Warning

1999-42
March 4, 1999

Certain oxygen regulators may pose fire hazard

OTTAWA - Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Programme is warning of a potential fire hazard with certain oxygen regulators made with aluminum components.

The manufacturer, Allied Healthcare Products Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri, is voluntarily recalling all Life Support Products (LSP) brand oxygen regulators in order to replace the internal aluminum components with brass components.

The affected oxygen regulators can be identified by the following model numbers: LSP 106, LSP 270, LSP 280, LSP 370 and LSP 735.

Oxygen regulators are used to control the flow of oxygen from a cylinder into a breathing device or directly to a patient. These regulators are primarily used by fire departments, ambulance personnel, hospitals, nursing homes, and other chronic care facilities, but they may also be used in home care settings. The affected regulators have been distributed across Canada.

Over the past five years, the United States' Food and Drug Administration has received 16 reports of fires or explosions where an aluminum regulator was used with an oxygen cylinder. Although Health Canada has received no similar problem reports for this product, the recall is being undertaken in Canada in order to minimize the risk of such incidents.

Health Canada urges all users of oxygen regulators to determine whether the regulators they use are of the affected models. Users should not attempt to replace the unit themselves, but have this done by a qualified technician.

Allied Healthcare Products has provided its authorized service centres with a supply of loaner regulators to facilitate the replacement. Affected units should be replaced under the Allied Healthcare replacement programme.

Customers can contact Allied's recall coordinator at 1-800-231-5273, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central Time for further information and to make arrangements to send the affected regulators to the authorized service centre.

While waiting for the affected unit to be replaced, Health Canada recommends that users can reduce risk during use of any oxygen regulator by keeping in mind the following precautions:

• the oxygen tank, cylinder valve and regulator should be free of all contaminants;
• the cylinder valve should be opened slowly whenever the unit is used, to minimize heat of rapid compression in the regulator; and
• personnel trained to refill oxygen cylinders should take extra care to avoid the introduction of contaminants during the filling process.

Individuals using the affected models of oxygen regulators are advised to continue their use with the precautions outlined above, and to have the internal aluminum components of the units replaced as soon as possible.

Health Canada continues to monitor the effectiveness of the recall and to work with other manufacturers in order to investigate and minimize the risk associated with oxygen regulators made of aluminum.

Media inquiries:
Kim Dix
Health Canada
(613) 954-6666
(613) 566-8345 (pager)