Safety and Reliability with
Our SCBA Testing Services
Reconditioning SCBA units is a cost-effective way to extend the life of your safety equipment. However, it’s essential to verify their readiness through comprehensive testing. This process helps identify potential issues that could compromise the safety of the wearer. Our certified technicians thoroughly test each unit, checking for critical performance aspects such as airflow, pressure integrity, and functionality.
Every piece of safety equipment you use, from masks to cylinders, plays a critical role in protecting firefighters and emergency responders. That’s why we focus on delivering the highest quality assurance through every step of our SCBA testing process. Our goal is to help fire departments maintain equipment that offers optimal protection, ensuring first responders can carry out their missions safely and effectively.
Biosystems PosiChek3:
Industry-Leading Testing Technology
The Biosystems PosiChek3 is a state-of-the-art computerized dynamic test bench designed to assess the performance of any SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) brand.
Since its introduction in 1988, the PosiChek3 has set the industry standard, being trusted by thousands of fire departments, refineries, chemical plants, and nuclear power stations worldwide. It has continually evolved through several upgrades to meet the growing demands of rigorous testing protocols.
Firefighters and first responders depend on the reliability of their equipment to perform at their best. To ensure safety, NFPA 1852 requires that all compliant SCBA units be tested on a calibrated breathing machine before being put into service, and at least once a year thereafter. The PosiChek3 is the only test bench that fully meets these stringent NFPA standards, providing comprehensive operational readiness assessments in under 2 minutes and consuming less than 1% of the SCBA’s air supply.
Key Features:
- Mask leak check
- Exhalation check valve opening pressure
- Static mask pressure
- Bypass flow rate
- Pressure gauge accuracy
- Low-pressure alarm activation
- Visual in specifier
- First-stage regulator performance
- Breathing resistance at standard (40 LPM) work rate
- Breathing resistance at maximum (100 LPM) work rate
Visual Plus 3:
Advanced Cylinder Inspection Technology
Endorsed by leading cylinder manufacturers, including Luxfer and Catalina, Visual Plus 3 stands as the premier inspection technology available today. Thanks to its exclusive software and versatile calibration features, Visual Plus 3 is poised to become the go-to equipment for inspecting new aluminum alloys in the future.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) with Eddy Currents
Visual Plus is a non-destructive testing (NDT) device that uses eddy currents to detect neck and shoulder cracks, folds, or other imperfections in aluminum cylinders. This includes SCBA (metal, hoop-wrap, or full-wrap), scuba, beverage, medical, and industrial gas cylinders, as well as fire extinguishers.
The system introduces an electromagnetic wave into the metal near the threaded area of the cylinder. This wave induces circular currents, known as eddy currents, to flow through the metal. Imperfections disrupt the flow of these currents, increasing resistance in the affected area. This change in resistance is detected and generates a spike on the computer report, alerting the technician to a potential issue that requires further investigation.
Hydrostatic testing alone cannot identify cracks in the neck and shoulder areas of aluminum cylinders unless they are leaking. Visual Plus, however, can detect 100% of these defects, ensuring your cylinders are fully inspected and safe.
Hydrostatic Testing Service:
Transport Canada Certified
Empire SCBA & Supplies Inc. offers Transport Canada certified requalification services through the hydrostatic water jacket method, combined with a thorough visual inspection. This service guarantees the continued reliability of your pressure vessels and ensures full compliance with the highest Transport Canada (TC) standards.
We provide testing for both low- and high-pressure specification cylinders, up to 10,000 psi. The types of cylinders we test include
- SCBA/SABA cylinders
- Cascade breathing air and nitrogen cylinders
- Welding and industrial cylinders
- UN/ISO cylinders
- Fire extinguishers
- Paintball cylinders (above 1 liter)
- Scuba cylinders
- Medical cylinders
PORTACOUNT® Respirator
Fit Tester
Respirator fit testing goes beyond mere compliance with standards or “checking the box”-it’s about ensuring safety. Workers in hazardous environments rely on the protection provided by their respirators, and they deserve the best. The Porta CountR Fit Tester offers the most effective quantitative fit testing method available, helping to determine which respirators are best suited for each individual.
With industry-first features, the Porta CountR Fit Tester not only ensures proper mask selection but also trains staff on the correct way to wear respirators for optimal protection. Trust Porta CountR for a higher standard of safety and performance in respirator fit testing.
