Document 1y5vpGrB32EyDrp742Z2K7kxo

', TO: Safety Directors J0t. *Wf: RF XF* FROM: DATE: Interoffice Communication SUBJ: Tom Grumbles December 7, 1984 NIOSH NOTICES VISHA Enclosed are two recent NIOSH notices dealing with respiratory protection equipment. Please pay particular attention to the notice regarding unapproved assemblies. Through recent activities and discussions with Jerry Halford (consultant who spoke to us at the IH meeting) we know OSHA has respiratory protection programs high on their "hit" list. It would be a good time to review current prorams to assure complaince with the regs as well as plant policies. Thomas G. Grumbles aio 005 vvv G0001609Q DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Centers for Disease Control National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health -- ALOSH 944 Chestnut Ridge Road Morgantown, WV 26505--2888 November 6, 1984 RESPIRATOR USERS* NOTICE USE OF UNAPPROVED SUBASSEMBLIES The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has received many questions and complaints in regard to interchangeability of respirator subassemblies and unapproved modifications to MSHA/NIOSH certified respirators. Further, some problems reported to NIOSH have, upon investigation, been found to have been caused by user's modifying certified respirators which have resulted in the modified respirator failing to perform as anticipated, thus jeopardizing the respirator user. MSHA/NIOSH respirator certification regulations, Title 30 Code of Federal Regulations Part 11 (30 CFR 11), state that approved respirators are ones that "are maintained in an approved condition and are the same in all respects as those respirators for which a certificate has been issued." [30 CFR 11, 11.2(b)] In addition, the regulations permit NIOSH/MSHA to only approve complete respirator assemblies and prohibit the approval of respirator subassemblies such as cylinders or air supply hoses. These requirements are intended to insure that one manufacturer has overall control and responsibility for the integrity of the approved respirator. In some cases even minor modifications to respirators may make significant changes in the performance of the respirator. Manufacturers who modify certified respirators must test the modification to determine if the respirator continues to meet the minimum requirements of 30 CFR 11, and must submit the modifications to NIOSH. A user who modifies a certified respirator may not be able to determine whether a change will decrease respiratory protection. Several cases have been reported to NIOSH where unapproved modifications or use of an unapproved subassembly have resulted in respirator failures. Therefore, users of NIOSH/MSHA approved respirators are cautioned against interchanging subassemblies or making unapproved modifications to their respiratory protective devices. ^3ohn B. Moran Director Division of Safety Research VVV 000016091 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Centers for Disease Control National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health -- ALOSH 944 Chestnut Ridge Road Morgantown, WV 26505--2888 November 20, 1984 RESPIRATOR USERS NOTICE 4500-psi Hoop--wrapped Aluminum Cylinders Manufactured by Luxfer USA Ltd., 1995 Third Street, Riverside, CA 92507 The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) issued a Respirator Users Warning on July 21, 1983, and a Respirator Users Notice on February 29, 1984, concerning reported ruptures of certain 4500-psi/DOT-E 7235 hoop-wrapped aluminum cylinders manufactured by Luxfer USA Ltd. Users were advised by NIOSH of a reduction in service pressure to 4000 psi, announced by the Department of Transportation (DOT), to prevent further ruptures. Users were also advised that the reduced pressure necessitated a temporary reduction in service time of Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)/NI0SH-certifled breathing apparatus incorporating those cylinders, from 30 minutes to not more than 25 minutes. A recall for examination of all such cylinders manufactured prior to May, 1981, was announced by Luxfer. NIOSH advised manufacturers of breathing apparatus incorporating those cylinders, of the status of corrective action by Luxfer, on April 16, and August 6, 1984. DOT announced in the Federal Register of November 1, 1984, that Luxfer will retrofit each 4500--psi/DOT-E 7235 hoop--wrapped aluminum cylinder, with a steel neck ring, designed to prevent cylinder rupture. DOT has accepted this ring as a corrective action and will permit cylinders fitted with this ring to be pressurized to 4500 psi. Luxfer has advised NIOSH that retrofit facilities have been established which have been identified to DOT and to which users need to return Luxfer 4500-psi/D0T-E 7235 hoop-wrapped aluminum cylinders for addition of the steel neck ring. These facilities will accept cylinders for retrofitting, without charge to the user, until June 1, 1985. After that date, cylinders must be returned to Luxfer USA Ltd., at Riverside, CA, and a charge will be made for retrofitting cylinders with the steel neck ring. Luxfer is contacting cylinder users with scheduling information for the retrofit of their 4500-psi/DOT-E 7235 hoop-wrapped aluminum cylinders. Users who are not contacted by December 31, 1984, are urged to write or call Luxfer USA Ltd., 1995 Third Street, Riverside, CA 92507 (714-684-5110), and arrange for cylinder retrofitting. 000Ol609Z Page 2-Users Notice Until cylinders are retrofitted, the maximum pressure of 4,000 psi and the temporary rated service time of not more than 25 minutes will remain in effect. After September 1, 1985, only those self-contained breathing apparatus incorporating 4500-psi/D0T-E7235 hoop-wrapped aluminum cylinders, which have such cylinders retrofitted with a steel neck ring by an authorized retrofit facility, will be considered to be certified by MSHA/NIOSH. After cylinder retrofitting, the rated service time for these MSHA/NIOSH-approved self-contained breathing apparatus will return to the original 30 minutes. Division of Safety Research Changes and corrections in NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF PERSONS' WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INVESTIGATION OF PROBLEMS WITH MSHA/NIOSH-APPROVED RESPIRATORS Page One: Change Glendale Opeical Co. to Glendale Optical Co. Page Two: Delete Mr. Ben Huey, Rexnord Safety Products, 45 Great Valley Parkway, Malvern, PA 19355. Add Mr. John Moffa, Rexnord, 45 Great Valley Parkway, Malvern, PA 19355.