This truly independent subscription
based service was set up in 1997, at the behest
of CACFOA, to advise whether chemical protective
clothing (CPC) can safely be re-used following
a chemical incident. Since then, the majority
of public UK brigades have taken out membership
and benefit from a wide range of services including:
Specific incident related advice on potential
CPC contamination
Where necessary, laboratory analysis of used suits
for signs of contamination
Advice on and practical help with disposal of
contaminated equipment
Assistance with drawing up policies for dealing
with chemical incidents
Help with training and current awareness
Advice on and feedback into British, European
and International standards
Independent purchasing advice
Twice-yearly newsletter
Practical help with cost recovery
Topical seminars
In addition, Chemline has input into the prestigious
Hazardous Materials and Environmental Protection
course at the Fire Service College and also attends
a number of local training events held at brigade
level.
In today’s ever more safety conscious society,
Chemline gives employers the assurance, and employees
the peace of mind, that their protective clothing
is indeed chemically fit for use.
Background
The areas of chemical and respiratory protective
clothing (CPE and RPE) are complex and their understanding
requires specialist knowledge of both chemicals
and protective fabrics. The Respirex Testing Laboratory
has long-established expertise in these areas
and is pleased to offer its Chemline service to
United Kingdom Fire Services.
The Respirex Testing Laboratory is an independent
UKAS-accredited permeation-testing facility based
in Redhill, Surrey. Permeation testing is carried
out to both BS EN 369 and ASTM 739 standards for
a wide range of clients. Over the last 8 years
the laboratory has gained considerable experience
in the effects of chemicals on protective materials,
and this experience forms the basis upon which
Chemline offers advice. It is, however, important
to note that although the advice given by Chemline
may be based on actual permeation testing, such
advice is not UKAS-accredited.
Although it is based at Respirex, Chemline is
totally independent and maintains strict confidentiality
in its dealings with Fire Services. Brigades are
welcome to seek Chemline advice on equipment produced
by other manufacturers and can rest assured that
such discussions with Chemline will not be disclosed
to Respirex.
The Arrangement
CACFOA has agreed an arrangement with Chemline
that enables a Duty HAZMAT Officer from each member
Fire Service throughout the United Kingdom to
access advice from the laboratory. This arrangement
runs annually and will be renewed each year. The
following paragraphs outline the services offered
and how to use them.
Chemline Contact
Your point of contact for Chemline Services is:
Dr. Julien Hollingshurst, Unit
F, Kingsfield Business Centre, Philanthropic Road,
Redhill, Surrey, RH1 4DP.
Tel/Fax: 01737 771117 Mobile:
07711 070009
Email:
chemline@respirex.co.uk
Hours
Chemline is a non-emergency post-incident service
and is available during normal office hours; Monday
to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. At other times, or
when there is nobody immediately available to
take your call, a message can be left on the answerphone.
Messages will be dealt with as soon as possible.
Should urgent advice be needed over weekends or
public holidays, contact can be made via the mobile
number, which will be monitored regularly for
messages.
Chemline Services:
Risk Management after a Chemical Incident
The primary role of Chemline is to advise HAZMAT
Officers on the appropriate actions to be taken
with regard to PPE and RPE after a chemical incident.
The importance of correct procedures after the
incident itself cannot be too highly stressed;
chemical protective clothing may well be contaminated
and could present a significant hazard to anyone
handling or re-using it. Contamination can also
compromise the future performance of equipment.
In the first instance the used suits should be
sealed in Hazbags and Chemline
forms A and B should be completed and
faxed or sent to Chemline as soon as possible.
The Chemline Chemist will then either confirm
that decontamination at the incident was sufficient
and that the equipment can be re-used at future
incidents, advise on further decontamination,
or request that the equipment be sent to the Chemline
Laboratory for chemical examination. In the latter
case, following thorough examination the Chemline
Chemist will either confirm that the equipment
is clean and can be re-used or recommend that
contaminated equipment be disposed of. Whatever
the outcome, the Brigade concerned will be informed
of Chemline's advice in writing; usually by fax.
Should it be necessary, Chemline can arrange
safe disposal of contaminated suits, although
this service attracts an extra charge. Copies
of all correspondence are kept at Chemline and
act as a complete history of protective clothing
used at chemical incidents.
Policy Advice
Chemline offers advice to Brigades drawing-up
policies for dealing with chemical incidents and
will help in the formulation of policy regarding
the use and post-incident handling of PPE and
RPE. Drawing-up Brigade policy for chemical incidents
can be a daunting task; the Chemline Chemist is
available to talk through ideas, discuss the various
options at each stage and help tailor general
principles to match Brigade circumstances.
Training
Training and familiarisation are, rightly, integral
to the Fire Service. Chemline is pleased to take
this opportunity to help extend training to include
post chemical-incident procedures. The Chemline
Chemist will be available to speak to officers
at HAZMAT training days. Advice can also be given
on suitable training methods for decontaminating
chemical protective suits. All Chemline asks is
that any travelling and accommodation costs are
met by the Fire Service concerned.
Standards
The Company Chemist at Respirex sits on a number
of National, European and International standards
committees, and advice on standards is available
to members through Chemline. The range of standards
for the wide variety of PPE and RPE on the market
can seem confusing; Chemline can advise which
standards are applicable to Fire Services and
keep members abreast of any changes.
Independent Purchasing Advice
No two Fire Services are alike and the need for
and use of Chemical Protective Clothing will inevitably
vary from brigade to brigade. Chemline can lead
Fire Services through the selection criteria for
Chemical Protective Clothing and give unbiased
advice on purchasing policy across a wide range
of clothing.
Newsletter
The twice-yearly Chemline Newsletter is a forum
for discussing best-practice in the light of recent
incidents. It also provides a method by which
Brigades can learn from each other's experiences
and acts as a regular contact and update from
Chemline to HAZMAT Officers.You can download the latest Chemline Newsletter below.
Expert Witness Services
It is becoming increasingly possible for Fire
Services to recoup the costs of equipment damaged
or contaminated at a chemical incident. Chemline
can act as expert witness in these cases and offers
help in completing insurance forms. In the past
the expertise of the laboratory has been accepted
without question.
Chemline Seminar
There are periodic Chemline Seminars held each
year. Speakers are chosen to present items of
current or general chemical interest, there are
feed-back sessions and updates on topical issues.
The seminars are also an opportunity for HAZMAT
Officers to meet Chemline staff, see the testing
laboratory and talk informally.
Disposal of Contaminated Equipment
Disposal of contaminated Chemical Protective Clothing
is a specialist operation that needs to be carried
out by experts. Should a chemical protective suit
become irreversibly contaminated, Chemline can
arrange for its disposal on behalf of a Fire Service.
A separate charge is made for this on a per-suit
basis.
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