ISO 23616:2022

Cleaning, inspection and repair of firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE)

This document gives requirements, guidance and recommendations for the cleaning, inspection, and repair of PPE for use by firefighters. This document is intended to be used by those responsible for the cleaning, inspections, and repair of firefighters PPE, however, it will also provide vital guidance to those who are responsible for establishing such a programme including fire and rescue services. This document does not cover the following at this time: a) chemical protective clothing; b) garments required for protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials.

Nettoyage, inspection et réparation des équipements de protection individuelle (PPE) des pompiers

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 27-Apr-2022
• ICS: 13.340.10 - Protective clothing
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 94/SC 14 - Firefighters' personal equipment
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 94/SC 14/WG 1 - General requirements
• Current Stage: 9599 - Withdrawal of International Standard
• Start Date: 15-Aug-2024
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Relations

• Revised: ISO 23616:2024 - Cleaning, inspection and repair of firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Effective Date: 24-Sep-2022

Overview

ISO 23616:2022 specifies requirements, guidance and recommendations for the cleaning, inspection and repair of firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE). It is intended for personnel and organizations responsible for establishing and operating PPE maintenance programmes - for example, fire and rescue services, PPE maintenance teams, safety officers and procurement managers. The standard covers management systems, routine and advanced inspection, cleaning/decontamination, repair procedures and record keeping for garments, gloves, helmets, footwear, fire hoods and respiratory protective devices (RPD). It does not currently cover chemical protective clothing or garments for CBRN protection.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Management systems: Establishment of documented procedures, roles and responsibilities for PPE cleaning, inspection, repair and traceability.
• Inspection levels: Differentiates routine (user/shift-level checks) and advanced (detailed, trained-inspector) inspections to identify wear, damage and loss of protective properties.
• Cleaning & decontamination: Guidance on routine and advanced cleaning processes, contamination management and ensuring processes are innocuous (do not harm PPE performance or wearer safety).
• Repair principles: Criteria for basic field repairs versus advanced repairs, and decision-making on repairability or retirement of PPE.
• Records & reporting: Requirements for documenting inspections, cleaning cycles, repairs and reporting PPE health and safety concerns.
• Component-specific guidance: Practical inspection, cleaning, drying and repair recommendations for:
  • Garments (shells, linings, repellency and fit-for-purpose testing)
  • Gloves
  • Helmets
  • Footwear
  • Fire hoods
  • Respiratory protective devices (RPD frames, cylinders, face masks and valves)

Applications and who uses this standard

• Fire and rescue services building or improving PPE maintenance programmes to extend service life and ensure user safety.
• PPE maintenance teams and laundries that perform routine and advanced cleaning and decontamination.
• Safety managers and procurement officers who need to define acceptance, inspection intervals, and repair policies.
• Trainers and quality assurance personnel responsible for establishing inspection competence and record-keeping practices.

Practical benefits include improved PPE reliability, consistent cleaning/decontamination processes, reduced cross-contamination risks and documented maintenance histories that support user safety and operational readiness.

Related standards

Consult other applicable ISO and national standards for PPE performance, selection and RPD testing, and follow manufacturer instructions. ISO 23616:2022 complements performance and certification standards by focusing on end‑of‑use maintenance, inspection and repair best practices.

