FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: - Safety Equipment Institute
Contents
1. Smithfield RI 02917 1874 Tel 401 233 0333 Fax 401 232 1830 www sperianprotection com OG SPERIAN IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE ADDENDUM A WARNING The statement in the following paragraph only applies to COMPASS modules which have been identified as having the black six point battery terminal connection The statement in the following paragraph DOES NOT apply to any COMPASS module that is experiencing low sound output or does not activate pneumatically when the cylinder valve is opened SCBAs configured with a COMPASS module having the black 6 point battery terminal connection as specified in the Sperian Respiratory Safety Notice dated March 26 2010 and in this Sperian Respiratory Safety Notice dated May 1 2010 may continue to be used until such time as replacement COMPASS modules are available and on site at your facility Until you have received and installed new COMPASS modules you must perform a DAILY CHECK of the COMPASS to verify function both pneumatically and manually If you have SCBAs that are experiencing low sound output or that are not activating pneumatically when the cylinder valve is opened as detailed in the subsequent pages of this Safety Notice remove the COMPASS from service immediately and follow the instructions specified later in this Safety Notice SPERIAN Protection Americas Inc Formerly Bacou Dalloz Americas Inc 900 Douglas Pike Smithfield RI 02917 1874 Tel 401 233 0333 Fax 401 232 1830 www sperian2. investigation into these potential safety problems and will make every effort to ensure that the problems are solved and do not reoccur All questions should be directed to Sperian Technical Services at 800 394 0410 Sincerely bo U Wicca Steven H Weinstein Senior Product amp Technical Services Manager SPERIAN Protection Americas Inc Formerly Bacou Dalloz Americas Inc 900 Douglas Pike Smithfield RI 02917 1874 Tel 401 233 0333 Fax 401 232 1830 www sperianprotection com SPERIAN 1 COMPASS BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTIONS Some COMPASS battery terminal connections are configured with a black six 6 point battery terminal connection see Figure 1 that connects the positive terminal of a 9 volt battery to the COMPASS Sperian Respiratory Protection has become aware that the black six 6 point battery terminal connection may have the potential to lose contact with the battery causing the COMPASS to reset if the air supply is on or to turn completely off if the air supply is not on This loss of contact could happen anytime the COMPASS is in operation All COMPASS units regardless of manufacturing date must be inspected by the users to determine which battery connection their COMPASS has Figure I Black Six 6 Point Battery Terminal Connection Only COMPASSes with this connection have to be replaced See the next page for important information regarding a black four 4 point battery terminal connection W
3. OG SPERIAN June 1 2010 IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE REVISED To All Users of Survivair Panther and Cougar Self Contained Breathing Apparatus SCBA Equipped with the Survivair or Sperian COMPASS Personal Alert Safety System PASS The purpose of this Important Safety Notice is to advise you of the following potential safety problems with the Survivair or Sperian COMPASS Personal Alert Safety System PASS used with Survivair Panther and Cougar SCBAs This notice does not apply to the IntelliPASS PASS device used with Sperian Warrior SCBAs 1 Some COMPASS battery terminal connections can potentially lose contact with the battery causing the COMPASS to reset if the air supply is on or to turn completely off if the air supply is not on 2 A break in the secondary winding of the COMPASS device transformer can result in a low sound output 3 Some COMPASS devices may not activate pneumatically when the SCBA cylinder valve is opened Sperian Respiratory Protection formerly known as Survivair Respirators LLC is providing this information in the interest of your safety We apologize for any inconvenience Please read the following information thoroughly Ensure that you read the Addendum at the end of the COMPASS Battery Terminal Connections section This Addendum was not included in the original March 26 2010 publication of this Safety Notice Please understand that Sperian Respiratory Protection will continue its
4. hat you need to do Inspect the battery terminal connection on your COMPASS If you find a COMPASS unit with a black_six _ 6 point battery terminal connection remove the COMPASS from_service immediately document your inspection on the attached fax form and fax the completed form to Sperian Technical Services at 800 201 4407 The COMPASS must be repaired or replaced by a certified technician before the SCBA is put back into service See the Addendum later in this section for important new information about removing the COMPASS from service A WARNING DO NOT USE THE COMPASS DEVICE IF IT IS CONFIGURED WITH A BLACK SIX 6 POINT BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTION USE OF THE COMPASS WITH A BLACK SIX 6 POINT BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTION COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH Course of action Sperian Respiratory will replace under warranty any COMPASS that is found to have the black six 6 point battery terminal connection regardless of age SPERIAN Protection Americas Inc Formerly Bacou Dalloz Americas Inc 900 Douglas Pike Smithfield RI 02917 1874 Tel 401 233 0333 Fax 401 232 1830 www sperianprotection com O SPERIAN In its manufacturing process of the COMPASS Sperian Respiratory Protection has also used a black four point battery terminal connection see Figure 2 and a white six point battery terminal connection see Figure 3 Sperian Respiratory Protection is NOT aware of similar problems with either the black four poin
