Notifying NIOSH of SCBA Failure or Reduced Performance as a Standard Operating Procedure

NIOSH is the federal agency responsible for evaluating and approving respirators used in U.S. workplace settings. Prompt reporting of SCBA failures or performance issues helps NIOSH identify problems early and prevent similar risks from affecting other firefighters or future equipment. Firefighters can contribute to safer SCBAs for the fire service nationwide by reporting failures and issues early to support faster investigations and effective corrective actions.