Framework for the Supply and Delivery of CBRN Protective Clothing

The UK Police Service used to have two ensembles of personal protective equipment (PPE) for use in response to an incident involving a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) agent, and these were the CR1 and QuickDon (QDPPE). Materials from which these two suits are manufactured have been discontinued by the supplier (WL Gore) and the manufacturer (Remploy Frontline Limited) is no longer trading. CR1 has successfully been withdrawn and stocks of the QDPPE have begun to deplete as their ten-year shelf-life recommended by the manufacturer approaches.

Both The National CBRN Centre and Home Office, Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) have identified the need to consider Police CBRN PPE requirements in the context of preparing for emergencies involving contaminants that may have been deliberately or accidentally released and emergencies that may involve elements of more than one terrorist attack planning scenario. This project is critical to the National CBRN Response Framework which aims to ensure the UK is prepared to mitigate the unique consequences of CBRN emergencies - specifically contamination. CBRN PPE is essential to the success of this programme because it allows emergency responders to operate relatively safely within a potentially contaminated area.