KAPPLER Frontline 500 Operation manual

Certied Models NFPA 1990 (1991) – 2022 Edition
F5H582-91 • F5H583-91
User Information
for Frontline® 500
Vapor and Liquid
Protective Ensemble
RM 00863 Rev 01-2023

THIS INFORMATION PACKET MAY NOT BE REMOVED EXCEPT
BY THE END USER
Kappler, Inc.
P.O. Box 490 | 115 Grimes Drive
Guntersville, AL 35976
256-505-4005 Phone
800-600-4019 Toll free
256-505-4151 Fax
[e-mail]
User Information for
Frontline® 500 Vapor and Liquid Protective Ensemble
Certified Model
NFPA 1990 (1991) - 2022 Edition
22-KAP-111

CONTENTS
Safety Considerations..............................................................................................................................1
Safety Symbols Used In This Manual...................................................................................................1
Warnings and Limitations ......................................................................................................................2
Additional Equipment ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Wearers Must Be Physically Fit ...................................................................................................................... 3
Always Use the Buddy System����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
Manage and Prevent Heat Stress������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 4
Chemical Permeation Data ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 5
Static Electricity ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5
Avoid Continuous Exposure���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
Supplied Airline Applications ..........................................................................................................................6
Sock Booties ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
Provide Hearing Protection ............................................................................................................................. 7
Communications���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������7
Inspection of the Garment .....................................................................................................................7
Full Visual Inspection ..............................................................................................................................8
Pressure Testing the Garment ..............................................................................................................9
Conducting the Test ................................................................................................................................9
Returning the Garment ......................................................................................................................... 13
Instructions For Field Replaceable Compontents ......................................................................... 13
Storage Life and Service Life.............................................................................................................. 14
Storage Life.........................................................................................................................................................14
Storage Conditions .......................................................................................................................................... 15
Visor Anti-Fog Treatment ..................................................................................................................... 15
Closure Lubricants ................................................................................................................................. 15

Marking Recommendations and Restrictions ................................................................................. 16
Recommended Undergarments......................................................................................................... 16
Respirator Consideration for Ensembles ......................................................................................... 16
Sizing Considerations ........................................................................................................................... 16
Donning the Garment............................................................................................................................ 17
Dong the Garment.............................................................................................................................. 19
Interface Issues......................................................................................................................................20
Decontamination and Cleaning of Chemical and Biological Contamination ........................20
Decontamination Solutions........................................................................................................................... 20
Field Decontamination................................................................................................................................... 20
Decontamination before Reuse..........................................................................................................21
Maintenance & Cleaning ............................................................................................................................... 22
Retirement Considerations................................................................................................................. 23
Disposal ................................................................................................................................................... 23
Warranty information ............................................................................................................................ 24
Appendix A - Technical Data Package ............................................................................................25
NFPA 1991 Performance Data ...................................................................................................................... 25
Sizing Information............................................................................................................................................ 25
Garment Material and Component Descriptions..........................................................................26
Garment Material............................................................................................................................................. 26
Visor/Faceshield Material.............................................................................................................................. 26
Glove Material and Assembly ...................................................................................................................... 26
Sock Bootie Material ...................................................................................................................................... 26
Physical Foot Protection................................................................................................................................ 26
Zipper/Closure Type and Material .................................................................................................... 27

Material Seam Types and Composition........................................................................................... 27
Garment Material..............................................................................................................................................27
Garment Material - Visor.................................................................................................................................27
Garment Material - Glove .............................................................................................................................. 28
Garment Material - Footwear ....................................................................................................................... 28
Garment Material - Garment Closure ......................................................................................................... 28
Exhaust Valve Type and Materials.................................................................................................... 28
Respiratory Equipment ........................................................................................................................28
Testing Devices......................................................................................................................................29
External Gasket Types and Materials...............................................................................................29
Head Protection Accommodated with this Garment...................................................................29
Frontline® Glove Sizing Chart ............................................................................................................29
Appendix B - Garment Sizing Chart .................................................................................................30
Appendix C - Frontline® 500 Inspection Log.................................................................................. 31

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SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
It is the user’s responsibility to read, understand and follow the information in this
manual and on Kappler’s website, www�kappler�com and all applicable Federal,
state and local occupation safety and health statutes� For users outside the United
States, please consult national or other applicable personal protective equipment
regulations� Proper use should be consistent with NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire
Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, and 29 CFR 1910�132�
The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) responsible for approving equipment
must comply with the requirements of NFPA 1891 for the selection, care, and
maintenance of protective ensembles and elements�
SAFETY SYMBOLS USED IN THIS MANUAL
While reading this manual, you will come across a number of warnings concern-
ing some of the risks and dangers you may face while using the device� These
warnings contain “signal” words that will alert you to the degree of hazard you
may encounter� These words, and the hazards they describe, are as follows�
warning
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury.
caution
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in physical injury or damage to the product. It may
also be used to alert against unsafe practices.

