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NFPA 1952, Standard on Surface Water Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment

2021 NFPA 1952 Standard - Current Edition
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  • Description

    Help make sure emergency service personnel on surface water operations have the protection they need by complying with NFPA 1952, 2021 edition.

    Performing search and rescue operations on surface water, swift water, tidal water, surf, and ice poses a variety of risks to emergency workers. NFPA 1952, Standard on Surface Water Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment, provides criteria for reducing safety risks and health risks associated with exposure of personnel to in-water hazards and dangers related with climate and the adjacent area.

    The standard offers requirements for the design, testing, certification, labeling, and performance of the following types of surface water protective clothing and equipment:

    • Dry suits, wet suits, and ice suits
    • Dry suit gloves, wet suit gloves, and ice suit gloves
    • Dry suit footwear, wet suit footwear, and ice suit footwear
    • Helmets
    • Personal flotation devices (PFDs)

    The 2021 edition is updated for easier use and consistency.

    The revised NFPA 1952 delivers the most current provisions for providing limited protection from physical, environmental, thermal, and applicable chemical and biological hazards during surface water search and rescue operations or other surface water incident operations.

    Changes to the 2021 edition include:

    • Added definition for facility to match other documents referred to in the standard, and language in Chapter 4 to cover manufacturing in multiple facilities
    • Revised Table 4.4.1 to make the recertification schedule easier to understand and apply
    • Updated dry suit performance requirements to make consistent with NFPA 1953, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Contaminated Water Diving, as well as the permeation resistance test

    Help keep emergency workers safer by referencing the most complete and relevant criteria on protective clothing and equipment for surface water operations.

    This document offers vital guidance to anyone responsible for ensuring fire service and EMS personnel have the appropriate protective clothing and equipment. Help ensure you have the right information by ordering your copy of NFPA 1952, Standard on Surface Water Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment, 2021 edition. (Print, 76 pp., 2021)

  • Table of Contents (2021 Current Edition)

    NFPA® 1952 Standard on Surface Water Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment, 2021 Edition

