PPE CASE – Evaluation of a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Involved in a Fatality While Operating at a Structure Fire
Division of Safety Research Requested the Evaluation of a Scott® Safety Air-Pak® Model X3
September 2021
NPPTL Report Number TN-25250
NIOSH received an SCBA used by a fire fighter involved in a fatality. The SCBA was not found to contribute to the incident.
A qualified service technician must inspect, repair, test, clean, and replace damaged components of any SCBA involved in an incident before it may be returned to service.
This report provides a summary of NPPTL’s inspection and evaluation methods, as well as findings, for an SCBA that was on air and was being used by a fire fighter when he fell through the first floor into a basement that was on fire. The SCBA used was a Scott® Safety Air-Pak® Model X3, 45-minute, 5500 psi unit. The NIOSH Division of Safety Research (NIOSH DSR) was advised that NIOSH NPPTL would provide a written report of the investigation and any applicable test results.
Division of Safety Research Requested the Evaluation of a Scott® Safety Air-Pak® Model X3 [PDF – 2 MB]
Suggested Citation
NIOSH [2021]. PPE CASE: Evaluation of a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Involved in a Fatality While Operating at a Structure Fire. By Jay Tarley and Angie Andrews. Evaluation and Testing Branch, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia, NPPTL TN-25250.