More and more fire departments are getting serious about gear cleaning. As information about the dangers of dirty gear grows, firefighters are recognizing the need to thoroughly clean their gear.  

The NFPA 1851 standard dictates how gear should be cleaned, inspected, and repaired. Any fire department looking to adhere to NFPA 1851 should seek out a verified organization.  

But what is an NFPA 1851-verified ISP and why does it matter?  

What Procedures Are Covered Under NFPA 1851? 

NFPA 1851 lays out four verifications: 

• Advanced inspection 
• Advanced cleaning 
• Sanitization  
• Advanced repairs 

For a service provider to offer these procedures, they must be verified under NFPA 1851.  

Types of Verification 

There are multiple verification categories available to organizations and Independent Service Providers (ISPs) under NFPA 1851. Each type of verification requires separate rules and procedures that must be followed. 

The simplest type of verification is a verified cleaner. An organization or ISP with this verification is limited to advanced cleaning and sanitization. This means that while this organization or ISP is verified to perform cleaning, they are not able to provide any level of NFPA 1851 recommended inspections or repairs. Any inspection or repair provided by a verified cleaner is not compliant with the NFPA 1851 standard. 

The other type of verification is generally attained by full-service ISPs and organizations that choose to become NFPA 1851 verified to service their own PPE. These entities can be verified to perform every type of service defined within NFPA 1851.  

How Does NFPA 1851 Verification Happen? 

For any organization or ISP, to be NFPA 1851 verified, they must be verified by an independent laboratory.  

NFPA 1851 verification is provided by Underwriter Laboratories (UL) or Intertek (Gear Wash is certified by UL).  

Certification is a rigorous process that tests how well an organization meets the requirements of NFPA 1851. Testing is performed based on the types of work an organization is trying to be certified for.  

Verified ISPs like Gear Wash are tested on all three elements of turnout gear: outer shell, moisture barrier (by barrier type), and thermal liner. Samples of inspected and repaired gear are sent to the lab, which tests to ensure that the repairs have returned the gear to acceptable functionality.  

For cleaning, the process is even more rigorous.  

NFPA and other agencies worked to discover the most common contaminants found on firefighter gear. To test how well an organization or ISP can clean gear, the verifying lab takes a sample of those contaminants and intentionally contaminates a piece of clean gear. The lab then monitors the advanced cleaning process on that gear.  

When the gear arrives back to the lab after cleaning, the lab tests how well the cleaner was able to remove those contaminants. As technology and standards improve, the gear can be cleaned more completely.  

Once verified, organizations or ISPs are required to be re-verified annually for repairs and once every 18 months for cleaning verification to ensure compliance with NFPA 1851.  

Note that for ISPs with more than one location, each facility is required to be individually certified. This includes mobile units, which must all individually be certified.  

How Do You Know If You Are Utilizing an NFPA 1851 Verified Provider? 

Intertek and UL are required by the NFPA to list all verified facilities. If the ISP you are utilizing is not listed and/or each of their facilities are not listed, it’s likely you are not receiving the NFPA 1851 verified services you are paying for. Any work received to this point is null and void for NFPA 1851 certification. 

Why Is NFPA 1851 Verification Important?  

Simply put, independent verification ensures that the organization or ISP cleaning, inspecting, and repairing gear does it in accordance with NFPA 1851 guidelines.  

Just like it wouldn’t make sense send a cadet out into the field with no training, it wouldn’t make sense to send your gear to be cleaned by an ISP that doesn’t have the proper training and equipment. Verification makes sure that training and equipment meets a certain level.  

But it’s also important to know that standards are always changing. That’s why some ISPs like Gear Wash dedicate time, energy, and resources to provide end-user training and attend NFPA 1851 committee meetings. 

There are a lot of options when it comes to cleaning methods and needs. Having a trusted relationship with your ISP is the only way to ensure that your needs and concerns are being met—and that your gear is fighting fit.