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WARNINGS AND LIMITATIONS
NOTICE
Indicates additional information on how to use the garment.
caution
This garment must be used in combination with additional PPE,
which include the following:
Separate full-face respiratory protection such as a self-contained
breathing apparatus (SCBA) or an external breathing air supply
(airline system with garment pass-through) with escape bottle.
NFPA compliant garments must use NIOSH CBRN approved SCBA.
Separate foot and lower leg protection such as chemical
protective boots.
warning
There are uses, environments, and chemicals for which these
garments and/or fabrics are unsuitable. It is the responsibility of
the user to review available data and verify that the garment and/
or fabric is appropriate for the intended use and meets all
specified and/or industry standards.

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caution
Additional Equipment
Additional personal protective equipment that might also be considered includes:
●Head protection�
●Hearing protection may be required due to high levels of external noise or
high noise levels generated by supplied air systems�
●Other protective equipment that may be warranted based on the situation�
Wearers Must be Physically Fit
Garments should only be worn by persons who are in good
physical condition. Working in a totally encapsulating garment
is strenuous. In an emergency situation or hot environment, the
wearer may experience heat stress. Persons who show
symptoms of heat stress such as nausea, dizziness, or excessive
heat build-up should leave the work area immediately and do
the garment as quickly as possible. Persons in doubt about their
physical condition should check with a physician before wearing
these garments.
If any of the following symptoms develop during use of this
garment, immediately leave the hot zone, undergo field
decontamination (if exposed), and do the garment:
●Fever
●Diculty breathing
●Nausea
●Excessive tiredness continued

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continued
●Dizziness
●Numbness
●Any unusual odor or taste
●Eye or skin irritation
●Narrowing or dimming of vision
●Claustrophobia
●Loss of balance or orientation
Always Use the Buddy System
Never work in this garment alone� A minimum of two people should enter con-
taminated areas together� It is important to have someone available to assist in
the event of an emergency� That person will require the same level of protection
as the person needing emergency assistance�
Manage and Prevent Heat Stress
This garment interferes with the natural regulation of body temperature� This can
lead to a rise in core body temperature and heat stress� The wearer should be
aware of the symptoms and treatment of heat stress� The wearer can take several
steps to limit and/or prevent heat stress, such as use of a cooling system, and
working in accordance with a conservative work/rest schedule� The maximum
time the garment can be worn depends on such variables as the air supply, ambi-
ent condition, climate inside the garment, physical and psychological condition of
the wearer, work rate and work load� The TLV™ pocket guide from the American
Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH, Cincinnati) provides
corrected heat stress limits for totally encapsulating garments� Similar information
is available on the federal OSHA website (www�OSHA�gov)�

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Chemical Permeation Data
Before using a garment in a chemical situation, consult the chemical permeation
data appropriate to the garment material� This information is to be used as a
guide only� The permeation performance of any material depends on a number
of factors including chemical concentration, temperature, time and amount of
exposure, etc� Due to the large number of variables, it is impossible for all garment
materials to be tested against all chemicals, all combinations or mixtures, and all
temperatures at which the chemical might be encountered�
Chemical permeation tests are performed under laboratory conditions – not
actual workplace conditions� They address chemical breakthrough characteristics
and do not account for physical performance characteristics that aect barrier
such as abrasion, flex fatigue, puncture, tear, oxidative degradation, or degraded
performance due to previous contamination�
No single protective material will protect against all chemicals for all situations�
The best course of action is to test the primary garment materials against the
specific chemical hazard, at the temperature and in the concentrations to be
encountered� Kappler, Inc� will provide free swatches of primary garment materials
for testing and help arrange to have these tests performed�
Static Electricity
Under certain conditions, such as cold and dry weather, it is possible for garments
to build and discharge static electricity� Discharges are not normally dangerous
except in situations where generation of an electrical spark could ignite a flamma-
ble atmosphere� When working around flammable chemicals, steps to eliminate
potential static discharges should be used� In these situations, recommended
precautionary steps include raising humidity level of the work area and/or using
a commercial, anti-static application�

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Avoid Continuous Exposure
This garment should not be immersed in chemicals� This garment should not
be exposed to continuous hazardous liquid chemical splash or deluge� Do not
wade through liquid pools of hazardous chemicals if not necessary� Direct chem-
ical exposure to the garment should be as limited as possible� If exposed to
direct splash or deluge of hazardous chemicals, leave the area immediately and
decontaminate�
Supplied Airline Applications
To connect to an external supplied airline system these garments must be
equipped with the appropriate NIOSH approved garment pass-through� Note
that this pass-through connection will NOT serve as an anchor for a tether� Excess
stress on this fitting may result in permanent damage to the garment�
Sock Booties
The sock booties attached to this garment are designed to be worn inside outer
boots� These sock boots do not have sucient durability or slip resistance to be
worn as outer boot-es�
warning
Avoid Suocation
Do not wear this garment without supplied breathing air. Vapor-
protective garments totally enclose the wearer and isolate the
wearer from exposure to outside gases and vapors. Air may be
supplied to the wearer by a self-contained breathing apparatus
(SCBA) or supplied breathing airline.

