Overview

Employers, supervisors and workers all play a role in taking responsibility for health and safety in the workplace. Understanding your duties, responsibilities and rights under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) is integral to ensuring all workers stay safe and healthy at work. The goal is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths.

Purpose

The purpose of this checklist is to help Ontario’s fire service employers and workers increase their knowledge about measures to prevent exposure to contaminants, including those that cause cancers and other occupational illnesses. Fire services must take steps to minimize or prevent exposures, to keep their workplaces healthy and safe.

How to use this checklist

We encourage employers and workers of fire services to work through this checklist together. Using this self-audit tool, employers can identify opportunities to prevent or reduce exposure to cancer-causing contaminants and take steps to improve health and safety in the workplace.

You can read the Firefighter guidance notes for more information and materials.

Background

Routes of entry

The two major routes of entry for contaminants affecting firefighters are inhalation and skin absorption.

Inhalation

Inhalation exposure may occur by:

  • not wearing a respiratory protection device during fire suppression, salvage, overhaul or investigations
  • handling or cleaning soiled personal protective equipment (PPE) and other equipment without a respirator
  • respirator leakage
    • facepiece problems including distortion, valves and deterioration
    • facepiece seal if the user is not clean shaven where the facepiece meets the skine
    • fit testing not conducted
  • overbreathing while wearing a respirator during high workload

Skin absorption

Skin absorption exposure may occur by:

  • unprotected skin due to improperly wearing PPE
  • permeation through bunker gear, balaclava and gloves, resulting in contamination of neck, face, wrists, hands or groin
  • handling or cleaning soiled PPE or other equipment without rubber gloves
  • wearing contaminated PPE and clothing (wash them thoroughly and replace as needed)
  • insufficient personal hygiene (not thoroughly washing or showering after fire)

As you work through the checklist, consider the measures and procedures that the fire service can implement to prevent the inhalation and skin absorption of contaminants.

Decontamination

Contaminants from fire suppression activities can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin. Soiled or contaminated ensembles and ensemble elements are a hazard to firefighters since soils and contaminants can be flammable, toxic, or carcinogenic. Additionally, soiled or contaminated ensemble elements can have reduced protective performance.

Firefighter bunker gear is designed for protection against heat at the fire scene. However, contaminants can penetrate through the bunker gear. The balaclava and gloves are of different construction than the bunker gear, potentially resulting in skin contamination at the face, neck, hands, and wrist. Contaminants detected in the groin area can come through the bunker pants zipper or waistline.

Routine cleaning of soiled equipment, apparatus and PPE items is important to reduce the risk of exposure.

Respirators must also be properly cleaned and sanitized. Filtering facepiece respirators (such as the N95 disposable mask) are not to be washed and must be disposed of after use.

After use, the following should be decontaminated to remove any residual contaminants:

  • areas where PPE is washed
  • equipment used for decontamination (such as extractors)
  • shower facilities for workers

Checklist

Part A: programs

Respiratory protection program

A respiratory protection program protects workers from airborne contaminants.

Refer to Regulation 833 – Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents for the relevant occupational exposure limits, and requirements for the employer to develop written measures and procedures regarding the selection, care and use of respirators.

Refer to CAN/CSA-Z94.4-19, Selection, use, and care of respirators for guidance on the administration of an effective respiratory protection program in the workplace.

The table below contains recommended elements to be included in a respiratory protection program
NumberRespiratory protection program elementIs this element included in your program?
1Program administration – the program is administered by a competent personYes/No
Comments
2Roles and responsibilities – the roles and responsibilities of the workplace parties are establishedYes/No
Comments
3Hazard situations – situations where respirators are required to be worn are identifiedYes/No
Comments
4Hazard assessment – potential airborne contaminants have been identifiedYes/No
Comments
5Respirator selection – appropriate respirators have been chosen based on the hazard assessment and requirements of Regulation 833Yes/No
Comments
6Fit testing – worker fit testing occurs at least every two yearsYes/No
Comments
7Training – workers are trained on the use, care, storage, inspection, maintenance, cleaning, proper fitting, and limitations of the respirator, before first useYes/No
Comments
8Use, maintenance, storage – procedures are in place for the proper use, maintenance and storage of the respiratorsYes/No
Comments
9User screening – workers are screened to determine whether they are medically eligible to use a respiratorYes/No
Comments
10Records and program evaluation – records are retained and the program is regularly evaluated to ensure it remains effectiveYes/No
Comments

Air management program

An air management program ensures workers using self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) are provided with an adequate volume of safe air to breathe from safe cylinders and that the cylinders are stored and transported safely.

Refer to CSA Z180.1-19 Compressed breathing air and systems for guidance on the design, construction, commissioning, calibration, testing, operation and maintenance of components for compressed breathing air systems.

The table below contains recommended elements to be included in an air management program
NumberAir management program element (CSA Z180.1-19)Is this element included in your program?
11Monitoring of air levels during SCBA use – procedures are in place to ensure workers regularly monitor their air levels while using SCBA to prevent an out-of-air situationYes/No
Comments
12Filling of cylinders – procedures are in place to fill cylinders safely with clean air that meets the purity requirements in CSA Z180.1-19Yes/No
Comments
13Cylinder replacement – procedures are in place to ensure cylinders are replaced as recommended by the manufacturerYes/No
Comments
14Secure transportation of cylinders – when transported in vehicles, cylinders are secured against tipping, falling or damageYes/No
Comments
15Secure storage of cylinders – cylinders are stored securely to prevent tipping, falling or damageYes/No
Comments
16Hydrostatic testing of cylinders – procedures are in place to ensure cylinders receive hydrostatic testing every five yearsYes/No
Comments

Part B: work practices – scene/fire training ground

On the fireground or fire training ground, PPE protects firefighters from contaminants. In order to be effective, PPE must be worn properly and at all times when exposure can occur.

Some best practices for using and decontaminating PPE at the scene are listed below. The goal is to decrease worker exposure to contaminants by:

  • using appropriate PPE
  • limiting the spread of contaminants through a combination of personal hygiene practices
  • cleaning gear on the fire ground (gross decontamination)
  • isolation of contaminated PPE

One example of gross decontamination would be using water from a hose to remove visible contaminants from bunker gear and other equipment.

Bagging soiled gear at the scene is a good practice to reduce exposure to firefighters during transportation from the fire scene to the assigned fire hall for cleaning. Bagging soiled bunker gear at the scene will also prevent unnecessary contamination of the interior crew compartment of the apparatus and personal vehicles.

As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA)

The ‘As Low As Reasonably Achievable’ (ALARA) principle should apply to all activities. The ALARA principle recognizes that although it may not be possible to reduce exposures to zero, efforts should be made to reduce workplace exposures as much as necessary to limit harm.

The table below contains best practices for work on scene or the fire training ground
NumberWork practiceDoes this work practice take place on scene?Is there a Standard operating procedure (SOP)?
17Apparatus windows and doors are kept shutYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
18Personal protective equipment (PPE) is properly worn at all times on the fireground or fire training groundYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
19Personal protective equipment, including appropriate respiratory protection, is properly worn at all times during salvage and overhaul and during fire investigationsYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
20Hood is exchanged when air cylinder exchangedYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
21No person enters the hot zone without full PPEYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
22Pump operators wear PPE, including SCBA, if smoke presentYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
23Gross decontamination of PPE is done before removing face piece – see above for note on ALARA principleYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
24Personal protective equipment (PPE) is removed before entering rehab area, where weather permitsYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
25Air quality is monitored in rehab areaYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
26Hands and face are cleaned before eatingYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
27Post-fire wipes are provided and used for head and neckYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
28Contaminated crew do not enter truckYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
29Contaminated gear is allowed to air out for 30 minutes before bagging, if possibleYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
30Contaminated gear is bagged at sceneYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
31Contaminated gear is transported from scene outside crew compartmentYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
32Where weather does not allow gear removal, disposable coveralls are worn over dirty PPE in apparatus to reduce cross-contaminationYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
33Contaminated gear is taken to fire hall for cleaning (not home)Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
34Where crew compartment seats have integrated SCBA brackets:
  • clean SCBA is placed in seats, or
  • dirty SCBA has undergone gross decontamination and is bagged before placing in seat
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
35Gross decontamination of hose and equipment is done at scene, as much as possibleYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
36Contaminated gear that is carried in personal vehicles is in a closed containerYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
37Crew returns directly to fire hall for further decontaminationYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
38Fire investigators:
  • wear SCBA, or
  • wear powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) with air monitoring per NFPA 1500, or
  • wear respiratory protection as determined by an assessment per CSA Z94.4-19
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments

Part C: work practices – fire hall

Laundry rooms and laundry areas

If a ventilated laundry room is available, the laundry room should be kept under slight negative pressure at more than 1 cubic foot per minute (cfm)/square foot to prevent the spread of contaminants from soiled gear to the rest of the workplace. If there is no laundry room, the laundry area should be located away from bunker gear air dryers, clean bunker gear storage areas and other occupied areas, so as not to expose workers nearby or contaminate clean gear.

Laundering and drying bunker gear

To prevent damage to bunker gear, the manufacturer’s recommendations should be followed.

Refer to NFPA 1851 Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting for guidance on laundering bunker gear.

Wash/dry temperatures should be less than 40° Celsius. Detergent within a pH range between 6 to 10.5 should be used.

Extractors are commonly used for routine cleaning of bunker gear outer shell, bunker gear inner lining, balaclava, and gloves. The g-force of extractors should not exceed 100 grams for all elements.

Gear air dryers are commonly used for drying clean bunker gear.

Showering

Taking a shower with soap and water is encouraged as soon as possible after a fire call to remove contaminants on the skin, which can be absorbed into the body. If a shower is not available, washing of any potentially exposed skin (such as the face, neck, wrists and hands) is encouraged after a fire call.

Clean versus dirty areas

Bunker gear should be kept in restricted areas of the fire hall and should never enter the living areas. A combination of signage and markings on the floor can help separate clean areas from dirty areas.

Storing clean bunker gear on the apparatus floor

If the apparatus floor is not equipped with a direct local exhaust system from the tailpipes of vehicles, then exhaust emissions from the apparatus can be captured by general mechanical ventilation at 20,000 cubic foot per minute (cfm) (or more) per operating truck and 100 cubic foot per minute (cfm)/horsepower for diesel-fuelled vehicles. If the apparatus floor has only natural ventilation, then clean bunker gear should not be stored on the apparatus floor to prevent contamination of clean gear with diesel soot.

The table below contains best practices for work at the fire hall
NumberWork practiceDoes this work practice take place at the fire hall?Is there an SOP?
39Fire hall has a laundry room
(a separate laundry room is recommended)
Yes/No
Comments
N/A
40Laundry room has ventilationYes/No
Comments
N/A
41Laundry room ventilation is under slight negative pressureYes/No
Comments
N/A
42Laundry room is decontaminated after useYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
43Fire hall has a laundry area (a reasonable alternative when there is no separate laundry room)Yes/No
Comments
N/A
44Laundry area is away from other workspacesYes/No
Comments
N/A
45Laundry area is away from unprotected workersYes/No
Comments
N/A
46Laundry area is away from clean PPE storageYes/No
Comments
N/A
47Laundry area is away from gear air dryerYes/No
Comments
N/A
48Extractor used for soft gearYes/No
Comments
N/A
49Extractor instructions are postedYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
50Extractor maintenance program in placeYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
51Correct pH level soap available for extractorYes/No
Comments
N/A
52Extractor is decontaminated after useYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
53Gear air dryer availableYes/No
Comments
N/A
54Clothing worn under bunker gear is washed separately from regular laundryYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
55Crews have spare clean clothing at the station to wear after showeringYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
56Truck bay/apparatus floor ventilation is adequate for storing clean bunker gear on the apparatus floor (see introductory paragraph on “Storing clean bunker gear on the apparatus floor”)Yes/No
Comments
N/A
57Apparatus is washed inside and out after every fire callYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
58Apparatus cabin air filter inspected after every fire call and replaced as neededYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
59Apparatus cabin air filtration system is cleaned quarterlyYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
60A regular apparatus interior cleaning schedule is established and followedYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
61Shower facilities with soap and water are available at the fire hall, or where no showers are available, facilities to wash potentially exposed skin (neck, face, wrists, hands) are availableYes/No
Comments
N/A
62Shower or washing occurs as soon as possible upon return to fire hallYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
63Dirty areas versus clean areas of the fire hall are indicatedYes/No
Comments
N/A
64No Bunker Gear Beyond This Point signage postedYes/No
Comments
N/A
65Dirty areas have surfaces that are easy to clean (not carpet)Yes/No
Comments
N/A

