# SWP - Diesel Exhaust and Station Zoning > Fire Service Safety Management System, version 0.3.3 (2026-10-25). The Human Factor. Document FSSMS-SWP-36. > > Canonical: https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-diesel-exhaust-and-station-zoning > > Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 with the Adopting Agency Grant (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) > > General information only, not legal, medical or other professional advice. Verify every requirement against the current official text of the law, standards and manufacturer instructions that apply to you. Obtain your own legal review and consult your joint health and safety committee before adopting anything. You adopt, adapt, implement and rely on this material entirely at your own risk and on your own responsibility. Full terms: Terms of Use, thehumanfactor.ca. > **Warning: Adoption without implementation increases legal exposure** > > Adopting this procedure without the training, equipment, supervision, verification and resources to carry it out as written increases municipal and command liability in a regulatory investigation or a fatality inquiry. See [00a Copyright, Licence and Legal Notices](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/copyright-licence-and-legal-notices). > **Speak up: Speak up** > > Anyone can stop an apparatus start, or stop gear going into the clean side of the station. Name the hazard, then the action: “Hose isn’t on, don’t start it.” “The fan’s not running, doors up before we start.” “That’s a bunker coat on the kitchen chair, it goes back to the gear room.” The officer acknowledges, fixes it, and reviews it later for learning, never for blame. The one debrief question for this task: did any exhaust or any contaminated gear reach the clean side of the station today, and how? ## 1. Task and when this applies Every start, move and shutdown of an apparatus or other diesel vehicle inside a station; the daily check of the exhaust capture system; and every movement of people, gear, tools and equipment between the station’s zones. It applies at every station, career and volunteer, to members, visitors and contractors, and to any vehicle that runs inside a bay, including mutual aid units and contractors’ trucks. The post-call cleaning sequence is in [SWP - Post-Call Station Decontamination](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-post-call-station-decontamination); this procedure keeps the building clean around it. Diesel exhaust is a Group 1 carcinogen [(IARC, 2014)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-diesel-exhaust-and-station-zoning#ref-iarc-2014). The health and safety standard requires exhaust to be kept out of living and sleeping areas and the station to be divided into areas by likelihood of contamination [(NFPA 1550, 2024, ch. 12 and cl. 12.5)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-diesel-exhaust-and-station-zoning#ref-nfpa-1550), and the contamination control standard applies the same zones to facilities [(NFPA 1585, 2025)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-diesel-exhaust-and-station-zoning#ref-nfpa-1585). Program basis: [Facilities and Station Safety Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/facilities-and-station-safety-program) sections 5.2 and 5.3. (S1) ## 2. Hazards - Diesel particulate and exhaust gases in the bay, drifting into living, sleeping and office areas. Installed source capture fails to capture when nozzles do not fit tailpipes, airflow is uneven, hoses are left off or apparatus idle in the bay [(NIOSH, 2026b)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-diesel-exhaust-and-station-zoning#ref-niosh-2026b). - Even the short start for the morning check adds substantially to bay particulate when capture is not used [(FSRI, 2025)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-diesel-exhaust-and-station-zoning#ref-fsri-2025). - Carbon monoxide in dormitories and offices next to bays. - Contaminated PPE and equipment off-gassing in bays, cabs and gear rooms, and in living areas or personal vehicles if carried there; station dust that holds fireground contaminants [(FSRI, 2025)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-diesel-exhaust-and-station-zoning#ref-fsri-2025). - Struck-by and caught-between: a hose snagged on a moving unit, release arms, bay doors closing on apparatus or people. - Trips on hoses and drop lines on the bay floor. ## 3. Controls in hierarchy order | Level | Control | |:---|:---| | Elimination | No idling in bays. No start without capture except in an emergency, and then with the doors open. No contaminated gear, boots, tools or hose in green zones | | Substitution | Electric or hybrid apparatus at replacement; vehicle-mounted filtration where source capture cannot be fitted [(FSRI, 2025)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-diesel-exhaust-and-station-zoning#ref-fsri-2025) | | Engineering | Source capture on every bay position, with nozzles that fit each unit’s tailpipe and a release at the door; living quarters held at positive pressure to the bay; self-closing doors between zones; ventilated PPE storage shielded from sunlight; carbon monoxide alarms in sleeping areas next to bays | | Administrative | This procedure; the zoning plan posted ([Facilities and Station Safety Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/facilities-and-station-safety-program) toolkit T4); the daily system check; the monthly visual; annual capture verification; a maintenance contract; the clean-cab rule; orientation for visitors and contractors | | PPE | Nitrile gloves to handle contaminated gear and tools; hearing protection where bay noise calls for it | ## 4. Required PPE and equipment An exhaust drop for every bay position, with a nozzle matched to every unit that uses the bay, reserves