During a recent audit of a facility’s emergency response programs, we came across an interesting “manufacturer requirement” regarding the use of their Emergency Escape Breathing apparatus/device (EEBA or EEBD). This client is one who wants every single layer of mitigation efforts reviewed and validated, so we reviewed their efforts surrounding these EEBA’s, especially since the brand/model in use was different from our previous audit some five years earlier. A few weeks ago I wrote about the “strapless N95’s” and their manufacturer’s S – SPECIAL OR CRITICAL USER’S INSTRUCTIONS. But all NIOSH-approved respirators are required to clearly state these limitations (my word – NOT NIOSHs’) about the respirator. This EEBA’s “special instruction” was one that this facility was not executing on and to be fair, I had never heard of as well. Of course, doing audits in the dead of winter puts a spotlight on these limitations:
(emphasis by me)
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S-SPECIAL OR CRITICAL USER’S INSTRUCTIONS The ELSA 5, ELSA 5HF, ELSA 10, and ELSA 15 respirators are NIOSH approved to supply breathable air for a limited period of time to permit emergency escape only from oxygen-deficient or other life-threatening gas or vapor atmospheres. Ensure that the anti-fog wipe AFW 45 has been applied to the inside of the escape hood when the unit must be used at temperatures below 32° F / 0°C. Do NOT use this apparatus in temperatures BELOW 10° F / -12° C. |
The requirement that an anti-fog product is applied to the inside of the hood when the unit may be used in freezing temps is a new one on me. I can understand its requirement, but I know of no one, including me, that has ever done this each month during monthly inspections.
The temperature limitation is one I have written about before (SCBA’s and LOW TEMPERATURE use and storage), but the SCBA limitations were NOT a prohibition against use in freezing temperatures – these EEBA can NOT be used in temps BELOW 10°F. Now after our recent winter weather storm that spanned from Houston, TX to Maine, we saw temps BELOW 10°F in a lot of places that would have prohibited the use of these devices.
Source: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/26142393/elsa-eebd-user-manual-scott-safety