

The “CBRN Operational” levels I’ve described do not directly conform to either OSHA or MOPP levels at the bottom end. Instead, they combine elements of both in a configurable and modified form that allows operators to tailor their PPE to the situation. Because some tactical CBRN operators also have tactical considerations that drive PPE selection and require body armor, ballistic helmets, weapons, ammunition, etc., the ability to tailor protection and incorporate those elements also plays a role in PPE selection. I’ve seen teams play at trying to fight in Level A, but let’s be honest: it isn’t very practical, though possible. Except in very few unlikely scenarios, if there are human threats in the area NOT in Level A that you need to fight on entry, then you probably don’t need Level A. This is the reason most tactical CBRN teams stop at a modified Level B or C. Similarly, CBRN operators supporting some Special Operations Forces (SOF) missions must match the maximum protective level of the organization they are supporting. You can’t be the only guy in Level A and expect someone to kick down a door in front of you and clear a room before your entry if they are wearing nothing but a JSLIST and an APR.

The simple fact is that Level A does not work for most tactical CBRN situations for a host of reasons, whereas HAZMAT or consequence management/domestic response teams might use it as a default. CBRN Operators must accept more risks due to operational constraints and employ a “needs must” outlook in PPE selection that goes beyond CBRN hazards and accounts for tactical (human) hazards, explosives, etc. It is this factor, more than any other that separates CRBN from HazMat (a topic I’ve already addressed here).

Personal Safety Detectors

Basics

Because of the nature of CBRN operations and the configurable nature of their protective ensembles, the ability to know when and how to upgrade protection levels is vital and perhaps the least trained and practiced skill in CBRN operations. Whereas hazardous materials training and the OSHA levels start high and work down as knowledge about the threat increases, some CBRN operators can go either way, depending on their intel about the target and the CBRN threat they encounter once there.

To take protective actions on target, CBRN operators must possess the means to recognize a change in conditions necessitating a PPE change or develop alternate solutions to allow entry with the PPE they have on hand (like ventilating a confined space to reduce concentration levels of a toxic substance allowing entry with APRs). That requires a basic kit that covers most eventualities. As an experienced operator knows, it is not unusual to find unexpected explosive, radiological, or other threats present, especially in clandestine lab scenarios. Even some drug labs now pose new toxic risks due to the presence of fentanyl or other materials.

The essential detector, therefore, is the one between the CBRN operator’s ears. CBRN operators unskilled in identifying sophisticated threats in clan labs or industrial facilities should not operate there without the presence of a subject matter expert. Similarly, CBRN operators must often presume that their mission is more likely to be a CBRNE mission given that many CBRN weapons usually utilize explosives. Further, it is common to encounter explosives production labs mistaken by tactical units for drug or CBRN labs or vice versa. Likewise, it is common to find more than one activity in a clan lab - many have both drug and explosive hazards or both CBRN and explosive risks.

Being able to identify a process or recognize a threat based on the combination of materials present is an essential CBRN skill that can only come through training, education, and experience. Without such knowledge, any “CBRN operator” monkeying around in clan lab or industrial facility is just a guy in a suit waiting to be an object lesson for others on what not to do. Either don’t attempt it with an inexperienced operator or make sure you have a subject matter expert with you.

Part of the human element in personal protection also comes from the ability to categorize the threat properly and adjust your equipment and mission plan accordingly. Operating this way requires a target-based approach to CBRN Operations. I’ve written about that before in An Alternate Approach to CBRN Operations and subsequent articles (see the links at the top of this article/post).

Beyond the human element, operators should have on hand two (or three) pieces of equipment. The first is a radiation detector/dosimeter with an alarm feature. For US/NATO military operators this is often a UDR-13 or equivalent pager-sized device that monitors both dose rate and dose with alarms for both that detect gamma and neutron radiation. Teams required to track individual dosimetry may add a second dedicated dosimeter badge or another passive device to an active detector/dosimeter. Personal radiation dosimeter/detectors are an absolute essential for all CBRN operators on all missions. Experienced operators know that it is not unusual to encounter radioactive material in CBRN operations even where you didn’t expect to find it and the only way you usually know it is there is with such a device. Should you get lucky and discover a labeled radioactive threat, you might have already received a big dose by the time you see it if you don’t have a detector.

The second essential piece of basic kit is an air monitoring instrument, usually a “confined space monitor” or another atmospheric monitoring instrument. This instrument may vary according to mission profile: for example, an operation involving a suspected chemical round in the open might use a point or area detector standard in military units for chemical agent detection. Usually, these detectors are Ion Mobility Spectrum (IMS) based. However, many CBRN operations are in a confined space (to include indoor facilities) or where there are unknowns. Therefore, the monitor must consist of the “big four” sensors required for confined space entry: Oxygen (O2), Lower Explosive Limit (LEL), Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), and Carbon Monoxide (CO). In addition to this, many teams also utilize equipment containing a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) monitor, usually a photo Ionization Detector (PID).

Outside of CBRN specific teams, most military units possess only the standard personal protective kit: a MOPP suit of some sort with gloves and overboots and an Air Purifying Respirator (APR) with some point and area detection equipment for militarized chemical agents and radiation.[1] Most military units have basic radiation monitors and dosimeters, IMS based CW agent point sensors and area alarms along with colorimetric based detectors like M8 paper. Only more specialized CBRN teams have confined space monitors and advanced radiation detection and survey equipment. I have a lot to say about confined space and atmospheric monitoring in CBRN operations, but before I get to that, I want to address personal safety radiation detectors and dosimetry, which I’ll do in my next post.

Until then, stay safe out there and when in doubt, Keep Calm and Decon.

















[1] Currently, this would be a JSLIST, personal protective mask, gloves, overboots, hood, colormetric detection papers, IMS-based point detectors and area alarms like the JCAD M4A1, dosimeters, and a radiation survey meter (AN/PDR-77 or equivelent).