German-based breathing apparatus manufacturer Drägerwerk AG has blamed inadequate maintenance for a safety scare in the United States which spread concern among its customers around the world.

 

The US Mines Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) informed Dräger on June 16 that KO2 dust had been detected in the breathing tube of seven-year-old Oxy K plus units. Dräger was able to verify that numerous units showed dust in the breathing tube.

 

The news was subsequently reported by NIOSH and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE). Word of the problem reached Australia and several mines which own Dräger safety devices phoned the local agent to request further information.

 

In its official response, Dräger noted that no recall had been made of the Oxy K Plus unit or other Dräger units, such as Oxy K 50, Oxy K 30 or Oxyboks K, due to this issue.

 

The Oxy K series has been sold worldwide since 1993. Dräger said the units come with a lifetime extension program designed so that reliability under different circumstances in each country can be assessed. This program combines Dräger in-house tests on artificially aged units with tests on randomly withdrawn units from customers, and test results from official institutes as HGRW in Germany or NIOSH in the US.

 

"Analysis of units showed that most of the units had not been maintained in the proper way as described in the Instructions For Use. Units showed cracked indicators, bent back-plates, bent steel straps and missing belt-plates. These factors indicated that these units should have been withdrawn from service through normal visual inspections," Dräger said in its statement.

 

"It was found out that the Dräger 8+2 years US lifetime extension program is not adequate for the American market. Dräger will now modify the inspection criteria and reduce the lifetime extension program to a 5+5 year plan."