Keywords: ISO 23616:2022, firefighters PPE cleaning, PPE inspection, PPE repair, PPE maintenance, RPD inspection, fire service PPE guidelines.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 23616
First edition
2022-04
Cleaning, inspection and repair of
firefighters' personal protective
equipment (PPE)
Nettoyage, inspection et réparation des équipements de protection
individuelle (PPE) des pompiers
Reference number
© ISO 2022
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction . vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General information . 2
4.1 General . 2
4.1.1 Innocuousness . 3
4.2 Management system . 3
5 Inspection . 4
5.1 Routine inspection . 4
5.2 Advanced inspection . 4
6 Cleaning and decontamination. 4
6.1 General . 4
6.2 Management systems . 5
6.3 Contamination . 6
6.4 Cleaning procedures . 6
6.4.1 General . 6
6.4.2 Routine cleaning . 6
6.4.3 Advanced cleaning . 6
7 Repair . 7
8 Records . . 7
8.1 General . 7
8.2 Reporting PPE health and safety concerns . 8
9 Garment . 8
9.1 Inspection . 8
9.1.1 General . 8
9.1.2 Routine inspection . 8
9.1.3 Advanced inspection . 9
9.1.4 Periodic fit for purpose testing . 10
9.2 Cleaning . 10
9.2.1 General . 10
9.2.2 Routine cleaning . 11
9.2.3 Advanced cleaning . 11
9.3 Repellency . .12
9.4 Drying . 12
9.5 Repair.13
9.5.1 General .13
9.5.2 Basic repair . 13
9.5.3 Advanced repair . . 14
10 Glove .14
10.1 Inspection . 14
10.1.1 General . 14
10.1.2 Routine inspection . 14
10.1.3 Advanced inspection . 15
10.2 Cleaning . 15
10.2.1 Routine cleaning . 15
10.2.2 Advanced cleaning .15
10.3 Drying . 15
10.4 Repair. 15
iii
11 Helmet .16
11.1 Inspection . 16
11.1.1 General . 16
11.1.2 Routine inspection . 16
11.1.3 Advanced inspection . 17
11.2 Cleaning . 17
11.2.1 General . 17
11.2.2 Routine cleaning . 17
11.2.3 Advanced cleaning . 18
11.3 Drying . 18
11.4 Repair. 19
12 Footwear .19
12.1 Inspection . 19
12.1.1 General . 19
12.1.2 Routine inspection . 19
12.1.3 Advanced inspection . 20
12.2 Cleaning . 21
12.2.1 General . 21
12.2.2 Routine cleaning . 21
12.2.3 Advanced cleaning . 21
12.3 Drying . 21
12.4 Repair. 21
13 Fire hood .22
13.1 Inspection . 22
13.1.1 General .22
13.1.2 Routine inspection . 22
13.1.3 Advanced inspection . 22
13.2 Cleaning . 22
13.2.1 General .22
13.2.2 Routine cleaning . 23
13.2.3 Advanced cleaning .23
13.3 Drying . 24
13.4 Repair. 24
14 Respiratory protective devices (RPD) .24
14.1 General . 24
14.2 Inspection . 25
14.2.1 General . 25
14.2.2 Inspection of the frame . 25
14.2.3 Inspection of the compressed air cylinder . 26
14.2.4 Inspection of the face mask . 27
14.2.5 Inspection of the valves .28
14.3 Cleaning .28
14.3.1 Frame cleaning - straps - buckles - belt .28
14.3.2 Cleaning the demand valve .28
14.3.3 Cleaning the cylinder .28
14.3.4 Cleaning the mask .28
14.3.5 Cleaning of the Control and Safety Instrument (ICS) .29
14.4 Drying . 29
14.5 Repair.29
Annex A (informative) Records of all items of firefighters’ PPE .30
Annex B (informative) Post incident management of contaminated PPE .32
Bibliography .37
iv
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to
the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 94, Personal safety — Personal protective
equipment, Subcommittee SC 14, Firefighters' personal equipment.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
v
Introduction
The purpose of this document is to provide the requirements, guidance and recommendations
regarding the cleaning, inspection and repair of firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE) and
establish criteria for its cleaning, inspection and repair. This document has been developed in response
to growing concerns about contaminated PPE and potential health hazards for firefighters. Fire and
rescue services, and the manufacturers of PPE, want to provide instructions and guidance to effectively
minimize and manage this risk.
It is the responsibility of the firefighter (initially and ongoing) to undertake regular inspections of their
PPE, and there shall also be a reliable system / mechanism (including training) to ensure that this can
effectively be achieved.
This document also provides instruction and guidance to fire and rescue services regarding more
advanced cleaning, inspection and repair.
vi
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 23616:2022(E)
Cleaning, inspection and repair of firefighters' personal
protective equipment (PPE)
1 Scope
This document gives requirements, guidance and recommendations for the cleaning, inspection, and
repair of PPE for use by firefighters.
