Information Notice 1986-24, Respirator Users Notice: Increased Inspection Frequency for Certain Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Air Cylinders

Respirator Users Notice: Increased Inspection Frequency for Certain Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Air Cylinders

ML031220647
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Skagit, Marble Hill
Issue date:	04/11/1986
From:	Jordan E NRC/IE
To:
References
IN-86-024, NUDOCS 8604090446
Download: ML031220647 (5)

SSINS No.: 6835 unfu IN 86-24 UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 April 11, 1986 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 86-24: RESPIRATOR USERS NOTICE: INCREASED INSPECTION

FREQUENCY FOR CERTAIN SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING

APPARATUS AIR CYLINDERS

Addressees

All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license (OL) or a

construction permit (CP), research and test reactor facilities, fuel cycle

licensees and Priority 1 material licensees.

Purpose

This r.otice is to alert licensees of a recent Respirator Users Notice issued by

the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the

Department of Health and Human Services. The NIOSH notice recommends an

increased inspection frequency for fiberglass-wrapped aluminum air cylinders

used for self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). These cylinders (both hoop

and fully wrapped) may develop neck cracks, leading to greater than normal loss

of air while in storage or use. 'This unexpected loss of air (and reduction of

rated service time) could lead to reduced worker safety and less effective

emergency response. The Users Notice applies to all 4500- and 2216-psi rated

fiberglass cylinders manufactured under Department of Transportation (DOT)

exemptions DOT-E 7235 and DOT-E 8059.

This IE notice updates information previously provided in IE Information

Notices 83-68, 84-34, and 85-48, which covered only the cracking problems with

the high pressure, 4500-psi hoop-wrapped cylinders. It is expected that

licensees will review the information for applicability to their facilities and

consider actions, if appropriate, to upgrade their SCBA cylinder inspection

program. However, suggestions contained in this notice do not constitute NRC

requirements; therefore, no specific action or response is required.

Description of Circumstances

On January 17, 1986 NIOSH issued a Respirator Users Notice recommending that

certain SCBA fiberglass-wrapped air cylinders be inspected at least weekly to

ensure that these cylinders maintain required air pressure when stored in a

ready-to-use status. For cylinders used on a daily basis, NIOSH recommends

cylinder air pressure be checked daily and before each use. Because SCBA use

(other than for training) dt nuclear facilities is infrequent relative to

commercial firefighting, the NRC staff and NIOSH currently agree that a weekly

8604090446

IN86-24 April 1', ]986 inspection frequency would be a proper NPC-licensee response to the NIOSH

recommendations. In any case, adequately trained and qualified SCBA users

check for proper respirator function (including cylirder pressure) before each

use. Licensees now typically inspect SCBA units at least once a month in

accordance with the guidance in NUREG-0041, "Manual of Respiratory Protection

Against Radioactive Materials" (Chapter 9, Section 9.2).

The NIOSH recommendations apply only to the fiberglass-wrapped aluminum cylin- ders (includes 2216 and 4500 psi) manufactured under DOT exemptions DOT-E 7235 dnd DOT-E 8059. DOT-E 7235 hoop-wrapped cylinders are manufactured by Luxfer

USA Limited (Luxfer) and Acurex Aeortherm manufactures the DOT-E 8059 fully-wrapped cylinders. According to DOT, Acurex uses aluminum cylinder

liners supplied by Luxfer.

NIOSH reported that the 'cracks have been found by visual inspection during the

DOT-required, periodic hydrostatic testinc. To better characterize the extent

of the cracking problem and to assess necessity for further action, NIOSH

requests that all users test suspected leaking cylinders and report certain

test data to the SCBA manufacturer and to DOT. In the general interest of

safety for workers and maintaining an adequate emergency response capability, licensees may wish to share this information with other potential users, such

as local fire departments, along with checking their own cylinders.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional -

Administrator of the appropriate regional office or this office.

Edwarqjf. Jordan, Director

Divis of Emergency Preparedness

and Engineering Response

Office of Inspection and Enforcement

Technical Contacts: James E. Wiqginton, IE

(301) 492-4961 Roger L. Pedersen, IE

(301) 492-9475 Attachments:

1. NIOSH Respirator Users Notice (January 17, 1986)

2. List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices

Public Health Service

DEPARTMNENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control

National Institute for Occupational

Safety and Health - ALOSH

- H944 Chestnut Ridge Road

Morgantown, WV 26505 January 17, 1986 Attachment

-

RESPIRATOR USERS NOTICE Apri 11, 1936 Inspection of Certain Aluminum Cylinders for Breathing-gas Pressure

The light weight and high charging pressure of aluminum cylinders have

breaching

resulted in their widespread acceptance and use with self-contained

apparatus (SCBA). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

(NIOSH) estimates that more than half of the SCBA of 30- and 60-minute

duration in regular use today are equipped with aluminum cylinders.

