New CBRN Standard for Canada Issued
This voluntary standard is the first national standard for PPE to be used by fire, police, and paramedics, officials said.
CSA Standards and the government of Canada announced Jan. 25 that the country's first national standard for protective equipment for fire, police, and paramedics is now available. Officials who announced said it is vital for first responders in Canada to have access to the right protective equipment in case of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) incident.
The announcement was made during a re-enactment of such an incident. "Our government understands how essential it is for those who put their lives on the line for Canadian families to have the best support and equipment possible," said Vic Toews, Canada's Public Safety minister. "With today's announcement of new equipment standards for our first responders, we are working to ensure that firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and health care workers have the highest standard of protective equipment available while working to protect Canadians in extraordinary urgent situations."
The standard's designation is CAN/CGSB/CSA-Z1610, Protection of First Responders from Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Events. It specifies requirements for the selection, use, and care of PPE for first responders in a CBRN incident, including deliberate attacks or releases and contagious outbreaks.
"Canada's front-line emergency workers form the backbone of our society by answering the call of duty without question when people are in need," said Bonnie Rose, president of CSA Standards. "The work that the Canadian General Standards Board and the CSA technical committees have done in developing this voluntary national standard is a model of cooperation and one that will help lead to improved protection for our heroic first responders across jurisdictions from coast to coast."
"The development of a single recognized standard will ensure protection for police, firefighters, and military and emergency medical services personnel across the country," said Terrence Davies, director of Public Works and Government Services Canada's Canadian General Standards Board. Funding for the development of the standard was provided by the government of Canada's CBRNE Research and Technology Initiative, while personnel and facilities in-kind assistance came from Public Safety Canada and many other stakeholders, CSA Standards said.