Which types of radiation can standard firefighting turnouts provide protection against?

Standard firefighting turnouts, which are designed primarily for thermal protection and not for radiation shielding, offer limited protection against alpha and beta radiation.

Alpha particles, being relatively large and positively charged, can be effectively blocked by barriers as thin as a sheet of paper or even the outer layer of human skin. Since firefighting turnouts include multiple layers of fabric, they can serve to shield against alpha radiation effectively.

Beta particles are smaller and can penetrate the skin, posing a risk of internal contamination if ingested or inhaled. However, standard firefighting gear can provide some level of protective barrier against beta particles, particularly if the fabric is thick enough to reduce exposure.

In contrast, gamma and neutron radiation require significantly denser materials for effective shielding, such as lead or specialized protective gear that is not part of standard turnout gear. Therefore, while turnouts can provide some protective capabilities, especially against alpha and beta particles, they are not designed to protect against higher-energy radiation like gamma rays or neutrons.