Self Contained Breathing

Apparatus

1
Course Aims

 Aims of the course are to provide knowledge,

understanding and skill for competence in:
 basic use and testing of self contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA)
 basic rescue techniques both individually and team
member wearing SCBA

2
 Course Objectives

 On completion of course attendees will be able to

demonstrate:
 pre and post usage, inspection and testing of SCBA
 ability to confidently wear SCBA during routine
operations
 ability to confidently wear SCBA during non-routine
activities (working at height and in darkness)
 ability to carry out a basic simulated single-handed
rescue of a co-worker
 ability as a member of a team to carry out a basic
rescue of a co-worker while wearing SCBA in a
simulated operational environment

3
 Why SCBA?
 SCBA can protect against respiratory
hazards:
 chemical - toxic gases and vapours
 physical - dust
 biological - bacterial viruses and infections
 Prevents ingress by:
 inhalation
 ingestion
 eye contact
 physical contact with face
4
Why SCBA?

 SCBA protects against specific

types of respiratory hazard:
 hydrogen sulphide
 methane
 sulphur dioxide
 carbon dioxide
 oxygen deficient/enriched

5
 SCBA Use
 SCBA used for:
 gas testing
 rescue of casualty in enclosed or confined space
 fire fighting
 containing or cleaning toxic spills
 where use of cascade system air supply dangerous
 recovering control of adverse operational situation
 in case of an emergency

6
SCBA Components
Main Parts:
 Face Mask

 Back plate

 Cylinder

7
 SCBA Components

 Components: Back
plate
 reducing valve
 whistle
 pressure gauge
 harness
 face mask
 lung demand valve

8
SCBA Components
Cylinder
 Weight : 9 kgs
 Working pressure : 300 bar
 Nominal Working time : 30 mins
 Safe (escape) time : 10 mins (0-50
bars) for whistle to blow
 Filling capacity : 9 ltrs
9
SCBA Components

Face Mask - Open
Circuit
 Exhales outside the mask, into
the atmosphere
 No re-cycling of air is done

Problems with the face mask:

 Facial Hair
 Corrective Spectacles
 Psychological Disturbances
 Miscellaneous Sealing Problems
 small or irregular shaped faces
 using mask in enclosed space

10
 SCBA Key Features

 SCBA key features:

 positive pressure system
 open circuit
 demand valve
 pressure reducer

11
 Using SCBA

 Donning SCBA procedure:

 visually check for obvious damage
 extend shoulder straps and waist belt fully
 lift set over one arm and shoulder
 draw to body with other arm
 place face mask neck strap over head and secure
 fasten waist belt around body
 secure with set sitting comfortably on hips
 pull shoulder straps until comfortable over shoulders
 re-set lung demand valve by pushing lever forward
12
 SCBA Testing

 SCBA high pressure test:

 slowly open air cylinder valve
 raise pressure to maximum
 close cylinder valve
 listen for air leaks
 air pressure must not drop more than 10 bar in 1 minute
 If air pressure gauge drops more than 10 bar in 1 minute
leak in present
 if leak cannot be remedied set not to be used

13
 SCBA Testing

 Whistle warning unit:

 remove demand valve from face mask
 cover demand valve outlet with palm of hand
 press centre of rubber cover
 release pressure slowly
 when whistle emits audible warning

14
SCBA Testing

 Whistle warning unit:

 note air pressure on gauge
 audible whistle warning air pressure 50 bar +/- 5
bar
 whistle warning during use indicates low air
pressure
 user must immediately go to safe place or
 replace air cylinder with fully charged unit

15
 Donning SCBA
 Donning face mask with mask
connected to SCBA set, straps fully
extended with lung demand valve open:
 place harness over head
 position mask over face
 pull lower two straps straight back
 pull middle two straps straight back
 pull top strap straight back
 secure mask to face

16
 SCBA Testing
 Face mask seal test ( Low pressure test)
 breath normally with air valve open
 close air cylinder valve
 continue to breath normally
 note air pressure when whistle activates
 face mask will collapse onto face
 open air cylinder valve
 inhale 3-4 times
 listen for leaks
 depress rubber cone to check supplementary supply
17
 SCBA Testing

 After face mask seal test:

 release head harness buckles
 reset lung demand valve
 remove face mask
 close air cylinder valve
 press centre of lung demand valve to vent air
 reset lung demand valve

18
SCBA Removal

 After using SCBA set:

 release waist belt
 extend shoulder straps
 remove face mask neck strap
 remove set from shoulders
 carefully place set down safely

19