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SCBA Cylinder Failure- PLEASE READ!
Got this in an email tonight....
The attached pictures are the result of an incident which happened on 6th of April 2008 at 2130 hrs in a Fire Station in Malaysia.
Basically what happened is:
1. Firefighter took one Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, (SCBA) cylinder from SCBA store to replace one of the SCBA cylinders from a vehicle as the earlier testing showed that the air content was not sufficient for operation.
2. While one Firefighter dismantled the unserviceable SCBA, another Firefighter checked the new cylinder which included testing the cylinder’s hand wheel and to clean the connection area from dust.
3. The hand wheel was snapped or broken, as a result the cylinder was dropped down vertically on impact with the ground it released the pressure.
4. Everybody ran away for protection as the cylinder was flying around.
5. The cylinder hit an ambulance the ceiling and a locker.
This is a great example to help illustrate proper cylinder handling procedures. It also shows that it is not a myth that a cylinder can be a rocket.
They were fortunate that there were no injuries as a result.
When you look at the attached pictures, I think will agree that if the cylinder had hit someone, it could have been a very serious injury.
The attached pictures are the result of an incident which happened on 6th of April 2008 at 2130 hrs in a Fire Station in Malaysia.
Basically what happened is:
1. Firefighter took one Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, (SCBA) cylinder from SCBA store to replace one of the SCBA cylinders from a vehicle as the earlier testing showed that the air content was not sufficient for operation.
2. While one Firefighter dismantled the unserviceable SCBA, another Firefighter checked the new cylinder which included testing the cylinder’s hand wheel and to clean the connection area from dust.
3. The hand wheel was snapped or broken, as a result the cylinder was dropped down vertically on impact with the ground it released the pressure.
4. Everybody ran away for protection as the cylinder was flying around.
5. The cylinder hit an ambulance the ceiling and a locker.
This is a great example to help illustrate proper cylinder handling procedures. It also shows that it is not a myth that a cylinder can be a rocket.
They were fortunate that there were no injuries as a result.
When you look at the attached pictures, I think will agree that if the cylinder had hit someone, it could have been a very serious injury.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ed on
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WOW In my 10 yrs of being a air-pak tech and hydro specialist i've never seen anything like that happen only in training tapes it's hard to believe that it just happened my question is when was the cylinder lasted hydro tested and was it a certified test center that performed the test and why was it passed up in a in house check i've seen 10 to 15 cylinders fly off a eng going to a call and this never happened in my department we have our companys check paks &cylinders once a week or after every job and for the most part all or must of the cylinders out there are all made be the same manufacturers vavles are made be scba manufacturers in house maintenance is a very inportant need should look into seeing if your scba manufacturer as a field level maintenance class I know working for Scott that there is i know when i run a field level class cylinders are a big part of the class thank god no one got hurt.
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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Also bear in mind that the knobs are only screwed on (through the centre of them, from memory) so if it was loose, it is possible it fell off when they picked it up, causing the cylinder to land on the valve which in turn could have caused the failure. I'm only hypothosising....
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This is one of the reasons I'm a bit cautious about quick cylinder changeovers whilse still strapped to a FF'ers back- I'm scared of somehting like this going wrong....
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Permalink Reply by roy yoder on
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from the looks of the bottle the valves threads are broke off in the bottle. the valve wheel is held on by a simple screw. if the screw comes out and someone picks up the bottle by the valve wheel and it comes off then the bottle will fall to the floor. the bottle appears to be a lightweight alumn. from the white square in the green section of the wrap. in the USA, DOT regulates our cylinders and a steel or alumn. has a unlimited life span with a 5 year hydro test. if it fails it is taken out of service. any composite has a 15 year life span and hydro test every 3 years except the carbon fiber which has a 5 year hydrotest but still a 15 year life span. this appears to be the result of the cylinder being dropped and like on myth busters it took off like a missle. NFPA wants our cylinders filled in a blast container but there are a lot of refill options that don't use it. all of the RIT packs in combo with the new RIT valve on all new BA'S and i know SCOTT has a quick fill that you use while still on your back. i found that the salesmen don't talk about it much. it really is how fast and how many times you fill them over their lifetime that causes failure. expansion and heat. the case in the engine compt. delt with hazmat and something getting into the fibers and weakning the wrap. just another reason not to let your children play with you gear even if you think its cute. stay safe.
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