This document is intended to be used by those responsible for the cleaning, inspections, and repair
of firefighters PPE, however, it will also provide vital guidance to those who are responsible for
establishing such a programme including fire and rescue services.
This document does not cover the following at this time:
a) chemical protective clothing;
b) garments required for protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN)
materials.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/TR 19591, Personal protective equipment for firefighters — Standard terms and definitions
ISO/TR 21808, Guidance on the selection, use, care and maintenance of personal protective equipment
(PPE) designed to provide protection for firefighters
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions given in ISO/TR 19591,
ISO/TR 21808 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
advanced cleaning
cleaning by the product manufacturer, the manufacturers approved organisation, or mutually agreed
organisation when a PPE item has been, or is potentially exposed to a hazardous or dangerous
contaminant
Note 1 to entry: CBRN contaminated PPE (3.4) are to be disposed of not cleaned. PPE should be disposed of
following local laws and regulations.
Note 2 to entry: Some known chemicals are commercially available for industrial use. PPE that have been exposed
to known chemicals may not have to be disposed of. Specialist advice shall be sought on the contamination,
however, the PPE shall be treated in the first instance as if the contamination is unknown.
Note 3 to entry: The decision shall be made following a detailed risk assessment.
3.2
competent organization
organization that is experienced and certified to inspect, clean, maintain or repair PPE for firefighters
3.3
contaminant
undesirable solid, liquid, gaseous or particulate hazardous substance such as
a) products of combustion (e.g. soot),
b) body fluids,
c) infectious micro-organisms, and
d) chemicals (e.g. asbestos or respirable fibres, flammable, corrosive, carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic
or sensitizing substances)
3.4
contaminated PPE
any items of PPE that has been exposed to a contaminant (3.3)
3.5
routine cleaning
cleaning as per manufacturers or suppliers’ instructions
3.6
routine inspection
superficial inspections by user of their PPE upon issue, or after return from cleaning or repair, and after
each use
3.7
advanced inspection
inspection to ensure PPE is fit for purpose before return to use looking at all aspects of the PPE (e.g.
inside, outside, defects, wear and tear, need for repairs or disposal)
3.8
repair
rectification of defects identified in PPE so that the required level of protection is re-established
4 General information
4.1 General
Any PPE provided to a firefighter shall be maintained without interruption of service during
maintenance in efficient working order and good repair.
Every firefighter shall ensure that any PPE provided to them is maintained, in optimum working order
and good repair before being used.
When an item of PPE needs to be cleaned or repaired the fire and rescue service shall ensure that
suitable replacement PPE is made available.
The fire and rescue service shall ensure that its firefighters, service providers or members of the public
are not unnecessarily exposed to soiled or potentially contaminated PPE.
An effective cleaning, inspection and repair system includes the following:
a) inspection — checking for faults, damage, wear and tear, dirt, etc.;
b) testing — to ensure PPE is operating as intended;
c) cleaning — including disinfection and decontamination if appropriate;
d) repair;
e) replacement;
f) recording.
4.1.1 Innocuousness
Any cleaning, repair or maintenance carried out by the firefighter or manufacturer shall not impact the
innocuousness of the firefighters PPE.
See ISO 13688:2013, 4.2 and ISO 13688:2013/Amd.1:2021.
4.2 Management system
All PPE inspection, cleaning and repair shall be carried out according to the manufacturers or supplier’s
instructions and shall be conducted by a trained firefighter or competent person or competent
organization, such as PPE manufacturer, a trained laundry or other competent organization.
Training shall be carried out by the PPE manufacturers or suppliers of the same PPE item. This ensures
that the competent person or organization has received the necessary training.
The fire and rescue service and/or agreed organization responsible for cleaning, inspection and repair,
shall develop and implement a programme for the care and maintenance of firefighter PPE used by the
