Respirator Notice Applies to Certain Cylinder and Valve Assemblies

Some cylinder valves manufactured by 3M Scott had noticeable rates of leakage upon inspection when the valve handwheel was initially opened, a recent user safety notice (PDF) explains. The notice applies to 3M Scott cylinder and valve assemblies, and the impacted date range is Oct. 3 to Dec. 4, 2023. The company has identified the root cause and mitigated the issue for these specific units but urges users of all cylinder and valve assemblies to inspect respirators on a regular basis in accordance with 3M’s user instructions. Users who discover leaks after inspecting their respirators should contact their 3M Scott Fire & Safety Authorized Service Center to complete required repairs.

The notice states that it is unlikely that a fielded self-contained breathing apparatus that was inspected before being placed into service would be experiencing this type of leak. According to 3M Scott, its cylinder and valve assemblies are safe to use once users complete the instructions outlined in the notice.

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.