BS 8468-1:2020

Respiratory protective devices for use

against chemical, biological, radiological

'
and nuclear (CBRN) agents

Part 1: Positive pressure, self-contained, open-circuit breathing

'

) apparatus - Specification

'

'

51.
BRITISH STANDARD BS 8468-1:2020

Contents Page

Foreword 11

1 Scope 1
2 Normative references 1
3 Terms and definitions 1
4 Requirements 2

4.1 General 2

4.2 Preconditioning 2

4.3 Visual inspection 2

4.4 Inward leakage 2

4.5 Chemical agent permeation and penetration 2

5 Marking 3
6 Information supplied by the manufacturer 3
Figure 1 -Sulfur mustard {HD) agent droplet placement for SCBA facepiece 3
Figure 2- HD agent droplet placement betweenfacepiece and cylinder thread 4

Bibliography 5

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, and inside front cover, pages i to iv, pages 1 to 5, an inside back cover and a
back cover.

©THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2020- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED I

BS 8468-1:2020 BRITISH STANDARD

Foreword

Publishing information

This part of BS 8468 is published by BSI Standards Limited, under licence from The British Standards
Institution, and came into effect on 31 August 2020. It was prepared by Technical Committee PH/4,

Respiratory protection. A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on

request to its committee manager.

Supersession

This part of BS 8468 supersedes BS 8468-1:2006, which is withdrawn.

Relationship with other publications

BS 8468 is published in the following parts:

•
Part 1: Positive pressure, self-contained, open-circuit breathing apparatus-Specification;
•
Part 2: Negative pressure, air purifying devices with full face mask-Specification;
•
Part 3.1: Self-contained open-circuit compressed air breathing apparatus incorporating a hood for
escape -Specification;
•
Part 3.2: Air-purifying devices incorporating a hood for escape-Specification;
•
Part 4: Powered air purifying respirators-Specification;
•
Part 5: Combined and multi-functional apparatus-Specification;
•
Part 6.1: Positive-pressure compressed air line equipment-Specification;
•
Part 6.2: Constantflow compressed air line equipment-Specification;
•
Part 7: Closed-circuit breathing apparatus-Specification;
•
Part 8: Test methods.
This standard can be used in conjunction with BS 8467, which categorizes and specifies requirements

and test methods for personal protective ensembles against CBRN agents.

Information about this document

This is a full revision of the standard, and introduces the following principal changes:

• full face masks conforming to BS EN 136, Class 2 or Class 3 are now required;

• the test for permeation penetration has been moved to the new BS 8468-8; and

• the terms and definitions have been updated.

This publication can be withdrawn, revised, partially superseded or superseded. Information

regarding the status of this publication can be found in the Standards Catalogue on the BSI website at

bsigroup.com.fstandards, or by contacting the Customer Services team.

Where websites and webpages have been cited, they are provided for ease of reference and are
correct at the time of publication. The location of a webpage or website, or its contents, cannot

be guaranteed.

Use of this document

It has been assumed in the preparation of this part of BS 8468 that the execution of its provisions will
be entrusted to appropriately qualified and experienced people, for whose use it has been produced.

II ©THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2020- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BRITISH STANDARD BS 8468-1:2020

Presentational conventions

The provisions of this standard are presented in roman (i.e. upright) type. Its requirements are

expressed in sentences in which the principal auxiliary verb is "shall".

Commentary, explanation and general informative material is presented in smaller italic type, and does
not constitute a normative element.

Where words have alternative spellings, the preferred spelling of the Shorter Oxford English

Dictionary is used (e.g. "organization'' rather than "organisation").

Requirements in this standard are drafted in accordance with Rules for the structure and drafting of
UK standards, subclause G.l.l, which states, "Requirements should be expressed using wording such

as: 'When tested as described in Annex A. the product shall ..."'. This means that only those products

that are capable of passing the specified test will be deemed to conform to this standard.

Notes and commentaries are provided throughout the text of this standard. Notes give references
and additional information that are important but do not form part of the recommendations.

Commentaries give background information.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are
responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

©THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2020- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED III

BS 8468-1:2020 BRITISH STANDARD

THIS PAGE DELIBERATELY LEFT BLANK

BRITISH STANDARD BS 8468-1:2020

1 Scope

This British Standard specifies requirements for positive pressure, self-contained, open-circuit
breathing apparatus (SCBA) intended to be used during fire-fighting, rescue, evacuation, escape,

hazard containment and decontamination, and similar activities by emergency first responders

(e.g. fire, ambulance, police, and associated civilian agencies and workers) in areas containing and
contaminated by chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) agents.

This British Standard contains requirements for testing and marking.

Requirements for methods of and criteria for decontamination of respiratory protective devices

(RPD) are not covered in this British Standard.

This British Standard is applicable to Type CBRN3 devices. Type CBRN3 devices provide protection

against hazardous particular matter and gaseous and liquid chemical agent permeation and
penetration.

NOTE SCBA conforming to this British Standard is also suitable for use in situations other than those involving
the specific CBRN agents identified in this British Standard.

2 Normative references

The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their

content constitutes provisions of this docume.nt1l. For dated references, only the edition cited
applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any

amendments) applies.

BS 8468-8:2020, Respiratory protective devices for use against chemical, biological, radiological and
nuclear (CBRN) agents- Part 8: Test methods

BS EN 134, Respiratory protective devices- Nomenclature of components

BS EN 136, Respiratory protective devices- Full face masks- Requirements, testing, marking

BSEN137, Respiratory protective devices- Self-contained open-circuit compressed air breathing

apparatus with full face mask- Requirements, testing, marking

BS EN 13274-1:2001, Respiratory protective devices- Methods of test- Part 1: Determination of

inward leakage and total inward leakage

BSENISO16972, Respiratory protective devices- Vocabulary and graphical symbols

3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this part of BS 8468, the terms and definitions given in BS EN 134, BSEN137 and

BSENISO16972 and the following apply.

