Location and Storage The location and storage of SCBA units must be thought out carefully in order to afford adequate
protection of staff and emergency responders and at the same time provide effective and timely
response to the emergency at hand. Each university building that has a potential for using SCBAs during
an emergency need not be equipped with SCBAs. Instead, SCBA units may be placed in a strategic
location, so that responders can access them quickly and safely and respond to emergencies in several
different buildings in the area. Under no circumstances will SCBAs be placed in or just outside of the
area where an oxygen deficient or IDLH atmosphere is possible. The area where responders pick up
and/or don this equipment must be free from potential hazards. EHS can assist departments in
determining a suitable storage location.
When a suitable location has been determined, SCBAs should be stored in a compartment built for this
purpose. The compartment must be secured or locked to prevent unauthorized use of SCBAs. Planning
must be such that all authorized users have the ability to access the units quickly, 24-hours a day. They
should also be stored in a manner to protect them from weathering, contamination, and deterioration.
The storage area should be clearly marked as containing emergency respirators.
Standard Operating Procedures •
Employees who have received EHS Emergency Response Training will assess the emergency. If key
facility staff determines that SCBAs are needed due to the potential presence of an atmosphere that
is IDLH, the following procedures will be followed:
•
Contact Department of Public Safety and Security (DPSS) at 9-1-1 (with a campus phone) and inform
them of the exact nature of the emergency and need for SCBA use. Also, report the number of SCBA
units, breathing air cylinders on hand, and the number of authorized users on hand;
•
DPSS will contact EHS to respond to the emergency and provide technical assistance. The
procedures described below will be followed by University departments in using SCBAs during
emergencies:
o
Conduct an inspection of the SCBA units to assure proper working order of all components.
Check the service life of the cylinder and estimate the amount of time needed to complete the
emergency tasks. If necessary, have additional cylinders on hand so as to facilitate change-out
of cylinders to complete the emergency tasks. Consider the time to and from the emergency
work area and decontamination (if necessary) when estimating the time to complete the task;
o
No attempt will be made to don a SCBA and respond to the emergency until there are four SCBA
units and four authorized users present. A buddy system will be used, whereby two authorized
employees don SCBA and enter the emergency work area. As a backup, the other two
authorized employees will stay in a safe area with SCBA donned (except for mask and use of
breathing air) ready to enter the emergency work area if necessary. There must be two backup
authorized employees with SCBA at all times, therefore, two additional authorized employees
and SCBAs must be on the scene before backup personnel take any action to enter the
Procedure for Use of SCBA
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