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Battalion Chief Dan Melia FDNY (Ret.) FEO Tim Tomlinson Addison Fire Department A Fire Fighter’s Guide to Test Methods for Fire Fighting
Battalion Chief Dan Melia FDNY (Ret.)
FEO Tim Tomlinson Addison Fire Department
A Fire Fighter’s Guide to Test Methods for Fire Fighting
We have Come A Long Way
Why Are We Here?
Why Are We Here?
To Prevent This and
Educate Ourselves
A Fire Fighter’s Guide to Test Methods for Fire Fighting
This Presentation will cover:
• Brief overview of NFPA 1971
• Review of the test methods and
performance requirements
• Overview of a new Annex B that will be included as part of the 2018 edition of
NFPA 1971
• Review of several test methods used in
NFPA 1971, putting Annex B to use.
Overview of NFPA 1971
• NFPA standards process
• Standards are Revised every 5 years
• Make up of committee
• NFPA 1971 1st Edition 1981
• Provides Minimum requirements
• Design
• Performance
• Testing
• Certification
NFPA and Testing
NFPA Testing
• NFPA Standards are minimum
standards
• NFPA does not police or
enforce information within the
standards
• Complying with NFPA
standards is voluntary unless:
• Reside in Texas
• Your state has adopted
NFPA into its OSHA
Regulations
• Does not guarantee PPE will not fail
in the field.
• Tests evaluate representative
samples of the protective ensemble
elements, or materials used in their
construction.
• Determines whether the element
will pass defined minimum
performance requirements under
controlled test conditions.
What are the 5 Elements of the structural
fire fighting ensemble
• Protective garment = the coats and pants
outer shell
moisture barrier
thermal liner
• Protective helmets
• Protective gloves
• Protective footwear
• Protective hoods
How many tests performed on your
ensembles and ensemble elements?
Garments 32
Gloves 26
Helmets 25
Footwear 17
Hoods 13
Wristlets 10
Conditioning of Gear
Pre- Conditioning ensures environmental consistency prior to testing
The gear is exposed to the same environment as the testing area for 24
hours to remove this factor from effect the test.
Tests of specific elements may require different types of pre-conditioning
depending on the goal of the test.
Washing and drying procedures
Low temperature environmental conditioning
Convective heat conditioning
Radiant and convective heat conditioning
Wet conditioning
NFPA, ASTM and ISO
• NFPA
• Develops minimum standards
• Develops performance requirements
• American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM)
• Develops test methods
• International Standards Organizations (ISO)
• Develops Test Methods
Test Methods vs. Performance
Requirements
Performance Requirements
The minimum performance required by the NFPA standard to be considered compliant.
Performance requirements are developed by the NFPA committees
Test Method
Test Methods: A definitive procedure that produces a test result.
Repeatable - Standardized
New Annex B of NFPA 1971 2018
Group of dedicated members of the NFPA 1971
committee saw the demand for further education of the
fire service in understanding the test method process
Worked as a task group to include all the test methods
into a brand new Annex that will help educate the fire
service
Submitted to the full NFPA committee and was approved
Will be released as Annex B in the 2018 edition
Annex B is intended to serve as a guide for
experienced and rookie fire fighters who
want to:
• Gain a better understanding of the performance
requirements (tests methods) of the structural fire
fighting gear they wear
• Develop a basic understanding of the minimum test
requirements for the structural fire fighting gear
• Gain a clearer understanding of the limits of the
protective ensemble and ensemble elements.
• Provides background information and explains
performance requirements and test methods in
firefighter and/or layman’s terms
The New Annex B
• Gives a brief description of the required NFPA tests
performed by the certification organization (chosen
by the manufacturer) on the five elements of the
structural fire fighting ensemble
• Only addresses performance requirements and test
methods for protective elements used for structural
fire fighting
• Another tool in toolbox
• Includes the 5 elements of structural firefighting gear
• Also includes test methods for wristlets
• End users/wearers
• Members of the PPE selection
committee
• Equipment Officers
• Safety Officers
• Purchasing Agents
Who is going to benefit from the new
Annex B?
Using Annex B
• Six Sections
• Garments (includes all three layers of coat and pant)
• Helmets
• Gloves
• Footwear
• Hoods
• Wristlets
Annex B
Test Method Test Method Description Test Method Application
Provides number and
name of the section in
the standard that is
described
Provides an overview of the test,
which indicates what is tested
and, in general, how it is tested
Also references additional details
for test methods from other
standard organizations (ASTM and
ISO) that is not specifically
covered in NFPA 1971
Explains why the test method
is specified and how the
method is used to assess the
performance of fire fighter
protective clothing
Let’s try it…
Table B.2 Garments
Thermal Protective
Performance (TPP)
Courtesy of NFPA
Thermal Protective Performance (TPP)
• ISO Test Method - added to standard 1986
• Insulation Test
• Simulates catastrophic flashover condition
• Tested as a 3 layer system (6” by 6” specimen)
• Tested “as is” and after 5 washes
• Combination of radiant heat and direct flame content
• Predicts time to 2nd degree burn using Stoll Curve
• Performance Standard for garments is at least 35 TPP (What
does that mean?)
