NIST/OLES
Law Enforcement PPE for Use
in Violent Situations
Alim Fatah, PhD
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Office of Law Enforcements Standards (OLES)
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:
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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
Office of Law Enforcement
Standards (OLES)
• Examples of Standards in place:
– NIJ 0101.04 – Ballistic Resistance of Personal
Body Armor
– NIJ 0115.00 – Stab Resistance of Personal
Body Armor
– NIJ 0601.02 – Walk-Through Metal Detectors
for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband
Detection
– NIJ 0602.02 – Hand-Held Metal Detectors
NIST/OLES
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
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
NIST/OLES
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
Section 1: General Requirements
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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
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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
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
NIST/OLES
Section 2: Risk Assessment
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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
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Storing
Issuing
Maintaining
Record keeping
Stage 5: Introduction of the
PPE
Stage 6: Continuous
evaluation
NIST/OLES
Section 3: Personal Defense Shields
• First line of defense that
prevents or reduces the
risk of injury from
commonly faced hazards
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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
Physical Inspection and Assessment of
Surface Condition
Strike
Face
r2
r1
Bolt Head
Washer
< 240 mil
< 400 mil
< 240 mil
Shield Blade
Washer
Lock Nut
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Sample Physical requirements
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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 0.060 in (1.5 mm)
The maximum height of any step is 0.240 in (6 mm)
The maximum height of any projection consisting of a number of steps is 0.4 in (10 mm)
NIST/OLES
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
NIST/OLES
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
NIST/OLES
Shield Impact Deformation Test
• ASTM F736
• Rounded tip striker
– Mass = 6.613 lbs
– Drop height = 3.3 ft
• Pass / fail criteria
– Maximum
deformation < 1in
– No fragmentation
NIST/OLES
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
NIST/OLES
Section 4: Limb Protectors
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Shoulder
Upper arm
Elbow and forearm
Thigh
Knee and shin
NIST/OLES
Limb Protectors Zones of Protection
• Define protection
zone as a function of
a control dimension
• Example: Shin
protector
– Length = 25% user’s
height
NIST/OLES
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
NIST/OLES
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 0.020
inch through all layers
NIST/OLES
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
Footwear: ASTM Requirements
• Required of all protective footwear
– Toe impact resistance
• 50 ft * lbs force
– Compression resistance
• 50 ft*lbs force
NIST/OLES
Additional requirements
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Abrasion resistant nonleather outsoles
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ASTM D 1630
NFPA 1971 7.10.10
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Cracking resistance of soles
under flexing
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ASTM D 471
Slip resistance of outsoles
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ASTM D 1052
< 0.157 in crack growth
after 30,000 flexes
Resistance of soles to fuel oils
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Abrasion index > 100
ASTM F 609 – 05
Tear resistance of outsoles
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ASTM D 624
NIST/OLES
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
NIST/OLES
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 11.25 lbf
NIST/OLES
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
NIST/OLES
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
NIST/OLES
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
Section 7: Slash resistant gloves
• Must meet similar requirements as other
gloves for
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Abrasion resistance
Tear resistance
Puncture resistance
Dexterity
• Blade cut resistance
– 20 X as resistant as canvas material
NIST/OLES
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
NIST/OLES
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
NIST/OLES
Sections under development
• Training suits and equipment
• Coveralls
NIST/OLES