included; spare nozzle adaptors; the daily check line on [Form - Apparatus Daily and Weekly Check Sheet](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/form-apparatus-daily-and-weekly-check-sheet); the exhaust inspection log ([Facilities and Station Safety Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/facilities-and-station-safety-program) toolkit T2); zone signs and floor marks; gear bags; nitrile gloves; a boot wash and hand-wash point at the red to yellow line; carbon monoxide alarms where the zoning plan calls for them. ## 5. Minimum staffing and competencies Every member who drives or starts apparatus is trained on the station’s system (connect, start, release, shutdown) before driving. The driver connects the hose and checks it; the officer confirms the system at the daily check. Backing in always uses a spotter, and at back-in stations the spotter makes the hose connection at the door. The station officer does the monthly visual. Facilities and its contractor maintain the system and verify capture every year. ## 6. Step-by-step procedure ### A. Daily check (start of shift, or start of a volunteer training night) 1. Walk the bay: zone lines and signs visible; doors between zones close and latch; no PPE outside the gear room; cabs clear of contaminated gear and loose items (clean cab). 2. At each occupied bay position: hose and nozzle intact; nozzle fits the unit’s tailpipe; fan starts when the hose is connected (or on the switch); release free. Record the result on the daily check sheet. 3. **Decision point: does every position work?** If not, the station goes on the interim control (bay doors fully open before any start; checks and idling done outside; no idling inside), the failed drop is tagged, and the defect is reported on [Form - Hazard Report](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/form-hazard-report) the same day. ### B. Starting and leaving 4. Connect the hose to the tailpipe before the engine starts, every time, including the morning check and a short reposition. 5. Open the bay door fully and clear the doorway before the unit moves. 6. Start and go. No warm-up idle in the bay. Pump and aerial checks, and any run longer than it takes to leave, are done outside. 7. The hose releases at the door. If it does not, stop and release it by hand from the side; nobody pulls it free with the apparatus. ### C. Returning and backing in 8. Back in only with a spotter ([SWP - Emergency Vehicle Response and Backing](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-emergency-vehicle-response-and-backing)). Where the system allows, the spotter connects the hose at the door before the unit backs in; otherwise it is connected the moment the unit stops. 9. Shut the engine down as soon as the unit is in position. The hose stays on until the engine stops, and the fan runs its timed cycle. 10. Close the bay door after shutdown. ### D. Gear and people between zones 11. Red zone (bays, decon room, gear room): PPE, boots, SCBA and fireground tools stay here. No food, drink, smoking or vaping. 12. Back from a call: gear off in the decon area or gear room, bagged if contaminated, hands and face washed at the line, then [SWP - Post-Call Station Decontamination](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-post-call-station-decontamination) (shower within the hour after a fire, station wear changed). 13. Yellow zone (transition corridor, laundry, showers, boot wash): members change here, and nothing from the red zone goes further. 14. Green zone (living, kitchen, dormitory, offices, dispatch): no PPE, boots, contaminated tools, hose or SCBA. A member who must cross from red to green changes footwear or uses the boot wash, and washes hands. 15. Doors between zones stay closed. They are never propped open. 16. PPE never goes home, into a personal vehicle, or into a cab for storage. 17. Visitors and contractors are told the zones at orientation and kept out of the red zone unless escorted ([Form - Contractor Orientation Checklist](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/form-contractor-orientation-checklist)). ### E. Monthly and annual 18. The station officer’s monthly visual: hoses, nozzles, release arms, fan start, signs, door closers, and a pressure check at the bay door (a tissue or smoke pencil shows air moving from the living side toward the bay; a manometer where one is fitted). Record it in the exhaust log. 19. Each year the facilities contractor verifies capture at every bay position and in the nearest green room (smoke test or particulate sampling), confirms living quarters are positive to the bay, and services the system. The report goes in the log; a failed position goes to the [Corrective Action Register](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/corrective-action-register). > **Warning: Stop-work triggers** > > Do not start, or shut down, when: the hose is not on and the doors are closed; the fan does not run; the hose drops off during a start; exhaust odour or a carbon monoxide alarm is present in a green zone; doors between zones will not close; a unit is idling in a closed bay. Open the doors, shut the engine down, ventilate, then report. ## 7. Emergency and contingency - **Carbon monoxide alarm in the station:** everyone out to fresh air; shut down any running engine; open the bay doors; check readings with a meter. Anyone with headache, dizziness or nausea is assessed by EMS. No re-entry until readings are normal. Report it as a near miss, or as a Tier 2 event if anyone needed treatment ([Incident Investigation and Learning Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/incident-investigation-and-learning-program)). - **Hose caught on a moving unit:** the driver stops; nobody stands between the hose and the apparatus; release by hand; inspect the drop before reuse. - **System