members of the fire and rescue service in the performance of their assigned functions.
The program shall consider the service continuity during cleaning and maintenance.
This programme shall have the goals of providing instruction and guidance to the suitable cleaning,
inspection and repair of firefighter PPE for its intended use, through:
a) Maintaining such firefighter PPE in a safe, usable condition to provide the intended protection to
the firefighter.
b) Removing from use any firefighter PPE that could cause or contribute to firefighter injury or illness.
c) Reconditioning, repairing, or retiring such firefighter PPE as necessary.
The fire and rescue service and/or agreed organization shall develop specific criteria for removal of
PPE considered to be not fit for purpose or beyond economic repair.
When handling PPE prior to cleaning, those handling the PPE shall observe appropriate health and
safety precautions to protect them from any contaminants. Cross contamination shall be avoided at
every stage of the process, especially during routine inspection and cleaning.
All PPE found or suspected to be soiled or contaminated shall be isolated during the cleaning process. If
PPE are found to be contaminated by unidentified CBRN agents, the item shall be decommissioned and
disposed of appropriately.
The fire and rescue service and/or organization shall establish guidelines that include appropriate
actions to be taken with planning of temporary alternative, maintained PPE if the PPE item is found to
be contaminated or suspected that it requires cleaning, decontamination, or repair.
There shall always be alternative PPE provided by the fire and rescue service and/or organization in
such circumstances.
All firefighter PPE that are found or suspected to be soiled or contaminated shall be cleaned or
decontaminated before any additional inspection is initiated.
As a minimum, cleaning and inspection shall be done once per annum, and as required. All repairs shall
be carried out in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions by trained/approved organizations.
5 Inspection
5.1 Routine inspection
Individual firefighters shall conduct routine inspections of their PPE upon issue and after each use,
cleaning and/ or repair. Maintenance-in-use checks shall be carried out by the firefighters before and
after each use to identify any defects before being exposed to hazardous situations.
There shall be clear criteria provided to firefighters for when and how to send PPE for cleaning. This
shall include details of how to prevent cross contamination and how those transporting or receiving
these items can be protected.
The inspection criteria and the response to the magnitude of the consequences shall be specified. The
response may include the following actions:
If the abnormality is
a) minor: take no action,
b) moderate: send for repair, and
c) major: prohibit use, major repair or discard and replacement.
5.2 Advanced inspection
Cleaning shall be carried out prior to advanced inspection.
Any advance inspection shall be carried out according to the manufacturer’s instructions by trained
firefighters, competent persons or organizations.
The PPE manufacturer, or supplier, fire and rescue service and/or organization shall determine the level
of training required to perform advanced inspections. They shall maintain records of such training.
If the fire and rescue service and/or agreed organization is endorsed to provide training, it shall be
permitted to determine the level of training necessary to perform the inspection.
Advanced inspections of all PPE which has been issued shall be conducted at a minimum of every 12
months, or whenever routine inspections indicate that a problem could exist. PPE which has been
properly stored and are not being used are not required to be subjected to advanced inspection.
New PPE that have been stored in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions are not required to be
subjected to advanced inspection.
The findings of the inspection shall be recorded, see Clause 8.
6 Cleaning and decontamination
6.1 General
PPE shall be evaluated by the firefighter for application of appropriate cleaning level after each use in
accordance with the fire and rescue service and/or agreed organizations procedures.
One should distinguish cleaning requirements due to different factors: soiling due to normal wear
require hygienic cleaning, biological contamination (e.g. blood), fire contamination due to fire smoke,
chemical contamination (e.g. oil, grease, acid such as battery acid), unidentified CBRN agents, soiling
