42 C.F.R. §§ 84.304–84.307

NIOSH will conduct the capacity test on a total of 8 to 10 of the units submitted for approval, as follows:

The capacity test will begin upon the first inhalation from or exhalation into the unit.

Each unit will be tested at a constant work rate, depending on the capacity value specified by the manufacturer, according to the requirements specified in Table 2. All volumes are given at standard temperature (0 C) and pressure (760 mm Hg), dry, unless otherwise noted.

NIOSH will rate an approved CCER using the appropriate capacity rating, as specified in Table 2.

NIOSH will document the least value achieved by the seven units tested using the breathing and metabolic simulator. NIOSH will quantify this value of achieved capacity within an increment of 5 liters, rounding intermediate values to the nearest lower 5-liter increment.

NIOSH will conduct the performance test on a total of six of the units submitted for approval, as follows:

Except as provided under paragraph (c) of this section, the performance test will apply a repeating cycle of work rates, according to the sequence and requirements specified in Table 3, until the oxygen supply of the unit is exhausted.

Testing of CCERs with less than 50 liters of capacity, as determined by the capacity testing under § 84.304, will require the submission of additional test units to fully apply the work-rate test sequence and requirements specified in Table 3. The testing of each individual unit will complete the cycle specified in Table 3 until the breathing supply of the initial test unit is exhausted. This initial test unit will then be replaced by a second unit, which will continue the test cycle, beginning at the work rate in the cycle at which the initial unit was exhausted, and completing the full period specified in Table 3 for that work rate before proceeding to the subsequent work rate, if any, specified in Table 3. Each initial testing unit will be replaced as many times as necessary to complete the cycle, not to exceed two replacement units per initial test unit.

The performance test will begin with two exhalations into the unit at the specified ventilation rate and then follow the manufacturer's instructions to determine the design's susceptibility to hypoxia upon initial donning.

NIOSH will conduct the wearability test on a total of three of the units submitted for approval. Three human subjects (two males and one female), one subject per unit, will conduct the test. The three subjects will range in height and weight as follows: One subject of height ≥174 cm and weight ≥90 kg; one subject of either 163 cm ≤height <174 cm, regardless of weight, or 72 kg ≥weight <90 kg, regardless of height; and one subject of height <163 cm and weight <72 kg. All units tested must meet all conditions specified in this section to receive approval.

NIOSH will evaluate the ease and speed with which users can don the CCER, as follows:

NIOSH will continuously monitor CCER use by each test subject during the activities specified in Table 4 to evaluate the ability of the CCER to provide an adequate and uninterrupted breathing supply, including but not limited to the requirements of § 84.303(b), without harming or hindering a user. NIOSH will not approve a CCER if the use of any unit during these activities indicates any potential for the CCER to harm or hinder the user or to fail to provide an adequate and uninterrupted breathing supply to the user during reasonably anticipated conditions and activities of an escape.

Four units submitted for approval will be tested for capacity and performance, pursuant to the requirements of §§ 84.303 through 84.305, after exposure to environmental treatments simulating extreme storage temperatures, shock, and vibration.

The units will be stored for 16 hours at a temperature of −45 °C and for 48 hours at a temperature of 71 °C. Units will be returned to room temperature between high and low temperature treatments. The maximum rate of change for thermal loading shall not exceed 3 °C per minute and constant temperatures shall be maintained within ±2 °C.

The units, in the casing in which they are deployed for individual use, will be subjected to physical shock according to the following procedure:

The units will be subjected to vibration according to the following procedure: