PN466 Respiratory Protective Equipment

Question 1

What is the default level of RPE for fires and other incidents presenting an acute respiratory hazard.

Answer 1

BA.

It is the default level of RPE for fires and other incidents presenting an acute respiratory hazard.

Question 2

What is Acute respiratory risk?

Answer 2

Acute respiratory risk – this type of risk will be associated with hazardous atmospheres with the potential to cause immediate respiratory injury if the face mask were removed.

Question 3

Is BA sector a functional sector?

Answer 3

BA sector – is a functional sector with a designated sector commander BA. This will support BA operations, resourcing and logistics and any other BA requirements (this is the new term for BA main control).

Question 4

What does a Communications operative (Comms-Op) do?

Answer 4

The person responsible for maintaining communications between BA teams and entry control point (ECP).

Question 5

When must a Entry control point supervisor (ECPS) be appointed?

Answer 5

Must be appointed when Stage II entry control is used.

Provides a greater level of control at an ECP.

Question 6

Define New entry?

Answer 6

New entry – the BA wearer is wearing BA for the first or second time, the BA set has cylinder contents at or above the minimum entry pressure of 240 bar when reporting to the ECO.

Question 7

Define Re-entry?

Answer 7

Re-entry – the BA wearer has closed down BA set and is redeployed to complete a specific task that does not include firefighting (190 bar minimum and no longer than 15 minutes duration).

Question 8

Explain Turn-around pressure (TAP)?

Answer 8

Turn-around pressure (TAP) – the pre-determined cylinder pressure at which the BA team should commence withdrawal from the risk area so that the ECP is reached before the low pressure warning actuates. This TAP should be reviewed by the wearers, although the ECO must be informed of any change (for example where wearers reach their TAP but are working very close to their known exit).

Question 9

What is Turn-around point

Answer 9

Turn-around point – the pre-determined point at which the BA team will turn-around and withdraw from the risk area. This will be a location or landmark i.e. work and don’t go beyond the top of the stairs.

Question 10

What is Turn-around time (TAT)?

Answer 10

Turn-around time (TAT) – the pre-determined time the BA team will begin to retrace their steps to withdraw from the risk area, timed and communicated by the ECO/ECPS i.e. to reduce BA team exposure to known extreme conditions.

Question 11

Who can ask for BA to be worn?

Answer 11

BA is normally worn on the authority of the IC; however, personnel can request to wear it for respiratory protection.

Question 12

What must be in place for BA to be committed to the risk area?

Answer 12

Personnel are only to be committed to the risk area wearing BA on the instructions of the IC once the required level of BA entry control is in place.

Question 13

What must the nominated BA team leader have on them?

Answer 13

Radio communications.

Question 14

Exceptionally, there may be operational circumstances where one BA wearer for firefighting would suffice. What are they?

Answer 14

Examples of these circumstances include car fires, rubbish fires, hot cutting and working a monitor at the head of an aerial appliance.

Question 15

When should an ‘A’ test carried out?

Answer 15

An ‘A’ test is carried out, when taking over a BA set, following a cylinder change and when nominated to test any ‘spare’ BA set.

Question 16

Why can BARIE sets be worn into compartments where a potentially explosive atmosphere may be present?

Answer 16

They are the only radios that are intrinsically safe (hand held radios should be removed when replaced by BARIE sets in these circumstances).

Question 17

If both telemetry and radio signal is lost the BA team must do what?

Answer 17

If both telemetry and radio signal is lost the BA team must withdraw to a point where communications can be restored. (This position should be landmarked for deployment of telemetry repeaters.)

Question 18

Where a radio leaky feeder is in use BA teams will change radio to channel?

Answer 18

Channel 5.

Question 19

BA wearers reporting to an ECP shall?

6

Answer 19

Ensure at least 240 bar.
Calculate TAP.
Check firefighting media.
Confirm nominated radio channel.
Ensure the tally is placed in the ECB.
Ensure a BA telemetry signal is established.

Question 20

When visibility is impaired, BA team members must maintain close personal contact, in what order?

