• COVID-19
  • Progress
  • eNewsletter Sign-Up
  • Frequently Asked Questions
Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)
  • HOME
  • PEO ACWA
    • ACWA logo

      Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)


      Mission: The safe elimination of chemical weapons at Pueblo and Blue Grass by Sept. 30, 2023

    • About PEO ACWA
      • Destruction Progress
      • Chain of Command
      • Team Biographies
      • Program Timeline
      • Program Legislation
      • Public Involvement
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • PEO ACWA Media Library
      • PEO ACWA News
      • PEO ACWA Videos
      • PEO ACWA Facts
      • PEO ACWA Press Releases
      • PEO ACWA Briefings, Reports & Downloads
  • BLUE GRASS
    • pcapp_logo
      Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP)

      BGCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky.

    • BGCAPP Homepage
      • Project Stages
      • Destruction Technologies
      • Team Biographies
      • Environmental Activities
      • Public Involvement
      • Hydrolysate Shipments
    • BGCAPP Media Library
      • News
      • Videos
      • Facts
      • Press Releases
      • Briefings, Reports & Downloads
  • PUEBLO
    • pcapp_logo
      Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)

      PCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado.

    • PCAPP Homepage
      • Project Stages
      • Destruction Technologies
      • Team Biographies
      • Environmental Activities
      • Public Involvement
    • PCAPP Media Library
      • News
      • Videos
      • Facts
      • Press Releases
      • Briefings, Reports & Downloads
  • CONTACT US

Repurposed Safety Equipment Used for Training

Published: May 4, 2021 | Category: PCAPP News, Safety
  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant personal protective equipment technician dons a Powered Air Purifying Respirator hood during a PAPR training session.

    A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant personal protective equipment technician dons a Powered Air Purifying Respirator hood during a PAPR training session.

  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant personal protective equipment technician opens a package containing a Powered Air Purifying Respirator hood during a PAPR training session.

    A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant personal protective equipment technician opens a package containing a Powered Air Purifying Respirator hood during a PAPR training session.

Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant personal protective equipment technicians participated in a training exercise with Powered Air Purifying Respirator hoods in April.

“PAPRs are backup Personal Protective Equipment,” said Michael Stewart, operations support superintendent, PCAPP. “Individuals who have not been issued M40 masks, such as visitors or off-site workers who are only at the plant for a short time, are issued these hoods in case of a masking event. It’s been rare that we have a situation where people need to actually put one on.”

In December, a batch of the protective equipment reached their five-year expiration date. Instead of throwing them away, they were repurposed to provide additional training for technicians.

“Since use of this equipment is rare, training is often limited to a video demonstration, even for technicians,” Stewart said. “The re-purposed hoods presented a hands-on training opportunity for technicians so they can better assist individuals in the event of an emergency. We wanted to get the most bang for our buck with this equipment.”

During a masking event, an individual that only has a protective hood must put it on and evacuate outside the agent boundary line. Following the training, technicians now understand what donning this protective equipment entails, he said.

“A PAPR is essentially just a bag over your head that with a powered air filter attached,” Stewart said. Everybody looks like a ‘Martian’ when they wear it, so our staff had a fun time with the exercise. It was a great opportunity to learn.”

Related Posts

  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant ordnance technician and baseline reconfiguration team member removes the rear assembly from a 4.2-inch mortar round in June of 2020. The plant received state approval Jan. 20 to destroy the HT 4.2-inch mortars in the main plant using Improved Cavity Access Machines.

    Full Approval Granted, Pueblo Plant Destroying First of Two Mortar Types

    Published: January 30, 2023
  • Two members of the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant’s Static Detonation Chamber crew unload 4.2-inch mortar rounds for elimination on December 7 as part of the complex’s best two months of destruction numbers for this category of munitions.

    Pueblo Static Detonation Chamber Complex Marks Best Month

    Published: January 18, 2023
  • A PCAPP crew assesses a pallet of 4.2-inch mortar rounds as part of the start of the second phase of the final campaign in the elimination of the Colorado Chemical weapons stockpile, which began on Dec. 1 using improved technology.

    Pueblo Plant Begins Second Phase of Final Destruction Campaign

    Published: December 8, 2022
  • Cavity Access Machines recently went through a significant redesign to accommodate 4.2-inch mortar round processing in the main plant, resulting in the development of Improved Cavity Access Machines, or ICAMs.

    Pueblo Plant Preparing to Destroy Mortar Rounds

    Published: October 27, 2022
  • A pallet of previously rejected 155mm projectiles awaits destruction. Approximately 200 of the 155mm projectiles were rejected by the plant’s automated robotic destruction systems. The rejected munitions have been re-introduced into the system, now upgraded with the devices.

    Safe Destruction of Previously Rejected Projectiles Moves Forward in Pueblo Plant

    Published: September 13, 2022
  • The Improved Cavity Access Machine was proposed to safely destroy 4.2-inch mortar rounds in the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant automated process. Based on existing Cavity Access Machine technology, the ICAM uses a vacuum-powered probe to remove agent.

    Improved Equipment Could Accelerate Destruction at Pueblo Plant

    Published: July 5, 2022
No tags.

Connect with PEO ACWA

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Sign up for the Connect with ACWA e-newsletters to have information sent directly to your inbox. It’s a great way to stay connected with chemical weapons destruction plant activities.

Sign Up

Recent Tweets
  • Terms of Use
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • Privacy and Security Policy
  • iSALUTE
  • Archive
  • Welcome to ACWA
  • Home
  • PEO ACWA Pages
    • About PEO ACWA
    • Destruction Progress
    • Team Biographies
    • Chain of Command
    • Program Timeline
    • Public Involvement
  • PEO ACWA Media Library
    • PEO ACWA Media Library (Main)
    • PEO ACWA News
    • PEO ACWA Videos
    • PEO ACWA Facts
    • PEO ACWA Press Releases
    • PEO ACWA Briefings and Reports
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Blue Grass Pages
    • BGCAPP Homepage
    • BGCAPP Project Stages
    • BGCAPP Destruction Technologies
    • BGCAPP Team Biographies
    • Environmental Activities at BGCAPP
    • Public Involvement at BGCAPP
    • Hydrolysate Shipments
  • BGCAPP Media Library
    • BGCAPP Media Library (Main)
    • BGCAPP News
    • BGCAPP Videos
    • BGCAPP Facts
    • BGCAPP Press Releases
    • BGCAPP Briefings, Reports and Downloads
  • Pueblo Pages
    • PCAPP Homepage
    • PCAPP Project Stages
    • PCAPP Destruction Technologies
    • PCAPP Team Biographies
    • Environmental Activities at PCAPP
    • Public Involvement at PCAPP
  • PCAPP Media Library
    • PCAPP Media Library (Main)
    • PCAPP News
    • PCAPP Videos
    • PCAPP Facts
    • PCAPP Press Releases
    • PCAPP Briefings, Reports, and Downloads
  • Archive
  • Job and Business Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • Privacy and Security Policy
Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)