Fire and Safety Training no longer carry out air purity testing for compressors and fixed systems. We direct this service to High Pressure Equipment, Auckland.
General
SCBA and SCUBA cylinders must only be charged with air that meets the air quality requirements set out in the following standards:
- AS 3848.2 – Filling of portable gas cylinders – Filling of portable cylinders for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) and non-underwater self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) – Safe procedures.
- AS/NZS 2299.1 – Occupational diving operations – standard operational practice.
- For SCUBA cylinders, AS 3848.2 recommends that the residual water content when air is tested should not exceed 50 mg/cubic metre for cylinders filled to 225 bar and 30 mg/cubic metre for cylinders filled to 330 bar.
AS/NZS 2299.1:2015 What are the breathing air quality requirements?
Breathing air used in diving operations shall:
a) have no objectionable or nauseating odour;
b) contain not less than 20% and not more than 22% by volume of oxygen;
c) contain no more than 5 ppm of carbon monoxide;
d) contain no more than 600 ppm of carbon dioxide;
e) contain no more than 0.5 mg/m³ of oil.
NOTES:
- Requirements in Items (c), (d) and (e) should be tested at 15 degrees C and approximately 100 kPa.
- Where breathing air from a high pressure source is being tested, the sample should be drawn from the cylinder or compressor at a pressure of at least 12 MPa.
