CSA Z1610 - Canada's first National Standard on Protection of First Responders from CBRN Events

CSA Standards and the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) are pleased to introduce CAN/CGSB 205.1/CSA Z1610, Protection of First Responders from Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Events. This new standard will specify requirements for the selection, use, and care of personal protective equipment (PPE) in responding to a CBRN incident, including releases of contagious outbreak events. The CSA Z1610 Standard is specifically targeted to fire, police, and medical first responders/receivers in the first line of the response. The Standard was developed jointly by CSA and CGSB with the participation of a multi-stakeholder Technical Committee, with representatives from first responder groups, government, manufacturers, academia and researchers.

Meeting the Need

Currently, there are limited personal protective equipment standards specific to CBRN response. Most first responders in Canada have hazardous material (HazMat) or dangerous goods (DG) standards to guide them in responding to a CBRN incident. With this new Standard, first responders will have, for the first time, a national standard, which can be recognized across jurisdictions, to help protect them in their vital work.

Who Is This Standard For?

The CSA Z1610 standard is specifically targeted to fire, police, and medical first responders/receivers in the front line of the response.