Toronto Fire Services Post Incident Decontamination PDF

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE POST INCIDENT DECONTAMINATION Date Issued: August 29, 2022 Rescinds: November 1, 2018 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-POST PURPOSE Decontamination procedures have been developed for structural firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) with...

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE POST INCIDENT DECONTAMINATION Date Issued: August 29, 2022 Rescinds: November 1, 2018 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-POST PURPOSE Decontamination procedures have been developed for structural firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) with the specific focus on safety for firefighters and fire investigators. Company Officers, Fire Investigator Captains, Incident Safety Officers (ISO) and Incident Commanders (IC) must promote the importance of post fire decontamination and firefighter hygiene on a continual basis so that personnel will adopt these practices as habitual behavior. Toronto Fire Services (TFS) personnel must make every reasonable effort to clean both themselves and their equipment on a more consistent basis. Decontamination procedures as outlined in this Standard Operating Guideline shall be followed by personnel anytime PPE or equipment has been or may have been contaminated. RESPONSIBILITY It is the responsibility of all TFS personnel to ensure they understand and follow this Standard Operating Guideline. It is the responsibility of all personnel to use and or wear the equipment, protective devices and or clothing that the employer requires to be worn when necessary. It is the responsibility of every supervisor to ensure personnel understand and adhere to this Standard Operating Guideline and the procedures described within it. It is the responsibility of every supervisor to ensure personnel work in a manner and with the protective devices, measures and or clothing that the employer requires to be used and or worn. It is the responsibility of every supervisor to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of all personnel. District Chiefs will monitor the timeliness of the decontamination process for the purpose of returning crews to a ready-to-respond status as expeditiously as possible. File Code: G-POST Page 1 of 4  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE GUIDELINES 1. General Maintaining the cleanliness of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and equipment is of critical importance. Research studies have shown that contaminants are hazardous to a firefighter’s health. Officers and firefighters are required to engage in post incident exposure mitigation for the protection of personnel. Officers are responsible for ensuring that personnel return to their station for appropriate post incident decontamination of personnel (complete firefighter hygiene i.e. shower), vehicle, equipment and PPE. No personnel shall enter the cab of any vehicle after being exposed to VOHs or PAHs without having undergone initial firefighter hygiene and decontamination mitigation measures on scene. No Company Officers, ISO, IC or Chief Officers should request any Toronto Fire Services personnel to enter the interior cab of any TFS vehicle for a non- emergency situation in which occupants have not engaged in initial post fire hygiene and or post fire decontamination mitigation measures. The IC shall ensure that a Decontamination Sector is established at all working fires. This assignment can be under the direction of the ISO. The sector will consist of a Post Incident Decontamination Officer and an assigned Decontamination Apparatus. 2. Decontamination Sector The IC will identify Hot, Warm and Cold contamination zones as early as possible in an incident to ensure clarity regarding where specific sectors are to be physically located. Decontamination and initial firefighter hygiene and initial decontamination of equipment is to be conducted in the ‘Warm Zone’ only. On scene decontamination is the responsibility of each individual firefighter to initiate when they, their supervisor or the ISO feel it is required. The ISO assigned at all working fires will be responsible for the following sectors: (a) Decontamination (Warm Zone) (b) Rehabilitation (Warm Zone) (c) Staging (Cold Zone) File Code: G-POST Page 2 of 4  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE 3. Decontamination Kits Each apparatus is supplied with a post incident decontamination kit comprised, but not limited to the following equipment: (a) Five Gallon Pail (b) 1 Long Handled Brush, 1 Short Handled Brush (c) Manifold and garden hose assembly (20ft of ½) (d) Nozzle (e) Dish soap (f) FireWipes (g) Rags Due to the fact that VOCs and PAHs can contaminate station uniforms, and in an effort to reduce cross contamination with personal items and potential contamination of others, it is recommended that contaminated station uniforms be washed in a department supplied washer. Prior to transport, contaminated personal protective equipment shall be contained. At no time shall contaminated PPE, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) or other equipment be transported in the cab area of any fire department vehicle unless contained and secured. 4. Definitions Containment: Physically separating contaminants from the environment Contaminant: A polluting or poisonous substance that makes something impure. Decontamination: The neutralization or removal of dangerous substances, radioactivity, or germs from an area, object, or person. Hygiene: Conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through cleanliness. (Firefighter Hygiene includes but is not limited to, actions that initially mitigate exposure through the use of wiping down one’s hands, neck, face, and forehead immediately upon exiting a structure fire, to the removal of all PPE and contaminated clothing. All fire personnel who have been exposed to PAHs and VOCs are to shower as soon as possible post incident.) Mitigation: The action of reducing the severity or seriousness, of something. Specifically, in relation to reducing the severity of exposure to post fire contaminants such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Polycyclic File Code: G-POST Page 3 of 4  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and or other sources of contamination. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): PAHs are a class of chemicals that occur naturally in coal, crude oil, and gasoline. Additionally, PAHs are produced when coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, and tobacco are burned. Soiled: PPE exposed to sweat, mild odours, dust, debris etc. (products of combustion) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): VOCs are numerous, varied, and ubiquitous. They include both human-made and naturally occurring chemical compounds. Exposure to these compounds can have long-term adverse health effects. ATTACHMENT(S) N/A RELATED SOGS N/A File Code: G-POST Page 4 of 4