving Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus – Thermal Degradation and Failure of Facepiece Lens: Educates fire departments on an issue with SCBA facepiece lenses that are certified to the 2007 or earlier edition of NFPA 1981.
- Personal Protective Equipment Recommendations for Response to Chemical Suicide Incidents: Provides actions first responders can take to minimize the likelihood of responder exposures, injuries, and fatalities during chemical suicide incidents.
- Training on the Rapid Removal of an Unresponsive Firefighter from Turnout Gear and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus: Educates workers on the importance of rapidly removing an unresponsive firefighter from turnout gear and SCBA. It also informs workers about the techniques they can train on to accomplish this.
- A Guide to Atmosphere-Supplying Respirators: Provides information on atmosphere-supplying respirators which protect wearers from airborne hazards by providing clean breathing air.
- Recommendations for the Selection and Use of Respirators and Protective Clothing for Protection Against Biological Agents: Provides information on selecting proper PPE for first responders exposed to biological agents.
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Respiratory Protection Handbook: Provides information to assist emergency responders with the selection, use, and maintenance of CBRN respirators.
- How to Protect Workers and the Public from Wildfire Smoke: Provides employers, workers, and the general public information to help stay protected from wildfire smoke.
- To Beard or not to Beard? That's a good Question!: Provides information about how facial hair can impact workers ability to wear a tight-fitting respirator.
- Maintaining a Relationship with your Turnout Gear: Educates firefighters on proper cleaning practices for turnout gear to decrease their exposure to hazardous contaminants.
- Maintaining a Relationship with your SCBA: Provides firefighters tips for properly maintaining their SCBA to ensure it continues to operate efficiently.
- How to Remove Your Gear at a Fire Incident: Shows how to properly remove your gear at a fire incident to protect yourself from harmful contaminants trapped in your gear.
- NIOSH Certified Equipment List: Provides the official listing of all NIOSH Approved respirators.
- Respirators that Protect Against Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Hazards: Provides information on the types of CBRN respirators and how to identify them.
- Respirator User Notices Issued by Approval Holders: Informs respirator users about a condition or risk that may exist with a NIOSH Approved respirator.
- Respirator Certification Fees and Standard Test Procedures: Provides a listing of the Standard Testing Procedures NIOSH uses to ensure respirators provide the expected level of protection.
- Guidance Documents for Protecting Emergency Responders: Presents a summary of research, training, and PPE needed to protect emergency responders during acts of terrorism.
- Respirator Types and Use: Provides a collection of respiratory protection information to protect workers on the job.
- Community Respirators and Masks: Provides information on various kinds of respirators and masks that can reduce exposures to respiratory hazards, including wildfire smoke and air pollution.
- NFPA Research Foundation (NFPA FPRF) Resources available through NIOSH partnership: Provides information on and resources from two research efforts that aim to determine if current or new cleaning procedures adequately remove contaminants from firefighter PPE and other gear.
- Conducting an Evaluation of CBRN Canister Protection Capabilities Against Emerging Chemical and Radiological Hazards: Tested NIOSH's 11 chemical test representative agents for certification testing to determine if they still represent the respiratory CBRN hazards emergency responders are exposed to.
- Effects of Temperature and Advanced Cleaning Practices on the Removal of Select Organic Chemicals from Structural Firefighter Gear: Tested if cancer-causing chemicals could be removed from turnout gear and how well current cleaning protocols worked.
- Characterizing Exposure to Benzene, Toluene, and Naphthalene in Firefighters Wearing Different Types of New or Laundered PPE: Investigated the presence of volatile organic compounds and naphthalene on the outside and inside of turnout jackets worn during pre- and post-fire activities.
Content Source
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
About This Page
Published: November 20, 2024
Updated: October 10, 2024
This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.
Reviewed: October 10, 2024
The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.
- NIOSH Approved is a certification mark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) registered in the United States and several international jurisdictions.