Answer 20

• Attachment by short BA personal line.
• Actual physical contact between each BA team member.
• Within physical touching distance.

Question 21

Each wearer will consume air at a different rate, what do we do to keep on top of this?

Answer 21

Carry out regular pressure checks to monitor their consumption.

Question 22

What is the minimum RPE level during damping down and cutting away operations?

Answer 22

Minimum RPE level is breathing apparatus.

Question 23

What is EDBA not provided for?

Answer 23

It is not provided in order to increase the amount of work BA wearers can undertake within the risk area.

Question 24

When must an IC nominate a BA emergency team?

Answer 24

The IC must nominate a BA emergency team as soon as resources allow.

Question 25

The BA emergency team must be?

4

Answer 25

• Led by a minimum role of crew manager (CM).
• At least as large as the largest BA team or teams working together on the same task.
• Rigged to at least the same level of PPE/RPE as BA teams already committed.
• Switched to the same radio channel as BA teams already committed.

Question 26

A nominated BA emergency team shall provide the following?

3

Answer 26

• An additional ECB set up and annotated ‘BA emergency team’ for use by the BA emergency team if committed.
• One ‘second set’ (select ECO’s BA set and include second set bag where available) carried by every two BA wearers in the BA emergency team (split tally from Bodyguard key and write ‘second set’ on the BA tally of the ‘second set’ and insert it into the ECB, bracketed together with the BA emergency team).
• A charged 45 mm second jet (if not already in place). Where resources allow this should be from an alternative pump and water supply.

Question 27

During Stage I BA entry control how many wearers and how many ECP’s?

Answer 27

Limited to six wearers deployed into the risk area at any one time.
Limited to one ECP.

Question 28

Is the ECO responsible for the briefing and debriefing of BA teams?

Answer 28

No.

This should be undertaken by the IC or SC.

Question 29

New entry.

BA wearers reporting to the ECO must have at least what bar cylinder pressure?

Answer 29

BA wearers reporting to the ECO must have at least 240 bar cylinder pressure

Question 30

Re-entry.

All BA team members must have a cylinder content of?

Answer 30

All BA team members have a cylinder content of at least 190 bar.

Question 31

The ECO must commit a BA emergency team when?

5

Answer 31

• A BA team or wearer has not returned to the ECP by their time of low pressure warning and cannot be contacted to confirm their safety and wellbeing.
• A DSU is heard to have been actuated or is indicated to have been actuated on the ECB.
• Where audible or visual indications suggest a BA team or wearer appear to be in distress or imminent danger.
• A prolonged and unexplained breakdown in communications has occurred.
• A BA team or wearer has requested assistance.

Question 32

Distress to wearer (DTW) is detailed in which aide memoire?

Answer 32

Aide memoire No. 5.

Question 33

When would we go to Stage II BA entry control?

7

Answer 33

More than one ECP is required.
More than six wearers are deployed into the risk area at any one time.
Guidelines are required.
EDBA is required.
BA telemetry repeater(s) or leaky feeder is deployed.
When other agencies are being committed in BA.
BA emergency team(s) have been committed.

Question 34

Can SDBA and EDBA teams be entered onto the same ECB?

Answer 34

SDBA and EDBA teams can be entered onto the same ECB however all BA team members must be equipped with the same type of BA (either SDBA or EDBA) and emergency teams rigged to the highest level of RPE in use e.g. EDBA.

Question 35

Nominated ECPS incident duties are detailed in which aide memoire?

Answer 35

BA aide memoire No. 2

Question 36

Which aide memoir refers to BA communications operative (Comms–Op)?

Answer 36

Aide memoire No. 4

Question 37

Is BA sector a separate stage?

Answer 37

This is not a separate stage of control although it is set up in addition to Stage II, in order to co-ordinate and support BA resourcing, logistics and operations at incidents where a large number or additional BA resources are required.

Question 38

The BA sector will be commanded by a BA sector commander. What is the minimum rank for this role?

Answer 38

Minimum role of station manager – SM.