The 2026 edition of NFPA 1850 marks one of the most significant structural updates to turnout gear care and maintenance standards in years. This revision consolidates NFPA 1851 (PPE care and maintenance) and NFPA 1852 (SCBA maintenance) into one unified standard, streamlining expectations for fire departments and introducing new requirements aimed at improving firefighter safety and consistency across the industry. For firefighters, these changes represent both an operational shift and an opportunity to modernize PPE programs.

New Roles: PPC Manager & Technician

One of the most notable updates is the introduction of two defined roles within the PPE maintenance program: the Personal Protective Clothing (PPC) Manager and PPC Technician. These positions formalize responsibilities that many departments have informally carried out for years, but now with clear expectations and competencies.

Why PPC and not PPE? The roles are defined by clothing rather than all protective equipment, making it clear what the roles are meant to oversee.

• PPC Manager: Oversees compliance with standards, conducts risk assessments, manages gear lifecycles, develops policies, coordinates training, plans budgets, and establishes contamination control practices. This role is focused on strategy and compliance.
• PPC Technician: Coordinates cleaning and repairs, performs advanced inspections, maintains documentation, and communicates safety concerns. This role is focused on performing the actual tasks of PPE care and maintenance.

This role-based approach brings accountability and clarity, especially for departments scaling their PPE maintenance operations.

It’s important to note that both these titles can be given to the same individual, who may or may not be a firefighter themselves. The separate roles give more flexibility and clarity to departments looking to specify who is responsible for given tasks in a department.

These roles can also be accomplished with a Verified Independent Service Provider (ISP) like Gear Wash, which can aid in training, tracking, cleaning and repair, and all other aspects of a successful NFPA 1850 program.

Cleaning Requirements: What’s New in 1850

The updated NFPA 1850 reinforces the long-standing requirement for advanced cleaning at least twice annually, or every six months, for all issued PPE. But several important updates refine these practices:

1. Pre‑issue cleaning of new PPE

Departments must now consider washing new gear before issuing it to firefighters. This removes manufacturing residues and slightly improves thermal protective performance (TPP), helping gear perform more effectively in initial deployments (and better match expected performance figures given by the gear manufacturer).

2. Updated water temperature limits

The maximum allowable wash temperature increases from 105°F to 120°F, giving departments more flexibility for contaminant removal while staying within safe parameters for fabric integrity.

3. Added focus on water hardness and effluent management

Water hardness must be kept below 60 ppm, especially because harder water can reduce the removal efficiency of heavy metal contaminants—an increasingly recognized hazard for firefighters. Additionally, departments must now follow local, state, and federal regulations for wastewater discharge (also known as effluent), with a two‑year window to comply fully.

4. Restrictions on improper cleaning practices

The standard now explicitly prohibits manual scrubbing of test sample fabrics in cleaning validation, ensuring that test results reflect real-world cleaning processes rather than artificially enhanced outcomes. This also comes from multiple fabric manufacturers that caution against heavy scrubbing the entire garment during the cleaning process. Light scrubbing with a soft bristle brush during Preliminary Exposure Reduction and/or spot treatment continues to be permitted.

5. Lithium‑ion contamination added to decontamination matrices

Recognizing the surge in battery-related incidents, NFPA 1850 now integrates Li‑ion contamination considerations into cleaning decision trees, guiding both immediate decontamination and specialized cleaning steps.

Enhanced Cleaning Validation Requirements

For the first time, removal rates for NFPA 1850 cleaning validation contaminants cleaned by verified ISPs must be publicly published by the verification agency. This transparency helps departments compare providers based on actual performance—not just pass/fail verification status.

That also applies to mobile cleaning units, which must now:

• Display their vehicle verification numbers
• Maintain logs of water hardness at each service location.

These measures ensure consistency and traceability, especially for departments using mobile service providers.

Inspection and Repair: More Structure and Accountability

NFPA 1850 retains the requirement for both routine and advanced inspections but reinforces expectations

• Routine inspections: Conducted by every firefighter before and after incidents, intended as quick visual checks for damage or degradation.
• Advanced inspections: Required at least annually (or more often if triggered by damage), performed by trained personnel, verified ISPs, or manufacturers.

A new requirement mandates circling and dating hydrostatic test locations on moisture barriers, improving documentation and oversight of barrier integrity over time.

Why NFPA 1850 Changes Matter

NFPA 1850 edition gives fire departments a clearer roadmap for managing PPE programs with measurable accountability, better documentation, and improved contaminant control. The consolidation of standards eliminates ambiguity, while new role definitions and verification requirements help ensure that gear remains safe and effective throughout its lifecycle.

Ultimately, these updates equip departments to better protect firefighters. They give better insight into how gear is cleaned, repaired, and maintained while adding additional safeguards for both firefighters who wear the PPE and maintain the PPE.

While NFPA 1850 is designed to offer increased clarity, additional rules and roles can create confusion for departments. Verified ISPs like Gear Wash can help departments of any size manage their PPE programs safely and effectively. Beyond cleaning and repair, Gear Wash offers additional NFPA training, advanced tracking capabilities, and rental gear.