3.1 chemical agent

toxic chemical that can be disseminated to cause harm

NOTE Chemical agents include chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals.

3.2 biological agent

micro-organism that is a pathogen and that has the potential to be used intentionally to cause harm

NOTE Human pathogens are relevant to RPD selection.

'l Documents that are referred to solely in an informative manner are listed in the Bibliography.

©THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2020- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1

BS 8468-1:2020 BRITISH STANDARD

3.3 radiological agent

substance that emits ionizing radiation and that could be disseminated to cause harm

3.4 nuclear agent

radioactive matter resulting from a nuclear explosion or accidental release from a nuclear facility

3.5 positive pressure, self-contained, open-circuit breathing apparatus

(positive pressure SCBA)

self-contained breathing apparatus which is designed to maintain the pressure in the mask above

ambient pressure and in which the exhaled air passes, without recirculation, from the facepiece via

the exhalation valve to the ambient atmosphere

NOTE This is constructed to enable the wearer to breathe air on demandfrom pressure vessel(s), carried by the
wearer, via a pressure reducer andjor a lung governed demand valve connected to thefacepiece.

3.6 decontamination

physical and/or chemical process of removing as much contamination as possible from people
or equipment

4 Requirements

4.1 General

SCBA for use against CBRN agents shall be positive pressure equipment conforming to BS EN 137,

Type 1 or Type 2, and conforming to the inward leakage specified in M of this British Standard and

conforming to the chemical agent permeation and penetration and resistance specified in� of this

British Standard.

Where the apparatus has been designed to be used at temperatures outside those specified in

BS EN 137, the manufacturer shall have tested and marked the product appropriately.

4.2 Preconditioning

Samples shall be preconditioned in accordance with BS EN 137 prior to visual inspection and testing
for inward leakage and chemical agent permeation and penetration.

4.3 Visual inspection

Visual inspection shall be in accordance with BS 8468-8:2020, Clause 6. A minimum of two samples

shall be inspected.

4.4 Inward leakage

The maximum inward leakage shall be <0.01% when tested as a complete system in accordance with

BS EN 13274-1:2001, 8.4c) with 10 test subjects. A minimum of two devices shall be tested.

NOTE This requirement is more stringent than the one given in BS EN 137. Detection systems should take account
of the increased sensitivity required.

4.5 Chemical agent permeation and penetration

SCBA shall be resistant to chemical agents when tested as a complete system in accordance with

BS 8468-8:2020, type CBRN3, using the HD droplet patterns given in Figure 1 and Figure 2 of this
British Standard.

2 ©THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2020- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BRITISH STANDARD BS 8468-1:2020

5 Marking

Marking shall be in accordance with the relevant clauses of BS EN 136 and BSEN1 37.

In addition, each SCBA and facepiece conforming to this British Standard shall be permanently

marked with the standard identifier and year, i.e. BS 8468-1:20202!.

Any CBRN RPD component forming part of the breathable gas supply chain that can be removed

without the use of tools shall be marked with the letter combination "CBRN" in a sans-serif font.

NOTE Marking can be on a label or embossed on an externally visible area of the component.

6 Information supplied by the manufacturer

The information supplied by the manufacturer shall be in accordance with the relevant clauses of
BS EN 136 and BSEN137.

The information shall describe precisely and comprehensibly which permissible combinations of

components are to be used.

If the manufacturer provides information concerning decontamination and disposal, the information

shall specify the agent to be used and the process to be followed.

Figure 1- Sulu
f r mustard (HD) agent droplet placement for SCBA facepiece

25

Key

A Facepiece E Housing for second stage regulator

B Head-harness strap F Side voice-emitter (if present)
C Eye lens(es) G Drink tube (if present)
D Side voice-emitter (if present) H Exhalation valve

'l Marking BS 8468-1:2020 on or in relation to a product represents a manufacturer's declaration of conformity, i.e. a claim by or on behalf of
the manufacturer that the product meets the req uirements of the standard. The accuracy of the claim is solely the claimant's responsibility.
Such a declaration is not to be confused with third-party certification of conformity.

©THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2020- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3

BS 8468-1:2020 BRITISH STANDARD

Figure 2 - HD agent droplet placement betweenfacepiece and cylinder thread

®
Zone 1
Zone 4

®
K
J

E
Zone 2
H

@ Zone 3

Key

A Cylinder Zone 1 Second stage regulator to hood

connector

B Cylinder neck Zone 2 First stage regulator to second stage

regulator

c Cylinder valve Zone 3 First stage regulator

D Cylinder pressure gauge Zone 4 Remote pressure gauge to main line

E Male/female threaded co nnection Zone 5 Cylinder neck valve to first stage
re gul ato r
F Rapid intervention team (RJT) fitting (if p res ent)

G First stage pressure regulator

H Lowfair pressure alarm

I Remote pressure gauge and air line
) Second stage pressure regulator
K Facepiece ass embly

4 ©THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2020- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BRITISH STANDARD BS 8468-1:2020

Bibliography
Standards publications

For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated refe.rences, the latest edition of the

referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

BS8467, Protective clothing- Personal protective ensembles for use against chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear (CBRN) agents- Categorization, performance requirements and test methods

©THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2020- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 5

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