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Provide Hearing Protection
If noise levels inside the garment exceed regulatory noise levels, hearing protec-
tion must be provided� Use hearing protection recommended by a safety pro-
fessional and which does not interfere with the operation or use of the garment�
Communications
A vapor-protective garment hampers communication� The use of a personal com-
munication system should be considered� Users should also consider the use of
hand signals to communicate during training, work, and for emergency situations
where respirators and totally encapsulating garments are worn�
INSPECTION OF THE GARMENT
caution
The garment should be pressure tested and undergo a full
visual inspection at the following times:
● Upon receipt to ensure no damage has occurred during
shipment OR prior to first donning of garment.
● After a garment is worn and before the garment is made
available for reuse.
●Annually.
However, most performance properties of a vapor-protective
ensemble cannot be tested by the user in the field.

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FULL VISUAL INSPECTION
To perform a full visual inspection:
● Choose a clean, dry area that is free of potential sources of snags, tears and
punctures�
●Mark suspected defects with colored adhesive tape�
●Check the visor for scratches or flaws�
●Visually inspect seams for tape lift or de-lamination�
● Visually inspect for surface damage or discoloration on material, visor, gloves
and closure�
● Check zipper closure for worn or damaged parts� Run your fingers along the
zipper length to feel for imperfections or separations�
●Check function of zipper and zipper fitting� Garment should be stored with
zipper open�
● Exhaust valve diaphragms should be visually examined during the pressure
test procedure to ensure they are soft, pliable and free of defects�
Garments with visible holes, tears, rips, punctures, serious discoloration or abra-
sions should not be used�
Note any remarks in the inspection log� If the garment is unsuitable for use by
visual inspection, the garment maybe retired for training use after being perma-
nently labeled “For Training Use Only,” or disposed of properly�

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PRESSURE TESTING THE GARMENT
The steps in this procedure mirror those found in ASTM F1052 “Standard Test
Method for Pressure Testing Vapor Protective Ensembles”� A copy of the stan-
dard may be obtained for a fee from ASTM International (www.ASTM.org)�
The Kappler Pressure Test Kit used for pressure testing will contain either an
airline supply, self-contained blower or both. For training purposes, a video of
the pressure testing procedure is available at www.kappler.com. Additional
literature may be obtained by contacting customer service at 1-800-600-4019
or by email, [e-mail].
CONDUCTING THE TEST
1� Unfold the garment and place face down on a smooth, clean surface
where it can be inflated without obstruction�
2�
On the inside of the garment, close o all valves and pass-throughs
(if present) that are not needed for pressure testing�
3�
Working from the outside of the garment, remove the exhalation valves
caps and diaphragms from the valves� Firmly push the test kit adapters
into the valve openings and turn clockwise to ensure a proper air-tight
seal� If the adapters are not locked into place, a seal will not occur and
the garment will not hold pressure�

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4� Close the zipper securely� Look for zipper separation that may have
occurred�
5�
Inflate the garment to a pressure of 5�0 inches of water column (or proceed
to other approved test kit instructions)�
6�
Wait a minimum of three (3) minutes to allow wrinkles to fill out and air
temperature to equalize in the suit�
7�
Reduce the air pressure to 4�0 inches of water column (oraccording to the
test kit instructions) by disconnecting the air supply and slowly opening
the valve� Close the valve when the pressure reaches 4�0 inches water
column and immediately start the timer�
8�
After four (4) minutes, read the air pressure gauge� If the pressure has
not dropped below 3�2 inches water column, thegarment has passed�
Note: A pressure reading of 3�2 inches of water column is equivalent to a
20% drop in pressure allowed by the ASTM standard�
After completion of pressure testing, record the results on the Inspection Log
provided in this manual� The information includes the serial number, the date
of inspection, the initials of the inspector and results of Pass/Fail� The pressure
test ending pressure can also be recorded if desired�
NOTICE
If the adapters are not secured into place, a seal will not occur and
the garment will not hold pressure. Important: After completion of
the pressure test, the previous two steps should be performed in
reverse order.

