3M Scott Fire & Safety Issues User Safety Notice for Certain SCBA

Some self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units and spare consoles manufactured by 3M Scott Fire & Safety were shipped with incorrect programming of the heads-up display, a secondary end-of-service time indicator, according to a user safety notice (PDF) published this month. SCBA affected by this notice include the company’s Air-Pak 75, Air-Pak NxG7 (upgraded), Air-Pak X3, and spare consoles manufactured between May 3, 2021, through Feb. 14, 2023. In a small number of reported cases, the primary end-of-service time indicator, an audible alarm with simultaneous vibration of the facepiece, alarms at 35 percent of cylinder pressure, but the heads-up display console lights only indicate low air when cylinder pressure reaches 25 percent. The notice from 3M Scott Fire & Safety explains that the heads-up display lights for the affected SCBA editions should be illuminating at 35 percent.

The notice provides instructions for inspecting SCBAs and spare console repair kits. Any found to be within the affected date range should be taken out of service. Affected users should contact their 3M Scott Fire & Safety Authorized Service Center to complete the repairs required.

The recent notice can be found on the respirator user notices page of the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory website, which lists notices from manufacturers regarding conditions or risks that may exist with NIOSH-certified products.