NFPA (Fire) 1999 Historical

Follow NFPA 1999 to protect first responders from contact with blood and body fluid-borne pathogens when providing victim or patient care during emergency medical operations. This standard specifies minimum documentation, design, performance, testing, and certification requirements for new-single use and new multiple-use emergency medical clothing used by fire and emergency services personnel during EMS operations. These items include:

* Garments--both full and partial, upper and lower torso protection
* Three types of gloves--examination gloves for patient care, work gloves for situations that post higher physical hazards such as extrication, and cleaning gloves for handling and cleaning contaminated EMS equipment
* Footwear
* Face protection

EMS PPE must provide blood and body fluid pathogen barrier protection to whatever parts of the body they cover. While no partial protection is allowed for the EMS PPE item, the items might be configured to cover only part of the upper or lower torso, such as arms with sleeve protectors, torso front with apron styled garments, and face with faceshields. (Approx. 49 pp. 2003)