1. NIST/OLES

2. Law Enforcement PPE for Use in Violent Situations
Alim Fatah, PhD
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Office of Law Enforcements Standards (OLES)

3. Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES)
OLES is a program management organization that designs and manages standards-development and research projects on behalf of agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and others. Within OLES are six program areas:
Weapons and Protective Systems;
Detection, Inspection, and Enforcement Technologies;
Forensic Sciences;
Public Safety Communication Systems;
Critical Incident Technologies; and
Public Safety and Security Technologies.
These program areas conduct a vast range of projects related to protective clothing, communication systems, investigative aids, security devices, traffic enforcement equipment, vehicles, firearms and ammunition, detection of concealed weapons and explosives, forensic science, homeland security, and domestic preparedness
NIST/OLES

4. Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES)
Examples of Standards in place:
NIJ – Ballistic Resistance of Personal Body Armor
NIJ – Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor
NIJ – Walk-Through Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection
NIJ – Hand-Held Metal Detectors
NIST/OLES

5. Project Goals
Define performance standards and testing methods for Law Enforcement PPE used in violent situations (Riot Gear)
Develop a suite of standards that can be used for equipment testing certification to ensure it meets minimum performance requirements
NIST/OLES

6. Project Description UK suite of standards serves as a model
BS 7971: Protective Clothing for Use in Violent Situations and Training
Utilizes UK testing standards
Defines performance requirements based on attacker capabilities
Force delivered, location of strike, method of delivery
Base these standards on US testing standards and performance criteria
ASTM
OSHA
The UK suite of standards has 10 sections in all
8 of these have been released 2 more are still under development
Mandated in the UK by the
- Police Health and Safety Act 1997
- Police (Health and Safety) Regulations 1999
NIST/OLES

7. Section 1: General Requirements
Applies to all PPE
Physically innocuous
No sharp edges
No rough surfaces
Components can not harm user
Chemically safe
No allergens or toxins
Must not degrade to form allergens
NIST/OLES

8. Section 1: General Requirements
Assessment of ergonomic performance and compatibility
Defines activities performed while wearing PPE Combinations to evaluate compatibility
Example: Evaluation of Personal Defense Shields
Wear the following
Shoulder Protector
Elbow and forearm protector
Gloves
Coverall
Do the following activities
Standing with arm movements
Walking and running
Assessment of physical discomfort and psychological irritations
NIST/OLES

9. Section 2: Risk Assessment
General method of performing a risk assessment
Stage 1: Determine who is responsible
Identify who is supposed to make relevant decisions
Stage 2: Determine what the hazards and risks are
Stage 3: Determine how hazards can be eliminated and the risks can be controlled
Stage 4: Deciding what actions are to be taken
Stage 5: Implementation
Stage 6: Continuous evaluation
Never completed
Establish a timetable for a full re-assessment
OSHA publishes a guide to risk assessment
This chapter is a general overview of these principles as they apply to law enforcement PPE
NIST/OLES

10. Section 2: Risk Assessment
Stage 1: Determine what the protective clothing and equipment need to do
Stage 2: Collect information about the PPE that is available
Stage 3: User trials
Stage 4: Establish procedures
Storing
Issuing
Maintaining
Record keeping
Stage 5: Introduction of the PPE
Stage 6: Continuous evaluation
NIST/OLES

11. Section 3: Personal Defense Shields
First line of defense that prevents or reduces the risk of injury from commonly faced hazards
Metal bars
Timbers
Baseball bats
Axes
Spikes and knives
Bricks, bottles other lofted weapons
Gasoline bombs
Can also serve as a means of restraining an individual
NIST/OLES

12. Physical Inspection and Assessment of Surface Condition
Shield Blade
Bolt Head
Washer r1
Lock Nut
Strike Face
< 240 mil
< 400 mil r2
Shield must be designed in a manner that prevents its components from harming the opponents. Bolts that penetrate through to the far side of the shield must not stick out to far to prevent them from being used as a weapon.
Sample Physical requirements
All materials, fixings, fasteners and surfaces must be free of sharp edges and rough surfaces
The radius of curvature for all edges must be greater than in (1.5 mm)
The maximum height of any step is in (6 mm)
The maximum height of any projection consisting of a number of steps is 0.4 in (10 mm)
NIST/OLES

13. Shield Flame Resistance and Flame Preconditioning
Shield is covered with flammable liquid
Burn for 25 sec
Pass / fail criteria
No drips due to melting
No excessive warping
This is done prior to all impact testing
This test may be abandoned in favor of smaller, more controllable conditions
“Simulated gasoline” is used as flame source. It is a mixture of heptane, toluene, and corn oil
Set shield at a 45° angle with face side up
Pour liquid over the top of the shield and allow it to run off
Flip shield 90° such that its face is pointed downward
Light liquid in base on fire
Flames should extinguish after 25 sec ± 5 sec
NIST/OLES

14. Shield Blunt impact test
Large, blunt striker
mass = 15 lb
drop height = 6.5 ft
Pass / fail criteria
No cracking of shield blade
No fragments on the splinter sheet
Shields are flame preconditioned
Multiple impacts to the face of the shield followed by individual impact to identified weak points
Looks for macroscopic failure of the shields
NIST/OLES

15. Shield Impact Deformation Test
ASTM F736
Rounded tip striker
Mass = lbs
Drop height = 3.3 ft
Pass / fail criteria
Maximum deformation < 1in
No fragmentation
This test is performed on a small discs of material cut from the face of the shield
These discs are flame preconditioned
Discs are supported on a ring that allows their center to be displaced on impact
NIST/OLES

