As explained in part one, protection of the firefighter is accomplished by an ensemble of protective clothing and equipment, which all must be designed to work together to protect against the different hazards faced by firefighters. Previous articles have examined garments, helmets, and hoods as part an overall ensemble. This article examines the two remaining elements: gloves and footwear.
Gloves
Other than hoods, gloves are considered to be the commodity item of the firefighter protective ensemble and perhaps one of the largest problem areas for providing adequate protection to the firefighter. In terms of cost, gloves are relatively cheap compared to garments, footwear, or helmets, and are regarded by some departments as a “throw away” item.
Gloves represent a difficult protection problem because the hands have a very high surface area to volume ratio; only the ears are higher. This means it is difficult to provide the same level of protection to the hands in five-fingered gloves as compared to the torso and other parts of the body.
Because of this challenge, attempts to provide sufficient protection usually results in bulky, cumbersome gloves. In fact, this practice, standardized in NFPA 1971, has caused a significant percentage of firefighters to use non-compliant gloves or engage in practices that endanger their hands (e.g., removing their gloves to operate a radio while on the fireground).
Nevertheless, failure to adequately protect the hands can cause an increased number of burn and other injuries. The hands are very susceptible to several fire scene hazards, and statistics indicate that the hands are among the most frequently burned portions of firefighters’ bodies.
Most firefighter gloves are leather, using cowhide, goat, elk or pig hides. While leather provides a durable, hazard-resistant shell for firefighter gloves, it is also prone to shrinkage at high temperatures.
Also, the thicker leathers that are required for providing adequate thermal shrinkage resistance, puncture resistance and heat insulation also inhibit hand function (i.e., dexterity and tactility).
‘Extremely breathable’
Different leathers also have different characteristics in terms of durability, softness and heat response. Cowhide, the most commonly used leather, provides good general comfort, is durable and resists abrasion. Pigskin is extremely breathable and has the additional benefit of returning to its original pliability after getting wet. Goatskin is very soft and offers good tactile sensitivity with a balance of strength and abrasion resistance. Elkskin is considered soft but is not as durable as cowhide.
Leathers prepared from different parts of the hide can also offer different characteristics. Split leather (leather cut horizontally favoring grain side on the inner side of the hide) is softer for better dexterity, compared with grain leather (cut from the outer side of the hide), which offers greater durability. Newer leathers, such as kangaroo hide, which offer increased durability and softness, are also making their way into the marketplace for firefighter gloves. All leathers have to be specially tanned and treated to provide both flame and heat resistance.
A small segment of the glove marketplace uses textile-based shells. These materials, similar to the outer shells used in garments, offer increased thermal stability, but usually at the price of insulation. They therefore must be supplemented with additional layers or thicker liners to achieve minimum insulation requirements.
Most textile shell materials are Kevlar® based and therefore offer excellent cut and abrasion resistance. However, puncture resistance is determined by the combination of layers working together to minimize the ease of sharp objects penetrating the glove composite.
In many cases, additional reinforcement layers have been added to textile shells to improve puncture resistance in key areas and minimize wear of the gloves.
Glove shells are supplemented with various lining systems, usually a flame resistant knit, non-woven material or wool. One of the most common lining materials is modacrylic, a flame-retardant material that is comfortable for skin contact and resistant to heat, though it can shrink when exposed to high heat.
Other glove lining systems use forms of knit Aramids or combine flame-retardant treated materials in blends for appropriate levels of overall glove insulation and comfort.
Many gloves also incorporate a coating or moisture barrier to prevent water penetration. A moisture barrier is a necessity for any glove to be compliant with NFPA 1971, which mandates glove penetration resistance for water, fireground chemicals and bloodborne pathogens.
Different barrier materials are used in glove moisture barriers, and the characteristics for these barrier materials will vary in their effectiveness in maintaining barrier performance and the overall breathability. Gloves are not required to be breathable, but many liners do incorporate breathable moisture barriers that add to comfort.
Moisture barriers
The majority of industry moisture barriers are prepared as inserts that are then added to the glove with the lining as part of the glove construction process. The inserts tend to be oversized because the barrier portion of the material doesn’t stretch, so manufacturers must accommodate for the size of the insert to allow the widest parts of the hands and fingers to easily fit into the respective parts of the gloves.
In one example, a moisture barrier system has been combined with the thermal liner to provide a complete glove lining system. This approach minimizes the number of layers required for glove construction.
As the number of layers increase, the level of protection improves, though at the expense of hand function. Some relief from diminished hand function is obtained by using alternative materials to leather such as knit Kevlar or other high heat composite materials.
Other manufacturers have employed various designs to optimize the glove material composites while reducing bulk. For example, using three-dimensional patterning, as opposed to the traditional two-dimensional designs, the general result is usually a better fitting glove.