Since first receiving reports of defective fiber-glass wrapped aluminum

cylinders in 1983, NIOSH has advised users of potential hazards associated

time, with use of certain fiber-glass wrapped aluminum cylinders. At this

of this NOTICE

NIOSH believes there is sufficient evidence to warrant issuance

regarding inspection of fiber-glass wrapped aluminum cylinders.

The presently available evidence indicates that fiber-glass wrapped aluminum

cylinders manufactured under Department of Transportation (DOT) exemptions

DOT-E 7235 and DOT-E 8059 (including 2216 and 4500 psi) may, upon aging, This

develop neck cracks and may leak breathing gas during storage and use.

may result in significant loss of breathing gas from an unattended cylinder.

user.

If undetected, this loss of breathing gas could be dangerous to the

Based on this, NIOSH recommends that where SCBA are equipped with fiber-glass

at

wrapped aluminum cylinders, inspection for cylinder pressure should be made

least weekly, for stored units. When used on a daily basis, as in fire

use.

fighting, cylinder pressure should be checked daily and immediately before

as

If a leak is suspected, the cylinder and cylinder valve should be tested

Standard, Z88.5-1981, Practices for

prescribed in American National

Respiratory Protection for the Fire Service, Section 6.2.4.2.

in

Leaks in cylinders should be reported to the SCBA manufacturer who will, turn report them to the cylinder manufacturer. The numbers and charging

Art Mallen, pressures of leaking cylinders should also be reported to DOT (Mr.

Materials, 400 7th St. SW, Washington, DC 20590) and

DOT Office of Hazardous

letter).

to NIOSH (Mr. John Moran at the address shown at the top of this

DOT-E

Aluminum cylinders used with SCBA, with exemption numbers other than

self

7235 and DOT-E 8059 are not covered in this notice. Self-contained

rescuers used in mines are also not included.

lM1ORE

EU

Attachment I

IN 86-24 April 11, 1986 R E M IN D E R

January 17, 1986 Manufacturers of MSHA/NIOSH-approved SCBA

Incorporating DOT-E 7235 4500 Fiber-glass Wrapped Aluminum Cylinders

The following manufacturers incorporate DOT-E 7235 4500 cylinders

MSHA/NIOSH-approved SCBA: in their

o Bendix o Siebe Gorman

o Clifton Precision o Scott

o Draeger o U.S.D. (SurvivAir)

DOT-E 7235 4500 cylinders must be retrofitted by Luxfer (Telephone:

714-684-5110) with steel neck rings, to prevent explosive rupture.

DOT

regulations prohibit charging of any DOT-E 7235 4500 cylinder

that has not

been fitted with a steel neck ring. Any apparatus utilizing a

DOT-E 7235 4500

cylinder without a neck ring, is considered unapproved by MSHA/NIOSH.

Change in Address of Manufacturer's Contact

The following address change has been reported to NIOSH for manufacturer's

personnel who are responsible for handling reports of problems with

MSHA/NIOSH-approved respirators:

Clifton Precision: New Address: 750 West Sproul Road, Springfield, PA

19064-4084 Contact: Mr. Martin Ziegler

John B. Moran

Director, Division of Safety Research

Attachment 2 IN 86-24 April 11, 1986 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

IE INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to

86-23 Excessive Skin Exposures Due 4/9/86 All power reactor

To Contamination With Hot facilities holding

Particles an OL or CP

86- 22 Underresponse Of Radition 3/31/86 All power reactor

Survey Instrument To High facilities holding

Radiation Fields an OL or CP and

research and test

reactors

86-21 Recognition Of American 3/31/86 All power reactor

Society Of Mechanical facilities holding

Engineers Accreditation an OL or CP and all

Program For N Stamp Holders recipients of NUREG-

0040 (white book)

86-20 Low-Level Radioactive Waste 3/28/86 All power reactor

Scaling Factors, 10 CFR facilities holding

Part 61 an OL or CP

86-19 Reactor Coolant Pump Shaft 3/21/86 All power reactor

Failure At Crystal River facilities holding

an OL or CP

86-18 NRC On-Scene Response During 3/26/86 All power reactor

A Major Emergency facilities holding

an OL or CP

86-17 Update Of Failure Of Auto- 3/24/86 All power reactor

matic Sprinkler System Valves facilities holding

To Operate an OL or CP

86-16 Failures To Identify Contain- 3/11/86 All power reactor

ment Leakage Due To Inadequate facilities holding

Local Testing Of BWR Vacuum an OL or CP

Relief System Valves

86-15 Loss Of Offsite Power Caused 3/10/86 All power reactor

By Problems In Fiber Optics facilities holding

Systems an OL or CP

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit