Why should PPE never be altered?

• A. May create confusion at incident scene
• B. May cause misidentification
• C. May void manufacturer's warranty and endanger lives
• D. May significantly increase breathing, heart rate, and skin temperature

Answer: (C)

PPE is designed and tested as a complete, certified system to protect you in specific hazards. Altering it can undermine that protection and violate the standards and warranties that guarantee it will perform as intended.

When you modify gear—whether by cutting, removing components, changing seams, or altering closures—you can create gaps, change fit, or weaken the materials. These changes can reduce thermal protection, barrier integrity, or mechanical strength when you’re exposed to heat, chemicals, or sharp objects. In addition, most PPE is certified by manufacturers under exact conditions; any modification can void the warranty and leave you without support if the gear fails or causes injury.

While discomfort or heat buildup might occur if gear is altered, the most important point is that alterations can directly endanger lives by removing or weakening the protective functions and by breaking certification requirements.