Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/06/25/2012-14764/open-circuit-self-contained-breathing-apparatus-remaining-service-life-indicator-performance
Timestamp: 2016-05-06 22:36:32
Document Index: 252022391

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 84', 'art 84', '§ 84', '§ 84', '§ 84', '§ 84']

Federal Register | Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Remaining Service-Life Indicator Performance Requirements
Dates: Comments must be received by August 24, 2012.
-37865 (4 pages)
Document Number: 2012-14764
Shorter URL: https://federalregister.gov/a/2012-14764 Related Topics
Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus End-of-Service-Time Indicator Performance Requirements 1 action from May 2012 May 2012
Open-circuit self-contained breathing apparatus are used primarily by firefighters and other rescue workers to provide breathable air in an environment that may be immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH). These respirators are characterized by a cylinder of compressed breathing air, which is inhaled by the user and then exhaled out of the system. OC-SCBA are required by HHS regulations to have a “remaining service life indicator or warning device,”
which is intended to alert users when the breathing air supply has been depleted to a certain percentage of breathing air available for use. The remaining service life indicator, referred to as a “low-air alarm,” or “end-of-service-time indicator” by various industries, is relied upon by rescuers to warn when they have begun to utilize their reserve supply of breathing air. The current HHS regulation requires that the indicator alarms when the rated service time of the respirator is reduced to within 20 to 25 percent.
In 2003, NIOSH received a petition from David Bernzweig of the Columbus (OH) Professional Firefighters International Association of Fire Fighters Local 67 requesting that the agency initiate rulemaking to change the provisions of paragraph § 84.83(f).
The current rule requires that the indicator alarm within the 20 to 25 percent range; stakeholders request that HHS eliminate the lower value (20 percent) and require the indicator to alarm no later than at 25 percent of rated service time. NIOSH considered the request and facilitated discussion among stakeholders (see Section II.D. below). The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), which sets standards for personal protective equipment used in the fire service, initiated an effort in 2008 to develop consensus on the matter and recently decided to propose amending NFPA 1981: Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services
to require that the indicator alarm at 33 percent in its upcoming revision of the standard.
Studies conducted by NFPA have demonstrated that, while the number of structure fires in the United States has declined more than 50 percent between 1977 and 2002, the rate of traumatic firefighter deaths has increased in recent years.
A majority of those deaths (over 63 percent) are due to smoke inhalation or asphyxiation, and many are attributed to firefighters going deep into large structures, becoming caught, lost, or disoriented, and then subsequently running out of breathing air before being able to exit.
NFPA 1404, Standard for Fire Service Respiratory Protection Training, requires that firefighters leave the IDLH atmosphere before the indicator alarms, that is, before the individual begins to consume the respirator's reserve breathing air supply. While modern practice is for firefighters to practice “air management,” or allocate enough breathing air for entry, work, and exit,
many find maintaining situational awareness difficult.
Many still rely on the indicator alarm to tell them to begin their exit, which is problematic because fire departments are finding that allotting 20-25 percent of the breathing air supply to exit does not allow enough time for escape from a large structure.
If the firefighter becomes disoriented in the smoke, rescuers will have very little time to bring the individual out of the building unharmed.
OC-SCBA used in firefighting are certified by both NIOSH (under 42 CFR Part 84) and NFPA, under NFPA 1981: Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services.
NFPA is proposing to increase the indicator alarm time in the 2013 edition of NFPA 1981 in order to provide the user with more reserve breathing air for self- or assisted-escape from the IDLH environment. Current NFPA standards require that the indicator “meet the activation requirements of NIOSH certification,”
which may result in indicator notification at less than 25 percent of cylinder volume. As discussed above, this may not allow an early enough warning that the user has begun depleting the respirator's reserve breathing air. The NFPA has decided to amend its standard to increase the indicator setting to 33 percent (+5/−0).
HHS finds that revising § 84.83(f) to allow greater latitude with regard to setting the indicator alarm would not reduce the amount of protection afforded to firefighters and other OC-SCBA users. In fact, HHS believes that specifying a default setting of 25 percent and allowing respiratory protection program managers to request the indicator to be set at a certain value will result in a more meaningful alarm that will reduce firefighter fatalities and may offer greater protection for users in other industries.
HHS recognizes that not all OC-SCBA users find that the current standard places workers in jeopardy. Accordingly, HHS finds it prudent to retain the higher value (25 percent) established by the current regulation as a default setting, which would allow respiratory protection program managers who would prefer not to make any changes to the OC-SCBA used in their occupational setting to maintain their status quo. The proposed amendment to § 84.83(f) would, however, allow managers who have determined that a higher set-point is warranted for their application the latitude to request a different value. Allowing managers to establish an earlier indicator alarm level would enable firefighters and incident commanders at structure fires involving substantial exit challenges to rely on the indicator alarm in emergency circumstances to warn that the reserve breathing air supply is being utilized. Allowing respiratory protection program managers to request that manufacturers set the indicator alarm at a certain value may also benefit workers in other industries that rely on OC-SCBA.
V. Proposed Rule Back to Top
§ 84.83 [Amended]
2. Amend § 84.83 as follows: