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NFPA 
The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) continues to monitor diesel exhaust and it's effects on the firefighter and is constantly revising it's codes to reflect new studies and information regarding the health issue associated with diesel exhaust particulates and gaseous in the firehouse. NFPA 1500, 1992, 7.1.5: Fire stations shall be designed and provide with provisions to ventilate exhaust emissions from fire apparatus to prevent exposure to fire fighters and contamination of living and sleeping areas. NFPA 1500, 2002, 9.1.4: All existing and new fire department facilities shall have carbon monoxide detectors installed in sleeping and living areas. NFPA 1500, 2002, 9.1.6* The fire department shall prevent exposure to firefighters and contamination of living and sleeping areas to exhaust emissions. *Annex A& Explanatory Material Annex A is not a part of the requirements of this NFPA document but is included for informational purposes only. This annex contains explanatory material, numbered to correspond with the applicable text paragraphs. NFPA 1500, 2002, A.9.1.6 The operation of a fire department requires the storage and indoor operation of fire apparatus that are generally housed in an enclosed building. The need to keep the apparatus and other vehicles ready for immediate service and in good operating condition, which requires the indoor running of vehicles for response and routine service/pump checks, makes storage in an enclosed area, such as an apparatus bay, necessary. The exhaust from all internal combustion engines, including diesel and gasoline-powered engines, contains over 100 individual hazardous chemical components that, when combined, can result in as many as 10,000 chemical compounds. A large majority of these compounds are today listed by state and federal regulatory agencies as being cancer causing or suspected carcinogens. The target components listed by NIOSH/OSHA consist of both hydrocarbon carbon components and compounds, which are produced as both gas-phase and particulate-phase compounds. The gases and particulates, which are viewed by NIOSH and OHSA as life threatening, consist of a cancer-causing substance know as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Gases in diesel exhaust, such as nitrous oxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, benzene, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, can also create health problems. According to NIOSH, human and animal studies show that diesel exhaust should be treated as a human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance). In accordance with the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, as it pertains to diesel exhaust, NIOSH recommends that occupational exposure to carcinogens be limited to the lowest feasible concentration. NIOSH uses OSHA s classification, outlined in 29 CFR 1990.103, which states in part "Potential occupational carcinogen means any substance, or combination or mixture of substances, which causes an increased incidence of benign and/or malignant neoplasm, or a substantial decrease in latency period between exposure and onset of neoplasm in the result of any oral, respiratory or dermal exposure, or any other exposure which results in the induction of tumors at a site other than the site of administration." This definition also includes any substance that is metabolized into one or more potential occupational carcinogen by mammals. Over the past decade, it has been documented that fire department personnel exposed to vehicle exhaust emissions have had adverse health effect, including death, even in areas where only short-term exposure had taken place. Secondary effects of vehicle exhaust have been sighted in the storage of sterilized medical equipment. The equipment is contaminated by exhaust emissions, handled by emergency services personnel while treating the public, thus creating a path for cross-contamination to the general public. In addition, there has been an effect on contamination to computers and emergency service electronics due to carbon deposits that lead to malfunction. For the previously stated reasons and numerous support documentation, this technical committee recognizes and advocates the need for the elimination and the containment of all vehicle exhaust emissions to a level of no less than 100 percent effective capture. This complies with NIOSH s requirement to reduce the emissions to the lowest feasible level in an effort to reduce the health impact on human life. This, in turn, reduces the department s liability and risk. The containment of the vehicle exhaust emissions should be achieved with a goal of eliminating all exhaust emissions from the breathing zone of the human inhabitants present in the station. Any system installed to suit this purpose should be made using "best available control technology." Exhaustomatic-Looking to make the future Safer for firefighters Vehicle exhaust, both fumes and particulate, have become a major health issue with fire departments around the country. Studies have shown that extended exposure to diesel fumes can cause cancer, and of course we all know that carbon monoxide produced by gasoline engines is an odorless, colorless deadly gas. Several Types of Systems for Several Solutions Exhaustomatic is the only company to offer you more than one solution to exhausting dangerous gases from your firehouse. We not only offer more than one nozzle attachment on our hose systems, but we also offer a non-hose filtering systems for those fire departments that prefer not to have hoses hanging in the bays. See our products listing for a complete list of vehicle exhaust removal systems. For more information please visit this helpful website: www.nfpa.org All rights reserved. Designed and Developed by Focus Into Design. |
100% Source Capture Automatic Disconnect Meets NFPA 1500 9.1.6 2 Year Warranty 2 Nozzle Designs "CO" Monitoring UL Approved Factory Installations |
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