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9� If the pressure falls below 3�2 inches water column before the end of the
four (4) minutes, the garment should be removed from service and checked
for leaks� Air leaks often occur at the glove interfaces, at the zipper clo-
sure point and around exhaust valves� Inflate the garment to 5�0 inches
water column and spray a soapy water solution at various points over the
garment to locate leaks� For additional information, contact Kappler�
10�
After completion of the pressure test, remove the test kit adapters by
twisting counter-clockwise and releasing from valves� Inspect valves and
immediately replace diaphragms and valve caps or covers�
NOTICE
Special attention and caution should be used in closing gas
tight zippers for pressure testing of level A garments. If proper
technique and care are not used, potential damage of the
zipper will occur. When closing the gas tight zipper, it should be
in a position so that a corner or sharp curve is not encountered.
If excess force is used to pull the slider around the corner or
sharp curve, the zipper could be damaged.
The following procedure will help to eliminate thisissue:
●Lay the garment visor up on a flat surface.
●Fold the visor in half lengthwise and roll away from zipper
onto the flat surface.
●This allows the zipper to be in a straight position from top
to bottom.
● Close the zipper in two to three short increments and do
not try to pull the entire length at once.
continued

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NOTICE
● Hold the bottom of zipperwith one hand and pull the slider up
to a point just below the visor.
● Reposition the garment slightly to ensure the remaining open
zipper is straight.
●Close the slider the rest of the way to the top stop.
● Always ensure the zipper is as straight as possible when
closing.
●Do not hold storm flap when closing or opening zipper.
● Always pull the slider in a straight line along the zipper length
and do not pull at an angle, which will result in potential
damage.
● Place thumb on slider while gripping pull strap and use thumb
to push slider against top stop of zipper.
● Use the same precautions and method for opening the zipper
as well.
● If resistance is encountered during opening or closing, do not
try to force, but reverse direction and inspect zipper teeth
(elements) for damage.
For additional information and a video on zipper care and
maintenance, go to www.kappler.com\resources tab.

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RETURNING THE GARMENT
If a garment fails a visual inspection or pressure test, the garment may be returned
for inspection and possible replacement� Contact Kappler Inc� to authorize the
return� No contaminated garments will be accepted for return� Discoloration or
odors are evidence of contamination�
Garments being returned must be accompanied by the usage log and with a
letter stating that the garment has not been contaminated� Note: Charges may
be incurred� See warranty information�
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FIELD REPLACEABLE COMPONENTS
REPLACING ATTACHED GLOVES
Remove ring and clamp glove
●Lay suit out on a clean, flat surface�
●Reach inside the suit sleeve and turn inside out�
●Fold back edge of inner film glove and pull over glove ring�
●Fold back edge of outer glove and pull over glove ring�
●Remove rubber band�
●Loosen ring clamp with screwdriver�
●Remove clamp and leather reinforcement�
●Remove second rubber band�

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●Grasp glove ring and gently pull out of sleeve�
●Remove glove from sleeve�
Install ring and clamp glove
●The sleeve of the garment is turned inside out�
●Place rubber band over glove ring and sleeve, ensure it is flat�
●Place ring clamp over rubber band and ensure clamp screw is
not positioned over the sleeve seam�
●Place leather reinforcement between the clamp and sleeve
●Align large area of leather with clamp screw�
●Tighten the screw
●Fold leather tab and excess sleeve fabric over the clamp�
●Place second rubber band over the ring and clamp assembly�
●Turn sleeve right side out�
STORAGE LIFE AND STORAGE CONDITIONS
Storage Life
Kappler’s Frontline® 500 garments have a predicted storage life of 10 years
from the date of manufacture when stored properly (see Storage Conditions),
based on accelerated aging studies� Storage life is defined as the period in
which a garment or element has undergone proper care and maintenance in

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accordance with this instruction manual, but has not been used in either train-
ing or in response to actual incidents� The useable service life of the garment
is dependent on the chemicals exposed to the garment, the concentration
of those chemicals, the work environment, frequency of use, and the mainte-
nance program� It is the responsibility of the employer or purchaser to deter-
mine when the garment should be taken out of service� It is recommended that
garments be labeled and retired to “Training Use Only,” if they do not pass the
recommended visual and/or pressure test inspections�
The gloves and boots specific to this ensemble have no storage life data available�
Storage Conditions
Garments should be stored away from direct sunlight, preferably in a cool, dry
location that is not subjected to extreme hot or cold conditions (between 40º -
90º F)� Garments should be stored in their original boxes, in bags, or on hangers�
Garments should be stored with the zipper open�
VISOR ANTI-FOG TREATMENT
Kappler vapor protective totally encapsulated garments are now available with
a permanently attached layer insider the PVC visor which reduces condensation
(fogging)� The anti-fog treatment is permanent and is not designed to be replen-
ished or replaced�
CLOSURE LUBRICANTS
There are no zipper closure lubricants required for proper operation