5. nd the COMPASS Operation Manual instructions the COMPASS should be tested at least weekly and prior to each use If the COMPASS does not go into sensing mode when the cylinder valve is opened remove the SCBA from service immediately document your inspection on the attached fax form and fax the completed form to Sperian Technical Services at 800 201 4407 The COMPASS must be repaired or replaced by a certified technician before the SCBA is put back into service VAN WARNING DO NOT USE THE COMPASS IF IT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE WHEN THE AIR SUPPLY IS TURNED ON USE OF A COMPASS THAT DOES NOT ACTIVATE WHEN THE AIR SUPPLY IS TURNED ON COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH Course of action Sperian Respiratory Protection will replace under warranty any COMPASS that does not activate pneumatically regardless of age SPERIAN Protection Americas Inc Formerly Bacou Dalloz Americas Inc 900 Douglas Pike Smithfield RI 02917 1874 Tel 401 233 0333 Fax 401 232 1830 www sperianprotection com
6. protection com OS SPERIAN 2 COMPASS DEVICE TRANSFORMER LOW SOUND OUTPUT Sperian Respiratory Protection has received several COMPASS devices returned under warranty for low sound output Due to the low volume the description has included no volume It appears that the cause of the low sound output may be a break in the secondary winding of the COMPASS device transformer Analysis of these transformers by the transformer manufacturer revealed that the breaks were the result of flaws in the secondary winding wire The transformer manufacturer states that there were very few transformers produced with these flaws We believe that the manufacturing process that may have caused these flaws has been corrected COMPASS devices that may have this problem have engraved manufacturing dates between July of 2005 and June of 2006 the manufacturing date is engraved into the wide end of the COMPASS see Figure 4 however we strongly recommend that you check all COMPASS units in your possession as the breaks may precede or follow these dates of manufacture Figure 5 COMPASS Manufacturing Date What you need to do As specified in NFPA 1500 and the COMPASS Operation Manual instructions the COMPASS should be tested at least weekly and prior to each_use The sound level of a properly functioning COMPASS will be very loud A COMPASS with a faulty transformer will be barely audible at close distances If the sound level of the COMPASS is low remo
7. t battery terminal connection or the white six point battery terminal connection It is important to make sure that you replace the black six 6 point battery terminal connection and not the black four 4 point battery terminal connection There has been some confusion about determining which is which The black four 4 point battery terminal connection has eight 8 faceted metal sides see Figure 2 The black six 6 point battery terminal connection has six 6 faceted metal sides see Figure 3 lt D D Figure 2 Figure 3 Black Four 4 Point Battery Terminal Connection Black Six 6 Point Battery Terminal Connection COMPASSes with this connection do NOT COMPASSes with this connection have have to be replaced to be replaced ee Figure 4 White Six 6 Point Battery Terminal Connection COMPASSes with this connection do NOT have to be replaced As specified in NFPA 1500 and the COMPASS user manual instructions the COMPASS should be tested at least weekly and prior to each use If your COMPASS is configured with a black six point terminal connection remove the SCBA from service immediately and have the COMPASS replaced by a certified technician before the SCBA is put back into service Ensure that you read the Addendum on the next page This Addendum was not included in the original March 26 2010 publication of this Safety Notice SPERIAN Protection Americas Inc Formerly Bacou Dalloz Americas Inc 900 Douglas Pike
8. ve the SCBA from service immediately document your inspection on the attached fax form and fax the completed form to Sperian Technical Services at 800 201 4407 The COMPASS must be repaired or replaced by a certified technician before the SCBA is put back into service A WARNING DO NOT USE THE COMPASS DEVICE IF THE SOUND LEVEL IS LOW USE OF THE COMPASS IF THE SOUND LEVEL IS LOW COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH Course of action Sperian Respiratory Protection will replace under warranty any COMPASS that is found to have low sound output regardless of age SPERIAN Protection Americas Inc Formerly Bacou Dalloz Americas Inc 900 Douglas Pike Smithfield RI 02917 1874 Tel 401 233 0333 Fax 401 232 1830 www sperianprotection com OG SPERIAN 3 COMPASS DEVICES NOT ACTIVATING PNEUMATICALLY WHEN SCBA CYLINDER VALVE IS OPENED Sperian Respiratory Protection has received some reports of COMPASS devices not activating pneumatically when the SCBA cylinder valve was opened This malfunction should be apparent to the user upon initial activation of the SCBA For those devices that were returned to us for examination we have determined that the cause was due to a fouled pneumatically activated switch inside the COMPASS device s electronics compartment We do not believe that this is a widespread issue but we believe it requires the immediate attention of all COMPASS device users What you need to do As specified in NFPA 1500 a
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search