due to other activities not listed above. The cleaning methods are determined in 6.4.2 and 6.4.3.
PPE contaminated by unidentified CBRN agents should be destroyed in accordance with local laws and
legislation after confirmed exposure and shall not be subjected to cleaning or decontamination.
Some known chemicals are commercially available for industrial use. PPE that has been exposed to
known chemicals may not have to be disposed of, specialist advice shall be sought on the contamination,
however, the PPE shall be treated in the first instance as if the contamination is unknown. The decision
shall be made following a detailed risk assessment.
The member(s) of the fire and rescue service and/or agreed organization who has received training in
the cleaning of firefighter PPE shall be responsible for performing or managing advanced cleaning of
PPE contaminated with hazardous materials.
Contaminated PPE shall not be brought into the home. Where cleaning of PPE is required, guidance
shall be provided to the firefighter by the fire and rescue service on how to identify contamination, as
opposed to soiling, and on how best to clean the PPE in a safe and effective manner.
Commercial dry cleaning shall not be used as the means of cleaning or decontaminating PPE unless
approved by the PPE manufacturer.
When an organization is used for cleaning or decontamination, they shall demonstrate to the fire and
rescue service’s satisfaction that the procedures are effective and do not degrade neither the intrinsic
qualities of the item nor the material, nor the level of performance of the PPE.
When conducting a partial cleaning with cleaning chemicals, the operator shall be aware of the safety
data sheet and act accordingly by wearing the appropriate PPE.
Waste waters discharged from the laundry process and its environmental effects shall be considered
and shall conform to local laws and/or national regulations when discharging waste waters or effluent
to public drainage or waterways.
6.2 Management systems
The fire and rescue service and/or agreed organizations shall provide the means for having PPE cleaned
and decontaminated.
Fire and rescue service shall have written procedures that:
a) Detail the generalized decontamination and cleaning processes for contaminated PPE.
b) Minimize the public’s and the fire and rescue service and/or agreed organization personnel’s
exposure to soiled or contaminated firefighting PPE.
c) Require that PPE shall not be worn or stored in the non-operational living areas of the fire and
rescue service facilities.
d) Ensure PPE is to be stored in a correctly lit and ventilated, dedicated PPE storage room, which is
automatically isolated from any other section of the fire station.
e) Provide training in identifying contamination and determining the cleaning methods (routine and
advanced cleaning) to be applied.
PPE known or suspected to be contaminated by hazardous materials shall be assessed at the incident to
determine the appropriate level of treatment.
Items shall be prepared for safe transportation. For further guidance, see Annex B on post incident
management of contaminated PPE.
Contaminated or potentially contaminated PPE should not be worn or taken into the cabin of the fire
appliance/truck. Where this is unavoidable, the cabin of the fire appliance/truck shall be cleaned and
decontaminated at the first possible opportunity once firefighting operations have ceased.
When firefighters are combating a moving wildland fire, they are often required to move on an ongoing
basis during firefighting operations with no opportunity to change PPE. Where possible and where the
contaminant and its source have been identified, the fire and rescue service and/or agreed organization
shall consult the supplier of the contaminant and the manufacturer of the PPE for an appropriate
decontamination agent and process.
6.3 Contamination
Cleaning requirements will be dictated by contaminant and exposure. Soiling due to normal wear
shall require routine cleaning to be undertaken. Biological, product of combustion and chemical
contamination shall require advanced cleaning. The cleaning levels are described in 6.4.2 and 6.4.3.
PPE contaminated by unidentified CBRN agents should be destroyed in accord with local laws and
legislation after confirmed exposure and shall not be subjected to cleaning or decontamination.
6.4 Cleaning procedures
6.4.1 General
A member(s) of the fire and rescue service and/or agreed organization who has received training in the
cleaning of PPE shall be responsible for performing or managing advanced cleaning of PPE contaminated
