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PPE CASE – Evaluation of Five Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus for Potential Contribution to a Fatal Event in the Fire Service

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Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department Request for MSA Firehawk® M7 model, 4500 psi units with NIOSH Approval Numbers TC-13F-550CBRN and TC-13F-549CBRN

July 2016
NPPTL Report Number TN-20619

NIOSH evaluated five SCBA units used by fire fighters involved in a fatal event. The SCBAs were not found to contribute to the fatalities.

A qualified service technician should always 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-20619

As part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP), the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) agreed to examine and evaluate five self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units identified as MSA Firehawk® M7 model, 4500 psi. Four units were identified as 45 minute units and one as a 30 minute unit. All of the units were labeled by the fire department with the identifiers that were on each pressure reducer assembly. The units will be referred to by that system throughout the report.

This SCBA status investigation was assigned the NIOSH Task Number 20619. The NIOSH Division of Safety Research (NIOSH DSR) and the Kansas City Fire Department were advised that NIOSH NPPTL would provide a written report of the inspections and any applicable test results.


Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department Request for MSA Firehawk® M7 model, 4500 psi units with NIOSH Approval Numbers TC-13F-550CBRN and TC-13F-549CBRN [PDF – 43 MB]

Suggested Citation

NIOSH [2016]. PPE CASE: Evaluation of Five Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus for Potential Contribution to a Fatal Event in the Fire Service. By Jay Tarley, Jeremy Gouzd, and Karis Kline. Morgantown Testing Team, Evaluation and Testing Branch, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia, NPPTL TN-20619.