NIOSH Issues Advisory on SCBA Facepiece Lens Failures

June 10, 2025

NIOSH has released an advisory regarding thermal degradation and failure of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) facepiece lenses, specifically those certified to the 2007 or earlier edition of the NFPA 1981 standard. These older lenses have been shown to fail under high heat conditions, leading to severe deformation and potential firefighter injury. Fire departments are urged to upgrade to SCBAs certified to the 2013 or newer standard and to report any failures or performance issues in accordance with NFPA 1852. Read the advisory here.