High-Visibility_Safety_Vests.pdf

Policy 904 Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/04/01, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department High-Visibility Safety Vests - 1 High-Visibility Safety Vests 904.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to describe the...

Policy 904 Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/04/01, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department High-Visibility Safety Vests - 1 High-Visibility Safety Vests 904.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to describe the guidelines to protect members who may be exposed to hazards presented by passing traffic, construction vehicles and disaster recovery equipment and to comply with applicable safety regulations including requirements contained in the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways pursuant to 23 CFR 655.601. 904.2 POLICY It is the policy of the Chesapeake Fire Department that all members shall wear class II high- visibility safety vests in addition to required personal protective equipment (PPE) whenever the emergency scene is located on or near a roadway where members are subject to the hazards of moving traffic, construction vehicles or disaster recovery equipment. Members who are working on roadways and are not directly exposed to fire, flame, excessive heat, hazardous materials, or part of the extrication team, are expected to wear a high-visibility vest. This includes pump operators, support personnel and command officers. When it is anticipated that the emergency scene will be located on a roadway, high-visibility safety vests should be donned along with other appropriate PPE at the time of dispatch. High-visibility vests should also be worn any time a member or a supervisor believes increased visibility would improve safety or efficiency. 904.3 PROCEDURE Although the high-visibility safety vests that are currently available are fire resistant, they do not meet the same fire resistant standards set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Therefore, members who are directly engaged in fire suppression activities on or near roadways should not wear the vest over their PPE. Once the situation is under control, personnel can then don a vest for the remainder of the incident. Should the need arise, other department personnel on-scene could easily remove (tear-away) the vest in reaction to unusual circumstances or to render assistance with direct firefighting. 904.3.1 STORAGE AND CARE High-visibility safety vests are part of the standard issue PPE and should be stowed so they are readily available for immediate use. Should cleaning be necessary for routine soiling, follow the manufacturer’s care instructions or the guidelines in the Personal Protective Equipment Policy.