with hazardous materials.
When cleaning or decontamination is completed, there shall be a method to periodically demonstrate to
the fire and rescue service’s satisfaction that the procedures are effective, do not degrade the intrinsic
qualities of the materials and the level of performance of the PPE. As it is impossible to identify or to
quantify all the existing pollutants, a generalized washing method that can clean as many pollutants as
possible shall be used to clean all the firefighter PPE.
Waste waters discharged from laundry process and its environmental effects shall be considered. Refer
to local laws and/or national regulations when discharging waste waters or effluent to public drainage
or waterways.
6.4.2 Routine cleaning
Routine cleaning includes
a) hygienic cleaning, and
b) partial cleaning completed by fire fighter (e.g. brushing of clothing).
Firefighters shall ensure that their PPE is cleaned routinely and as required. The routine cleaning shall
be done by a trained and competent person. The routine cleaning shall be carried out according to the
manufacturer’s or supplier’s instructions.
Cleaning other than by the instruction given on the label, shall always comply with the manufacturer´s
guidance to ensure an approved alternative procedure for the routine cleaning is applied.
6.4.3 Advanced cleaning
Any advanced cleaning shall be carried out according to the manufacturer’s instructions by trained
firefighters, competent persons, fire and rescue service and/or agreed organizations.
Before advanced cleaning is undertaken advice shall be taken on whether the contaminant can be
removed.
Advance cleaning includes
a) decontamination for chemical contamination,
b) decontamination for biological contamination, and
c) decontamination from contamination due to products of combustion.
Cleaning items contaminated by CBRN must be disposed of according to local laws and regulations.
Some known chemicals are commercially available for industrial use. PPE that have been exposed
to those known chemicals may not have to be disposed of. Specialist advice shall be sought on the
contamination, however, the PPE shall be treated in the first instance as if the contamination is
unknown. The decision shall be made following a detailed risk assessment.
The member(s) of the fire and rescue service and/or agreed organization who has received training
in the advanced cleaning of the PPE shall be responsible for performing, managing, or coordinating
advanced cleaning or the advanced cleaning process.
Advanced cleaning shall be performed by the PPE manufacturer, a manufacturer trained organization,
an agreed organization or trained fire and rescue service personnel. PPE that is issued and used shall
receive advanced cleaning at the time of advanced inspection if not subjected to advanced cleaning in
the preceding 12 months.
Organizations shall examine the manufacturer’s label and instructions on cleaning and drying that
were provided with the PPE. In the absence of manufacturer’s instructions or manufacturer’s approval
of alternative procedures for the PPE, the advanced cleaning and drying procedures provided in 9.2.3
and 9.4 (for garments) shall be used for other items (e.g. see 10.2, 11.2, 13.2 and 14.2).
7 Repair
All repairs shall be carried out according to the manufacturer’s instructions and will be conducted by
trained firefighters, competent persons, fire and rescue service and/or agreed organizations.
PPE shall be subjected to advanced cleaning, when necessary, before any repair work is undertaken.
All repairs and alterations to PPE shall be done in a consistent manner and using like materials and
components that are compliant with the relevant standard(s).
Due to the different methods of construction, the PPE manufacturer shall be contacted if the fire and
rescue service or agreed organization is unsure of whether a repair can be accomplished without
adversely affecting the integrity and/or performance of the PPE.
Poor repair can impact the protection provided by the PPE. This may lead to firefighter injury and/or
inability to perform tasks.
8 Records
8.1 General
The fire and rescue service and/or agreed organization shall compile and maintain records on its PPE.
Records shall be kept for to PPE that are used by the fire and rescue service (see Annex A).
At least the following records shall be kept for each item of PPE:
a) person to whom PPE is issued;
b) date and condition when issued;
c) manufacturer and model name or design;
d) manufacturer’s identification number, lo
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