Bourkes, goggles, face sheild

[sfdlt5]

What are needed to make a structural firefighting helmet NFPA approved? I need to Know and I would also like it if someone could email the NFPA regulation in pdf form. Thanks

[engine1321]

Minimum

I believe the minimum is a faceshield. You can have Bourkes but as long as they have goggles.

Personally, give me my faceshield any day. I've burned many a face shield but because of the inexpensive shield I've saved many expensive facepieces. I'd rather a fire burn my shield than what's keeping me breathing.

[Weruj1]

search...............can anyone say search ? is the horse dead yet ? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !

now that that is outa my system .........need to have goggles ....no face shield no bourkes need to have goggles. If you do some looking around you will find all tyhe info you need right here in the forums.

[engine1321]

Gimme a minute

It's not like the NFPA lets anyone see their codes and standards for free ya know.

[blancety]

Weruj1,

Full face shields are still NFPA compliant, or at leats the Firestore is selling the N6A with fullface as NFPA compliant.

Sfd,

Just changing the eye protection will not bring the helmet into compliance. It must have that little old sticker that says it is. The N5A and N6A leathers have some other differences as well (besides eye protection). Primarily the N6A has additional penetration (hmmm, I wonder if its related to that smoothbore, fog nozzle prenetration thing...er ahh sorry ) protection.

So its full face or goggles, and if I can find the standard I send it to ya.

Dave

[Jonathan Bastian]

Re: Bourkes, goggles, face sheild

Originally posted by sfdlt5
What are needed to make a structural firefighting helmet NFPA approved? I need to Know and I would also like it if someone could email the NFPA regulation in pdf form. Thanks

NFPA is not a regulatory body; it is a standards body. It writes consensus industry standards; these do not carry the weight of a law or regulation (unless adopted as law by a government).

The document is NFPA 1971. It is copyrighted by NFPA, and thus should be purchased from NFPA directly. NFPA has started making NFPA 1403 (Live Fire Evolutions) available for free on their website.

Note that most helmets cannot be made NFPA compliant just by adding stuff. In general, they need to be PURCHASED as NFPA compliant. If you have specific questions, feel free to email me:
[email protected]

[N2DFire]

Re: Bourkes, goggles, face shield

Originally posted by sfdlt5
What are needed to make a structural firefighting helmet NFPA approved?

Interesting question. NFPA Approved to which standard ??

NFPA 1971 Standard on Protective Ensemble for Structural Fire Fighting, 2000 edition (NFPA 1971-2000)

4-2.2 Protective Helmet Design Requirements. Helmets for structural fire fighting shall consist of at least the following assembled components:
(6) Either a face shield, or goggles, or both

Authors note - That means Bourkes alone are totally out of the picture from an NFPA standpoint.

1-3.37 Definition: Face shield. The helmet component intended to help protect a portion of the wearer’s face in addition to the eyes, not intended as primary eye protection.

1-3.50 Definition: Goggles. The helmet component intended to help protect the wearer’s eyes and a portion of the wearer’s face, not intended as primary eye protection.

However . . .
NFPA 1500 Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, 1997 edition

5-10.1 Primary face and eye protection appropriate for a given specific hazard shall be provided and used by members exposed to that specific hazard. Such primary face and eye protection shall meet the requirements of ANSI Z87.1.



Remember where 1971 just said Face Shields and Goggles are NOT primary Eye protection ???

Confused yet ?? - You're not alone.

Here's a link to some very interesting reading (FYI - it's where I got all this info). http://www.essgoggles.com/products/NFPA.html



Also - from direct personal experience and via e-mail contact with NFPA. Taking a NFPA compliant helmet (with goggles) and switching to another type/brand of NFPA compliant goggles WILL NOT always mean your helmet is still in compliance (even if the helmet is now sold with the goggles you indent to purchase).

In order to meet NFPA - the helmet & goggles must be tested as a unit to be compliant. Any alterations or replacement that falls outside those parameters are no longer NFPA compliant.

I'm pretty sure I posted the text of the e-mail in a similar thread a long time ago. If I can find it - I'll hyperlink it in this thread.




Disclaimer - Since the referenced page was compiled & hosted by ESS I will state for the record that I have no ties to ESS or any Parent or subsidiary company to which they may be related. Nor do I stand to benefit in any way from the sale of their product.

[torichardson]

This link may also help to sort things out:

http://firefighting.bullard.com/helmetBook/FireHelmetBook13.cfm

It also covers the other fire helmet components.

Good Luck, Stay Safe,
Mike Richardson

(I am not endorsing or promoting this product or company by posting this information)

[distchief60b]

The requirement of "full face and eye" protection is vague...but the standard 4" visor makes the helmet compliant as do "approved" goggles. The Bourque Shields DO NOT COMPLY......

Can you say....beat a dead horse to death???