NCRP Commentary No. 19:
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| PPE Type | Recommended Equipment | Protection Offered | Guidance & Caveats |
| Dermal | Bunker gear (aka fire fighter "turn out" gear) | Protects against internal and external contamination | Cannot protect against external radiation exposure from high energy, highly penetrating ionizing radiation Personal radiation dosimeter should be included as part of personal protective equipment (PPE) to track total time of exposure to penetrating ionizing radiation (e.g., gamma) |
| Respiratory | Respiratory protective equipment currently used by first responders to prevent smoke inhalation | Protects against inhalation of/internal contamination with respirable radioactive particles | |
| Ad hoc1 | Normal clothing (e.g., a uniform) provides some limited protection Cover mouth and nose with handkerchief, bandana, etc., to reduce risk of inhaling airborne radioactive material |
Limited protection Only a "stop-gap" measure Responders are clearly instructed to evacuate and seek definitive PPE |
Use of ad hoc protection is at variance with OSHA/NIOSH Interim Guidance - August 30, 2004: Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) Incident commanders should be aware that ad hoc protection does not deliver appropriate or sufficient level of protection to first responders |
1 Ad hoc: improvised, temporary protection for responders not initially equipped with proper PPE
References:
* Key Elements of Preparing Emergency Responders for Nuclear and Radiological Terrorism (NCRP Commentary No. 19), National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD, December 2005, Section 5, page 30. Purchase required.