Overview
ISO 23616:2022 specifies requirements, guidance and recommendations for the cleaning, inspection and repair of firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE). It is intended for personnel and organizations responsible for establishing and operating PPE maintenance programmes - for example, fire and rescue services, PPE maintenance teams, safety officers and procurement managers. The standard covers management systems, routine and advanced inspection, cleaning/decontamination, repair procedures and record keeping for garments, gloves, helmets, footwear, fire hoods and respiratory protective devices (RPD). It does not currently cover chemical protective clothing or garments for CBRN protection.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Management systems: Establishment of documented procedures, roles and responsibilities for PPE cleaning, inspection, repair and traceability.
- Inspection levels: Differentiates routine (user/shift-level checks) and advanced (detailed, trained-inspector) inspections to identify wear, damage and loss of protective properties.
- Cleaning & decontamination: Guidance on routine and advanced cleaning processes, contamination management and ensuring processes are innocuous (do not harm PPE performance or wearer safety).
- Repair principles: Criteria for basic field repairs versus advanced repairs, and decision-making on repairability or retirement of PPE.
- Records & reporting: Requirements for documenting inspections, cleaning cycles, repairs and reporting PPE health and safety concerns.
- Component-specific guidance: Practical inspection, cleaning, drying and repair recommendations for:
- Garments (shells, linings, repellency and fit-for-purpose testing)
- Gloves
- Helmets
- Footwear
- Fire hoods
- Respiratory protective devices (RPD frames, cylinders, face masks and valves)
Applications and who uses this standard
- Fire and rescue services building or improving PPE maintenance programmes to extend service life and ensure user safety.
- PPE maintenance teams and laundries that perform routine and advanced cleaning and decontamination.
- Safety managers and procurement officers who need to define acceptance, inspection intervals, and repair policies.
- Trainers and quality assurance personnel responsible for establishing inspection competence and record-keeping practices.
Practical benefits include improved PPE reliability, consistent cleaning/decontamination processes, reduced cross-contamination risks and documented maintenance histories that support user safety and operational readiness.
Related standards
Consult other applicable ISO and national standards for PPE performance, selection and RPD testing, and follow manufacturer instructions. ISO 23616:2022 complements performance and certification standards by focusing on end‑of‑use maintenance, inspection and repair best practices.
Keywords: ISO 23616:2022, firefighters PPE cleaning, PPE inspection, PPE repair, PPE maintenance, RPD inspection, fire service PPE guidelines.
Open preview (PDF)Cleaning, inspection and repair of firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE)