    Chapter 1 Administration
    1.1 Scope.
    1.2 Purpose.
    1.3 Application.
    1.4 Units.
    Chapter 2 Referenced Publications
    2.1 General.
    2.2 NFPA Publications.
    2.3 Other Publications.
    2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections.
    Chapter 3 Definitions
    3.1 General.
    3.2 NFPA Official Definitions.
    3.3 General Definitions.
    Chapter 4 Certification
    4.1 General.
    4.2 Certification Program.
    4.3 Inspection and Testing.
    4.4 Annual Verification of Product Compliance.
    4.5 Manufacturers’ Quality Assurance Program.
    4.6 Hazards Involving Compliant Product.
    4.7 Manufacturers’ Investigation of Complaints and Returns.
    4.8 Manufacturers’ Safety Alert and Product Recall Systems.
    Chapter 5 Labeling and Information
    5.1 Product Label Requirements.
    5.2 User Information.
    Chapter 6 Design Requirements
    6.1 Surface Water Operations Protective Wet Suit Design Requirements.
    6.2 Surface Water Operations Protective Dry Suit Design Requirements.
    6.3 Surface Water Operations Protective Ice Suit Design Requirements.
    6.4 Surface Water Operations Protective Helmet Design Requirements.
    6.5 Surface Water Operations Protective Wet Suit Glove Design Requirements.
    6.6 Surface Water Operations Protective Dry Suit Glove Design Requirements.
    6.7 Surface Water Operations Protective Ice Suit Glove Design Requirements.
    6.8 Surface Water Operations Protective Wet Suit Footwear Design Requirements.
    6.9 Surface Water Operations Protective Dry Suit Footwear Design Requirements.
    6.10 Surface Water Operations Protective Ice Suit Footwear Design Requirements.
    6.11 Surface Water Operations Protective Personal Flotation Device Design Requirements.
    Chapter 7 Performance Requirements
    7.1 Surface Water Operations Protective Wet Suit Performance Requirements.
    7.2 Surface Water Operations Protective Dry Suit Performance Requirements.
    7.3 Surface Water Operations Protective Ice Suit Performance Requirements.
    7.4 Surface Water Operations Protective Helmet Performance Requirements.
    7.5 Surface Water Operations Protective Wet Suit Glove Performance Requirements.
    7.6 Surface Water Operations Protective Dry Suit Glove Performance Requirements.
    7.7 Surface Water Operations Protective Ice Suit Glove Performance Requirements.
    7.8 Surface Water Operations Protective Wet Suit and Protective Dry Suit Footwear Performance Requirements.
    7.9 Surface Water Operations Protective Ice Suit Footwear Performance Requirements.
    7.10 Surface Water Operations Protective Personal Flotation Device Performance Requirements.
    Chapter 8 Test Methods
    8.1 Sample Preparation Procedures.
    8.2 Air Retention Test.
    8.3 Overall Liquid Integrity Test One.
    8.4 Overall Donning Efficiency Test.
    8.5 Thermal Insulation Test.
    8.6 Helmet Roll Off Test.
    8.7 Breaking Strength Test.
    8.8 Puncture Propagation Tear Resistance Test.
    8.9 Helmet Water Absorption Test.
    8.10 Cleaning Shrinkage Resistance Test.
    8.11 Seam/Closure Breaking Strength Test.
    8.12 Liquid Absorption Resistance Test.
    8.13 Liquid Penetration Resistance Test.
    8.14 Viral Penetration Resistance Test.
    8.15 Retroreflectivity Test.
    8.16 Corrosion Resistance Test.
    8.17 Label Durability and Legibility Test.
    8.18 Helmet Bucketing Test.
    8.19 Top Impact Resistance Test (Force).
    8.20 Physical Penetration Resistance Test.
    8.21 Suspension System Retention Test.
    8.22 Retention System Test.
    8.23 Overall Liquid Integrity Test Two.
    8.24 Cut Resistance Test.
    8.25 Puncture Resistance Test.
    8.26 Abrasion Resistance Test Two.
    8.27 Glove Hand Function Test.
    8.28 Grip Test.
    8.29 Glove Donning Test.
    8.30 Slip Resistance Test.
    8.31 Zipper Strength Test.
    8.32 Resistance to Twist of Pull and Slider Test.
    8.33 Opening and Closing of Zippers Test.
    8.34 Water Penetration and Air Evacuation Test.
    8.35 Footwear Drainage Test.
    8.36 Buoyancy Test.
    8.37 Zipper Opening and Closing Force Test.
    8.38 Impact Resistance Test — Acceleration.
    8.39 Floatability Test.
    8.40 Zipper Point Breaking Strength Test.
    8.41 Zipper Leak Resistance Test.
    8.42 Total Heat Loss Test.
    8.43 Closure Penetration Resistance Test.
    8.44 Chemical Permeation Resistance Test.
    Annex A Explanatory Material
    Annex B Top Impact Instrumentation Calibration
    Annex C Impact Acceleration Instrumentation Calibration
    Annex D Informational References
  • 2015 Edition Description

    Safeguard emergency services personnel involved in surface water search and rescue with the 2015 NFPA 1952.

    During surface water, tidal water, surf, and ice rescues, fire service and EMS personnel need to be protected from bloodborne or other liquidborne pathogens, along with other physical, environmental, thermal, and certain chemical and biological hazards. The 2015 NFPA 1952, Standard on Surface Water Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment specifies requirements for protective clothing and equipment used by responders.

    Coverage addresses design, performance, testing, and certification for protective clothing and equipment items including full body suits, helmets, gloves, footwear, and personal flotation devices.

    Chapters in NFPA 1952 address:

    • Certification
    • Labeling and Information
    • Design Requirements
    • Performance Requirements
    • Test Methods

    Added coverage in the 2015 edition:

    • A new requirement for chemical hazard protection for dry suits
    • Revised dates for testing and certification

    Keep emergency responders safe and protected with NFPA 1952 guidance. (Print, 63 pp., 2015)

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