Part D: inspection of personal protective equipment

Personal protective equipment (PPE) protects workers from contaminants. Personal protective equipment needs to be maintained in good condition in order to provide protection. Regular inspection of the various PPE elements should be conducted to ensure they are in good condition. Where PPE is found to require repair or cleaning, it should be removed from service and clearly identified as being out of service.

Refer to CAN/CSA-Z94.4-19, Selection, use, and care of respirators for guidance on respirator inspections.

Refer to NFPA 1851 Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting for guidance on inspecting these items.

The table below provides details on personal protective equipment (PPE) inspections
NumberPersonal protective equipment itemDoes routine inspection occur after each use?Does advanced inspection occur annually?Is there an SOP on inspection?
66Respirator – SCBAYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
67Respirator – PAPRYes/No
Comments
N/AYes/No
Comments
68Respirator – APRYes/No
Comments
N/AYes/No
Comments
69Mask flow test equipment (i.e. PosiChek)N/AYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
70HelmetYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
71BootsYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
72Bunker coats: outer shellYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
73Bunker coats: inner liningYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
74Bunker pants: outer shellYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
75Bunker pants: inner liningYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
76Balaclava/hoodYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
77GlovesYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
The table below discusses PPE training
NumberPersonal protective equipment practiceYes/No
78Workers receive training in use, removal, disposal, cleaning, inspection and limitations of PPEYes/No
Comments

Part E: use of personal protection equipment during decontamination activities

Proper PPE should be worn to protect workers from contaminants while they are handling soiled equipment or decontaminating surfaces.

When in the laundry room area, soiled bunker gear must be handled while wearing appropriate personal protective equipment such as disposable coveralls, safety glasses, rubber gloves, and N95 masks to prevent exposure via inhalation and skin absorption during laundering activities.

After laundering soiled gear, appropriate PPE should be worn while decontaminating the surfaces of the laundry room/area and extractor.

Some examples of PPE that could be used for various tasks are included in the checklist below – this list is not exhaustive and there may be other tasks in your fire hall that require PPE.

The table below outlines PPE use during decontamination activities
NumberActivityDuring this activity, do workers wear:
  • N95 respirator (elastomeric or filtering facepiece)
  • safety glasses
  • rubber gloves
  • coveralls
Is there an SOP?
79Handling/decontamination of soiled soft/hard gearYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
80Decontamination of laundry area/roomYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
81Decontamination of shower facilitiesYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
82Decontamination of apparatus – crew compartment and exteriorYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments
83Decontamination of hose at stationYes/No
Comments
Yes/No
Comments

Further information

Purchasing equipment

When purchasing new apparatus, hose or other equipment, consider ease of cleaning. For example, non-porous crew compartment seats are easier to clean than fabric.

Cancer prevention resources

Visit Ontario’s Ministry of Health website for more cancer prevention information and resources.