Thermal Protective Performance (TPP)
Courtesy of Pbi Performance Products
Flame Resistance Test
Flame Resistance
Test 1
Courtesy of NFPA
Flame Resistance Test
Basic flammability test – does the fabric continue to burn or
self-extinguish?
Measures time the fabric burns after the flame goes out
(max 2 sec)
Measures “char length” – actually a tear length in the
burned area (max 4”), after hanging a specified weight from
the corner.
Flame Resistance Test
Courtesy of Pbi Performance Products
Fabric Strength Test
Fabric Strength
Test
Courtesy of NFPA
Fabric Strength Test
Breaking Strength Test (Grab)
Strength test that breaks several yarns at one time (1” wide
area of fabric)
Minimum strength requirement is higher than tear b/c breaking
several yarns
Result is the single highest peak strength before breaking
Tearing Strength Test (Trap)
Strength test that breaks one yarn at a time as it crosses the
fabric
Minimum strength requirement is lower than breaking strength
b/c breaking one yarn at a time
Result is the average of the 5 highest peak
Fabric Strength Test
Grab Strength Test
Trap Tear Test
Courtesy of Pbi Performance Products
Table B.3 Helmets
Top Impact
Resistance Test
(Force)
Courtesy of NFPA
Top Impact Resistance Test (Helmet)
Mechanical test to evaluate suspension system’s ability to
dissipate forces from impact
A mass is dropped from a height which will impact a helmet at a
known velocity
Force transmitted to the head form through the helmet is
measured
Top Impact Resistance Test (Helmet)
Courtesy of MSA
Conductive and Compressive Heat Resistance
(CCHR)
Conductive and
Compressive Heat
Resistance
Courtesy of NFPA
Conductive and Compressive Heat
Resistance
• ASTM Test Method – added to standard 2000 and revised 2007
• Insulation Test – tests knee and shoulder areas
• Tested both wet and dry
• Compression and moisture increase heat transfer through the
composite
• Pressure based on area of the garment (shoulder 2psi, knee 8psi)
• Time to 2nd degree burn
• Performance Standard is minimum of 25 seconds
Conductive and Compressive Heat Resistance
Courtesy of NC State University
Transmitted and Stored Thermal Energy Test
Transmitted and
Stored Thermal
Energy Test
Courtesy of NFPA
Transmitted and Stored Thermal Energy
Test
• ASTM Test Method – added to standard 2013
• Tried to determine why firefighters received burns and gear appeared
to be unaffected
• Tested in garment sleeve area underneath a reinforcement
• Low level radiant heat, builds up in the composite. Moisture in the
composite increases the heat build-up
• Compression after the heat exposure transfers the heat into the skin
• Performance Standard is minimum of 130 seconds
Transmitted and Stored Thermal Energy Test
• Simulates exposure to heat in
ordinary fire ground conditions
• Fabric is exposed for 120 seconds to
low level radiant heat
• Sample is allowed to cool for 5
seconds
• Compresses sample
• Measure time to 2nd degree burn
Courtesy of Thermetrics
Transmitted and Stored Thermal Energy
Test
Cooling period, Store Energy discharge
Step 2 Step 3
Compression
Step 1
Exposure Time
Sensor
Heat Source
spacer
Courtesy of NC State University
Total Heat Loss (THL)
Total Heat Loss
Courtesy of NFPA
Total Heat Loss
Insulation test, but different – measures heat flow from the inside
out
Heat travels through the composite as dry heat or by
evaporated moisture (sweat)
THL value is the power required to keep the hot plate at “skin
temp” as heat escapes through the composite
Total Heat Loss
35°C
35°C
35°C
Q=0
Q/A = ? (W/m2)
Test Plate
Q
Q
Q=0
Test Plate
Lower Guard
Guard Ring Guard Ring
Courtesy of NC State University
Oven Test
• ASTM Test Method
• 500 degrees for 5 minutes
• Designed to eliminate low melting
materials e.g. Polyester
• Ensures that the gear will not melt or
shrink excessively
• Used on nearly all components o Garments
o Helmets
o Gloves
o Footwear
o Hoods
o Wristlets
Courtesy of Thermetrics
NFPA 1971 Annex B
• These tests evaluate whether or not the garment meets the minimum performance requirements
• They do not guarantee the safety of the fire fighter
• These performance requirements do not ensure you will not experience injury while wearing structural gear and carrying out your job.
NFPA 1971 Annex B
Know what you are wearing
Why you are wearing it
If it’s what is best for your departments operations
Determine this by a well planned Risk Assessment
Additional presentations…
Chief Dan Melia, FDNY (Ret.) Firefighter Safety and PPE Consulting,LLC
• Health and Safety Officer
• Safety Presentations for all ranks
• SAFETY – Everyone’s Responsibility
FEO Tim Tomlinson (Addison Fire
Department) [email protected]
• NFPA 1851 Cleaning and
Inspection of PPE for Fire
Departments
• Implementing a compliant NFPA
1851 program
