Analysis of the Issue of Special Clothing in the Operation of Fire Protection Units
Aim: The paper is aimed at presenting selected problems of the impact of the incident environment on the body of a firefighter-rescuer who is protected with standard personal protective equipment (PPE). The article is an overview and presents the hazards associated with working in harsh environmenta...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Scientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection - National Research Institute
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Safety & Fire Technology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sft.cnbop.pl/pdf/SFT-Vol.-61-Issue-1-2023-pp.-64-84.pdf |
| _version_ | 1827915037190127616 |
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| author | Anna Rabajczyk Robert Wolański |
| author_facet | Anna Rabajczyk Robert Wolański |
| author_sort | Anna Rabajczyk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aim: The paper is aimed at presenting selected problems of the impact of the incident environment on the body of a firefighter-rescuer who is protected with standard personal protective equipment (PPE). The article is an overview and presents the hazards associated with working in harsh environmental conditions, followed by the characteristics of firefighters’ PPE (in particular, special clothing) that play a key role in such conditions.
Introduction: The safety of those involved in a fire incident is a very important issue – both in terms of proper management of human resources and the organization of activities in the situation of the incident and after it. The article presents content related to the impact of selected environments on firefighter-rescuers and the importance of firefighters’ “special clothing” during operations. The information on the influence of hot and cold microclimate environments and chemical activity as a consequence of processes occurring during a fire is presented. The issue of the operation of the complex environment of the tactical field and its impact on those involved in incidents was addressed.
Methodology: The article is based on a review of selected literature on the addressed subject.
Conclusions: During an incident involving not only operations during a fire, but also after the fire is extinguished, a firefighter-rescuer is simultaneously exposed to many factors. In addition to the stress that accompanies such activities, physical and chemical factors that occur side by side should also be considered, often broadening and intensifying the negative impact. The analysis should cover the fullest possible range of factors to which a person is subjected and allow him/her to be equipped with the appropriate protective tools, which are the firefighter’s PPE. The introduced innovations should be multidirectional and include minimizing the risk of high or low temperatures, inhalation poisoning, or skin contact with toxins. In doing so, it should be kept in mind that changes in the structure and properties of clothing must correspond to both the trends observed in the market, the economy and the dynamics of the course of fire. Therefore, it is necessary to work in parallel in many areas, taking into account the properties of the used materials, the spread and nature of incidents, and the tools at the disposal of the firefighter-rescuer.
Keywords: hazard factors, firefighter’s personal protective equipment, firefighter’s special clothing, innovations |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:53:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a5d7400649f24df9b2d6dbac71335a87 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2657-8808 2658-0810 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:53:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Scientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection - National Research Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Safety & Fire Technology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a5d7400649f24df9b2d6dbac71335a872023-06-28T08:26:34ZengScientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection - National Research InstituteSafety & Fire Technology2657-88082658-08102023-06-01611648410.12845/sft.61.1.2023.4Analysis of the Issue of Special Clothing in the Operation of Fire Protection UnitsAnna Rabajczyk0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4476-8428Robert Wolański1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5625-0936Scientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection – National Research Institute The Fire Ser vice College of the State Fire Ser vice in Cracow Aim: The paper is aimed at presenting selected problems of the impact of the incident environment on the body of a firefighter-rescuer who is protected with standard personal protective equipment (PPE). The article is an overview and presents the hazards associated with working in harsh environmental conditions, followed by the characteristics of firefighters’ PPE (in particular, special clothing) that play a key role in such conditions. Introduction: The safety of those involved in a fire incident is a very important issue – both in terms of proper management of human resources and the organization of activities in the situation of the incident and after it. The article presents content related to the impact of selected environments on firefighter-rescuers and the importance of firefighters’ “special clothing” during operations. The information on the influence of hot and cold microclimate environments and chemical activity as a consequence of processes occurring during a fire is presented. The issue of the operation of the complex environment of the tactical field and its impact on those involved in incidents was addressed. Methodology: The article is based on a review of selected literature on the addressed subject. Conclusions: During an incident involving not only operations during a fire, but also after the fire is extinguished, a firefighter-rescuer is simultaneously exposed to many factors. In addition to the stress that accompanies such activities, physical and chemical factors that occur side by side should also be considered, often broadening and intensifying the negative impact. The analysis should cover the fullest possible range of factors to which a person is subjected and allow him/her to be equipped with the appropriate protective tools, which are the firefighter’s PPE. The introduced innovations should be multidirectional and include minimizing the risk of high or low temperatures, inhalation poisoning, or skin contact with toxins. In doing so, it should be kept in mind that changes in the structure and properties of clothing must correspond to both the trends observed in the market, the economy and the dynamics of the course of fire. Therefore, it is necessary to work in parallel in many areas, taking into account the properties of the used materials, the spread and nature of incidents, and the tools at the disposal of the firefighter-rescuer. Keywords: hazard factors, firefighter’s personal protective equipment, firefighter’s special clothing, innovationshttps://sft.cnbop.pl/pdf/SFT-Vol.-61-Issue-1-2023-pp.-64-84.pdfhazard factorsfirefighter’s personal protective equipmentfirefighter’s special clothinginnovations |
| spellingShingle | Anna Rabajczyk Robert Wolański Analysis of the Issue of Special Clothing in the Operation of Fire Protection Units Safety & Fire Technology hazard factors firefighter’s personal protective equipment firefighter’s special clothing innovations |
| title | Analysis of the Issue of Special Clothing in the Operation of Fire Protection Units |
| title_full | Analysis of the Issue of Special Clothing in the Operation of Fire Protection Units |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of the Issue of Special Clothing in the Operation of Fire Protection Units |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of the Issue of Special Clothing in the Operation of Fire Protection Units |
| title_short | Analysis of the Issue of Special Clothing in the Operation of Fire Protection Units |
| title_sort | analysis of the issue of special clothing in the operation of fire protection units |
| topic | hazard factors firefighter’s personal protective equipment firefighter’s special clothing innovations |
| url | https://sft.cnbop.pl/pdf/SFT-Vol.-61-Issue-1-2023-pp.-64-84.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annarabajczyk analysisoftheissueofspecialclothingintheoperationoffireprotectionunits AT robertwolanski analysisoftheissueofspecialclothingintheoperationoffireprotectionunits |