Untitled Quiz

Safety Alert: Serious Hand Injury

• A crewmember sustained a serious hand injury while assisting with donning breathing apparatus (BA) during a fire drill.
• The injury occurred due to the release of high-pressure air from the BA set valve, impinging the crewmembers finger.
• The injured crewmember required surgery to address the injury, preventing debris injection, infection, and tissue damage.

Cause of the Incident

• The BA set was tested, revealing a pressure reading of 270 bar out of the original 300 bar.
• The Cylinder Valve Handwheel connection was found to be slightly loose, causing a high-pressure air release from the Pilot Vent Hole.
• The Pilot Vent Hole is a safety feature designed to equalize pressure, prevent blowouts, indicate valve integrity, and aid pressure reduction.
• The Cylinder Valve Handwheel was tightened as per manufacturer's instructions (hand-tight, no tools), but air escaped from the Pilot Vent Hole when slightly loosened.
• It was concluded that the downward air escape felt by the BA wearer on his legs was due to the loose Cylinder Valve Handwheel connection.
• The injured crewmember, likely due to shock and time constraints, inadvertently placed his finger over the Pilot Vent Hole while tightening the Cylinder Valve Handwheel, leading to the injury.

Corrective Actions and Recommendations

• When replacing a BA bottle, ensure the Cylinder Valve Handwheel connection is tightened hand-tight, as per manufacturer instructions.
• After changing the BA bottle, pressurize the system and check for leaks using soapy water.
• Confirm the pressure gauge reflects the correct pressure.
• Always conduct a breathing check to ensure air is flowing correctly.
• Verify the functionality of the low-pressure alarm by temporarily turning off the air supply.
• These checks should be performed during planned maintenance as well.
• When donning BA, follow manufacturer's instructions and close the main cylinder valve if any leaks are observed before tightening.
• Adherence to these checks will ensure the integrity of BA connections before use in drills or emergencies.