PPE CASE – Evaluation of a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Involved in Near Miss During Live Fire Training with a Recruit at a State Academy

East Hartford Fire Department Request for a Scott® Safety Air-Pak 4.5

January 2018
NPPTL Report Number TN-21971

NIOSH received a SCBA used by a recruit during a live fire training evolution at the state fire academy. 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.

Cover page for TN-21971

At the request of the East Hartford Connecticut Fire Department, NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) inspected and evaluated the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) used by a fire fighter during the live fire training evolution.

This report provides a summary of NPPTL’s inspection and evaluation methods, as well as findings, for an SCBA that was being used by a recruit of the Connecticut State Fire Academy. The SCBA used was a Scott® Safety Air-Pak Model 4.5 30 minute, 4500 psi unit. The East Hartford Fire Department was advised that NIOSH NPPTL would provide a written report of the investigation and any applicable test results.


East Hartford Fire Department Request for a Scott® Safety Air-Pak 4.5 [PDF – 9 MB]

Suggested Citation

NIOSH [2018]. PPE CASE: Evaluation of a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Involved in Near Miss During Live Fire Training with a Recruit at a State Academy. By Jay Tarley. Morgantown, WV U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NPPTL TN-21971.