Glove features include the type of materials, the general construction design, the length, and type of glove end (straight, gauntlet, or knit wristlet). The former two features significantly affect hand function and protection, while the latter features relate to the issue of interface between gloves and garment sleeves. Glove materials, such as breathable glove layers, also contribute to improved hand comfort.
Some glove manufacturers also treat the glove palm areas with a special finished or raised surface for improved grip. Improved grip and tactility can also be achieved by using different leather on the palm compared to the back.
Some manufacturers choose to offer additional insulating layers on the back of gloves due to the greater likelihood that they will be exposed to extended heat compared to other parts of the glove.
As with any protective clothing, good fit is paramount to proper function and achieving the desired protection.
It is important each glove finger has sufficient length as this will have a significant effect on tactility. At the same time, gloves should not fit too tightly. Part of the protection to the hand is afforded by the air gap between the gloves and the hands.
In addition, some glove shrinkage, particularly with leather gloves, can be expected over the life of the glove from both cleaning and heat exposures. NFPA 1971 now requires that gloves be offered in seven sizes, ranging from extra-extra small to extra-extra large. There is no uniform sizing convention among manufacturers, so trying on gloves and determining relative hand function remains the best way for ensuring that you have chosen the best fitting glove.
Footwear
Protective footwear is an essential part of the protective ensemble for keeping the firefighter’s feet, ankles, and lower legs protected against various fireground hazards.
The footwear must meet some of the same challenges for protection as other protective elements, but there are some issues that are unique to footwear. As the element in direct contact with the fireground environment, footwear must protect from potentially hotter surface contact.
Footwear should also provide greater protection from physical hazards (e.g., protruding nails) and contact with live electrical wires. Furthermore, feet are prone to injury from falling debris and heavy objects, necessitating increased protection of the toes and metatarsal region.
In all cases, the footwear should be designed to maintain intimate, non-skid contact with the flooring or walking surface through soles with appropriate levels of traction.
Footwear is designed with outer material and lining forming the upper; an outer sole with heel and an insole for cushioning the bottom of the foot; and various hardware to afford protection to specific areas of the feet.
Hardware includes puncture resistant materials in the outer sole, toe caps and a device called a ladder shank to prevent over-bending of the sole when stepping onto uneven surfaces. Footwear may also incorporate hardware for donning purposes that includes hooks and studs for lacing boots, zippers and special pull tabs.
The general construction of footwear is traditionally done with leather or rubber uppers. There are some fundamental differences in how the footwear is constructed based on the upper material.
This translates into different wearing qualities for footwear, with preferences varying between end users. Some end users prefer leather for its general comfort, fit and functional use. Others consider rubber boots to be more robust, durable and easier to care for. There are advantages and disadvantages for each type of boot upper.
The longstanding debate over the use of leather vs. rubber footwear will continue. On the bright side, this competition is producing new products with improved performance for firefighters.
Complaints about the heaviness of rubber footwear have led to design and material changes that lighten footwear weight, such as the use of composite toe caps and mid-soles for physical protection. Other rubber footwear designs attempt to address ankle support by improving footwear fit and providing padding to the instep, shin and heel.
Similar improvements are being made to leather footwear. For example, some companies now provide footwear with Kevlar® upper (replacing the leather) to reduce footwear weight. Less bulky protective linings are also being incorporated into leather footwear.
Breathability is an important property for leather footwear, which incorporates barrier materials that allow water vapor transport for improved comfort.
While NFPA 1971 currently requires boots to be at least 10 inches high (as measured from the interior of the boot, with the inner sole installed), many footwear styles are much higher. Insulation packages vary significantly among offered footwear and the insulation in some boots may change with the specific location inside the footwear. For example, some footwear may have thinner insulation in the vamp area of the boot (the junction of the leg with the foot at the front of the boot).
Soles are designed to provide traction and long wear characteristics. In conjunction with a metal plate or composite material inside the sole area of the footwear, boot soles provide resistance to nail puncture and other physical hazards.
All industrial footwear requires a toe that resists compression from impact, but firefighter boots are also required to have a “ladder shank,” a sturdy metal or composite bar inside the inner sole that prevents the sole from bending when the firefighter steps on a ladder rung. Optional features include the type of pull tab and sole insert provided with the footwear.
Footwear fit is afforded by a multitude of different sizes and widths required by NFPA 1971. NFPA 1971 dictates that all footwear styles be provided in men’s sizes five to 15 and women’s sizes five to 10, in three different widths at each size.
It is essential that footwear fits well to remain comfortable, maintain good ankle support and provide the optimal protection.
Gloves and footwear are but two parts of the ensemble. As with all items, these items must correctly and safely interface with other parts of the ensemble to afford consistent protection to the firefighter’s body against expected fireground hazards.