down for repair:** the interim control in step 3 stays in force until the repair is verified, and the station officer tells every crew at shift change. - **Contaminated gear found in a green zone:** glove up, bag it, return it to the red zone, wipe what it touched, and report it on [Form - Near-Miss and Good-Catch Report](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/form-near-miss-and-good-catch-report) so the team can see why it happened. ## 8. Documentation and reporting The daily check line on the apparatus sheet; the exhaust log (monthly visual and annual verification); hazard reports and register entries for every defect; carbon monoxide events and contamination near misses through the learning system. Exhaust and environmental records are kept for the period set in [05 Document Control and Records](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/document-control-and-records); the annual verification reports stay with the building file. The station’s exhaust status is part of the Facilities and Stations team’s quarterly update. ## 9. Training and review All members learn the zones and the exhaust system on joining and refresh them every year; drivers are checked on the system before authorization; station officers learn the monthly check on appointment. The Facilities and Stations team reviews this procedure every year and after any carbon monoxide event or failed verification, starting with a learning-team session on what really happens to the hose at a night call and where gear really goes. Sign-off: the program manager. Consulted: the JOHSC. ## 10. Related - Program: [Facilities and Station Safety Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/facilities-and-station-safety-program) sections 5.2 to 5.4; toolkit T2 and T4. - Policy: [Policy - Facilities](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/policy-facilities). - Procedures: [SWP - Post-Call Station Decontamination](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-post-call-station-decontamination); [SWP - Emergency Vehicle Response and Backing](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/swp-emergency-vehicle-response-and-backing); [Decontamination and Contamination Control Program](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/decontamination-and-contamination-control-program). - Forms and audit: [Form - Apparatus Daily and Weekly Check Sheet](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/form-apparatus-daily-and-weekly-check-sheet); [Form - Hazard Report](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/form-hazard-report); [Form - Station Safety Inspection Checklist (Full)](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/form-station-safety-inspection-checklist-full); [Checklist - Facilities and Station Safety](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/checklist-facilities-and-station-safety). > **Note: Customize** > > Record, per station: the zoning plan; whether the bay has source capture or vehicle-mounted filtration; the release type; the pressure check method; the interim control while the system is down. A volunteer hall without source capture starts apparatus with the doors open and moves out before any check or idle, and chases a capture system as one of its first grant applications. ## Jurisdiction requirements This chapter relies on the following legal requirements, which differ by province and territory. Check your jurisdiction’s section on each topic page before adopting it. | Topic | What to check in your jurisdiction | Page | |:---|:---|:---| | Duties of Employers, Supervisors, Workers and Contractors | The employer’s general duty to take every reasonable precaution, which carries exhaust control where no station-specific rule exists | [J02 Duties of Employers, Supervisors, Workers and Contractors](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j02-duties-of-employers-supervisors-workers-and-contractors) | | Equipment Inspection, Ladders and Aerial Devices | Inspection of the exhaust capture system before use and by a competent person at set intervals, and how long the records are kept | [J15 Equipment Inspection, Ladders and Aerial Devices](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j15-equipment-inspection-ladders-and-aerial-devices) | | Stations, Premises and Building Codes | The general ventilation rules for stations, any station-specific vehicle exhaust rule, and carbon monoxide alarm requirements next to the bays | [J20 Stations, Premises and Building Codes](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j20-stations-premises-and-building-codes) | | Exposure Limits, Heat and Cold Stress | The basis of the occupational exposure limits for diesel exhaust and carbon monoxide | [J22 Exposure Limits, Heat and Cold Stress](https://thehumanfactor.ca/library/fire-service-safety/j22-exposure-limits-heat-and-cold-stress) | ## References Fire Safety Research Institute \[FSRI\]. (2025). *Hierarchy of contamination controls in the fire service* (presented by G. Horn) \[Conference presentation\]. CPSE Excellence Conference. International Agency for Research on Cancer \[IARC\]. (2014). *Diesel and gasoline engine exhausts and some nitroarenes* (IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Vol. 105; working group met June 2012). World Health Organization. National Fire Protection Association. (2024). *NFPA 1550, Standard for emergency responder health and safety* (consolidates NFPA 1500, 1521 and 1561). National Fire Protection Association. (2025). *NFPA 1585, Standard for exposure and contamination control* (first edition). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health \[NIOSH\]. (2026b). *Health hazard evaluation report: Evaluation of diesel exhaust capture in fire stations* (HHE 2023-0099-3430). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.