Specifications

FLOW TEST AND OVERHAUL REQUIREMENTS
FLOW TEST AND OVERHAUL REQUIREMENTS
Your SCBA Regulator and Audi-Larm Alarm Assembly
must be flow tested and overhauled at specific time inter-
vals. These Maintenance Procedures must be performed
by a trained repairperson or at a Certified Service Center.
C
ontact your MSA sales representative or call the MSA
C
ustomer Service Center at 1-877-MSA-3473. They will
s
upply the information you need to meet these require-
ments.
Annual flow tests are stated as a requirement in NFPA
1852,
Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of
Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA),
2002 Edition, which further emphasizes their importance.
Although this standard relates to SCBA used in the fire
service, MSA requires that a flow test be performed at
least annually on all fire service and non-fire service SCBA
and combination respirators that use a pressure demand
regulator.
The required replacement/overhaul schedule for self-con-
tained breathing apparatus from MSA is based on appara-
tus usage on an individual basis. The frequency required
for SCBA overhaul depends upon how often the appara-
tus is used. MSA breathing apparatus must be overhauled
based on the actual level of usage of the SCBA, rather
than on time alone.
Overhaul is covered in the Regulator and Audi-Larm
Disassembly and Repair sections and includes installation
of the Regulator and Audi-Larm overhaul kits. MSA
breathing apparatus must be flow tested every year using
an MSA approved flow test device. The following table
summarizes MSA’s required frequency for overhaul and
flow testing:
A decision to retire apparatus should be based on a
SCBA’s performance data and whether that data meets
the specified level of performance as defined in mainte-
nance requirements from MSA.
*The unit of SCBA use is defined as the consumption of
one 30 min. cylinder of air. Example: If three cylinders of
air are used, the SCBA would be considered to have been
used three times.
If an assessment of the SCBA’s usage can not be estimat-
ed or determined, then the SCBA shall be overhauled
every three years.
34
TAL 606 (L) Rev. 16 - 10023638
R
egulators and
Average SCBA
CBRN Firehawk
Audi-Larm Flow Test
Usage
Overhaul
Overhaul Frequency
F
requency
Frequency
1
cylinder per
Every 1 year Every 3 years Every year
day or greater
1 cylinder every
Every 3 years Every 8 years Every year
other day
1 cylinder per
Every 10 years Every 15 years Every year
week or less