Section 8 - Inspection and Repair
Composites
Painting
It is possible to paint an existing composite fire helmet. The original helmet manufacturer must approve the paint. Paints must be flame resistant and be non-conductive to meet specific performance requirements.
Chips
It is first important to define the word chip. The safe definition is anything similar to the chip you might observe in paint. Any chip in a composite helmet that is deeper than the thickness of paint on a helmet should not be called a chip. Chips should be discussed as cosmetic blemishes. Any chip that can truly be measured in depth is potentially hazardous territory. You should be able to cosmetically smooth out a chipped area for touch up paint. NEVER FILL A CHIP WITH BONDO OR OTHER TYPES OF MATERIALS. Filling camouflages the area and may hide potential problems.
Cracks
DANGER, DANGER, DANGER!!! Any crack is bad. Any crack in the dome portion of a helmet shell is serious and the helmet must be removed from service. DO NO ATTEMPT REPAIR OF ANY HELMET SHELL THAT IS CRACKED. You cannot repair a cracked shell. The integrity of the shell has been compromised and will not pass dielectric tests. That means that should you bump into a live electrical wire with a cracked helmet shell, it is extremely likely that the electrical current can and will pass through the helmet shell and make direct contact with the person wearing the helmet.
Thermoplastics
Painting
Thermoplastic helmets should not be painted. Paints can and will often contain solvents that could attack the thermoplastic properties causing premature aging and potential cracking of the shell material. The thermoplastic is pigmented with a color and will not lose that color due to exposures. Therefore the need for painting is eliminated under most conditions.
Cracks
Cracks in thermoplastic can only mean serious breakdown in the material. You cannot repair a cracked thermoplastic shell. It must be removed from service.