16. Shield blade cut resistance
Impactor
Simulate machete striking top edge of shield
30° Blade
Mass = 11 lbs
Drop height = 6.7 ft
Pass / fail criteria
No cut or crack can extend more than 2 in from top edge of shield
Heavy, impactor that is ground to a sharpened edge
Not “razor” sharp but a sharpened, heavy knife
NIST/OLES

17. Section 4: Limb Protectors
Shoulder
Upper arm
Elbow and forearm
Thigh
Knee and shin
NIST/OLES

18. Limb Protectors Zones of Protection
Define protection zone as a function of a control dimension
Example: Shin protector
Length = 25% user’s height
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19. Limb Protectors Impact Tests
Impactor
5.5 lbs
Drop height
Determined by designated protection level of protector
1 ft – 4 ft
Pass fail criteria
Maximum peak transmitted force
Differs according to item being tested
Different limb protectors will be supported by different anvil shapes
A force transducer is placed on the back side of the protector to measure peak transmitted force.
NIST/OLES

20. Limb Protectors Blade Impact Tests
Striker
Simulate skipped tile
Mass = 5.5 lb (2.5 kg)
Drop height 8 – 48 in depending on protector being tested.
Pass/fail criteria
Maximum transmitted force
No cuts longer than inch through all layers
This is not meant to simulate a stab with a knife. This is a skipped tile or thrown glass. These protectors are NOT stab resistant
NIST/OLES

21. Section 5: Footwear
Standard footwear must protect from slipping and electrical hazards
Footwear for use in situations where violence is expected must meet relevant ASTM requirements
ASTM F 2412 Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection
ASTM F 2413 Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Foot Protection
NIST/OLES

22. Footwear: ASTM Requirements
Required of all protective footwear
Toe impact resistance
50 ft * lbs force
Compression resistance
50 ft*lbs force
NIST/OLES

23. Additional requirements
Abrasion resistant non-leather outsoles
ASTM D 1630
NFPA
Abrasion index > 100
Cracking resistance of soles under flexing
ASTM D 1052
< in crack growth after 30,000 flexes
Resistance of soles to fuel oils
ASTM D 471
Slip resistance of outsoles
ASTM F 609 – 05
Tear resistance of outsoles
ASTM D 624
The standard under development will simply call out pre-existing ASTM standards and set performance requirements. These requirements can be adjusted over time.
NIST/OLES

24. Additional Requirements (Cont)
Resistance of sole to hot contact
Heating element is brought into contact with sole
572 °F
Pass / fail criteria
No melting or cracking in polymeric soles
Sole of protective footwear is brought into contact with a very hot piece of metal.
NIST/OLES

25. Section 6: Gloves for mechanical chemical and thermal protection
Abrasion resistance
ASTM D4966 (Martindale Abrasion)
No breakthrough after 500 cycles at 1.3 psi
Blade cut resistance
ASTM F 1790
Must be 2.5 X as resistant to cuts as canvas
Tearing resistance
ASTM D 2261 (Tongue rip procedure)
Must resist tearing at lbf
Standard will be written in a manner that utilizes pre-existing test methods.
All of the tests above are currently used to test leather
NIST/OLES

26. Section 6: Gloves for mechanical chemical and thermal protection
Puncture resistance
ASTM F 1342
Must not be penetrated with 13.5 lbf applied to probe
This ASTM test is normally used for latex gloves
It is being adapted for use in thicker protective gloves
The probe used in this test is fatter and slightly duller than the standard probe. Similarly, the sample stage has a wider hole.
NIST/OLES

27. Section 6: Gloves for mechanical chemical and thermal protection
Dexterity test
ASTM F 2010 – 00 Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Glove Effects on Wearer Hand Dexterity Using a Modified Pegboard Test
Test of thermal protection
ISO 17493: Clothing and equipment for protection against heat - Test method for convective heat resistance using a hot air circulating oven
Must not allow a second degree burn according to evaluation criteria described in ASTM F 1060 Standard Test Method for Thermal Protective Performance of Materials for Protective Clothing for Hot Surface Contact
The dexterity test has the test subject move pins around on a board. The UK test has the user pick up the smallest possible rod from a flat surface.
NIST/OLES

28. Section 6: Gloves for mechanical chemical and thermal protection
Impact resistance
Striker
Mass = 5.5 lbs
Drop height = 8 in
Pass / fail criteria
No sharp edges created on glove
Maximum peak transmitted force = 900 lbf
NIST/OLES

29. Section 7: Slash resistant gloves
Must meet similar requirements as other gloves for
Abrasion resistance
Tear resistance
Puncture resistance
Dexterity
Blade cut resistance
20 X as resistant as canvas material
In the UK test, a blade reciprocates over the surface of a glove
In the US test, a sharp blade makes a single pass through the material being tested as force is measured
NIST/OLES

30. Section 8: Blunt trauma body protectors
Torso protectors
Equestrian
Must comply with ASTM F 1937
Impact tests
Defines zones of protection
Pedestrian
Must comply with ASTM F 1937 with different zones of protection
ASTM already has standards in place that are copied in the UK Law enforcement PPE Standards
NIST/OLES

31. Abdomen and Genital Protectors
Specifies
Zones of protection
Impact tests
Brick edge impactor
Ball impactor
Restraint tests
Defines maximum displacement under load and after load is withdrawn
Separate tests are described for both male and female genital protectors. The male protectors must maintain a certain space under the protector whereas the female protector looks at transmitted force values.
NIST/OLES

32. Sections under development
Training suits and equipment
Coveralls
NIST/OLES