The REVISED 2013 standard NFPA 1981 - Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus for Emergency Services was officially changed in 12/2012.  Manuafctuer's are now making SCBA's that will meet the new NFPA requirements for Open-Circuit SCBA's.  The new standard contains some significant chnages that will certainly aid the user of open-circuit SCBA's.  Those changes include:

• End-of-Service Time Indicator (EOSTI) will move from 25% to 33% (with a tolerance of -0%, +5% or 33% – 38%) of the cylinder’s operating pressure
• A universal PASS Alarm, so that all devices, regardless of the manufacturer, will have the same sound
• Increased facepiece lens durability requirements through two new tests designed to challenge the integrity of the lens and facepiece. (remember the NFPA alert from last summer (2102) regarding failure of SCBA facepieces?)
• New voice intelligibility requirements
• For SCBA using a wired Heads-Up Display (HUD) system, the user may not be able to disconnect the HUD wire and still maintain the air connection
• The SCBA must meet the Class I, Division I intrinsic safety requirements set forth in the 6th edition of UL 913 standard

Current Standard	New Standard

image and table provided by SCOTT