SERVICE UPDATE – CARBON FIBER COMPOSITE CYLINDER

  RETESTING REQUIREMENTS

Interspiro, Inc. is pleased to inform you of recent notifications from the United States Department of Transportation  (USDOT ) permitting carbon fiber

composite cylinders an extension to 5 year hydrostatic testing intervals. This notification affects carbon fiber composite cylinders manufactured by  SCI and used in conjunction with the  INTERSPIRO SPIROMATIC SCBA.

All carbon fiber composite cylinders supplied by  INTERSPIRO  with a manufacturing date  after July 2001 will now require hydrostatic testing every 5  years from the date of manufacture.  This means the cylinder will require testing only twice over its 15  year life, instead of the 4 times per the previous three year

Testing requirement.  The benefit of the carbon fiber hydrostatic testing extension continues to support INTERSPIRO owners with lower life cycle costs by approximately 50% savings in cylinder testing over the three year hydrostatic testing requirements.

This recent hydrostatic testing extension is also retroactive with certain qualifications to include carbon fiber composite cylinders currently in use.

All  SCI  carbon fiber cylinders exhibiting the most recent hydrostatic test date prior to July 1,2001 must be tested at their next three-year hydrostatic test interval. After that test these carbon fiber cylinders may also be tested at 5-year intervals.

The following is provided as on example to show the hydrostatic testing requirement for cylinders currently in use:

EXAMPLE:

A carbon fiber composite cylinder manufactured in April of 1998  would require its first hydrostatic test in April of 2001.  To  be compliant with the recent notification from USDOT, this cylinder would require its next hydrostatic test at the next three-year interval or  April 2004.   This is due to the fact that the cylinder was manufactured and testes prior to July 1,2001.   After that April 2004  test the cylinder will not require testing until April 2009  ( 5  years ).

Date of Manufacture        1^st Hydrotest       2^nd Hydrotest*         3^rd hydrotest

            4/98                               4/01                       4/04                       4/09

·         4/04 represents the second hydrostatic test date to remain in compliance with the latest USDOT

notifications. The next test required is at the five-year interval.

All  carbon fiber composite cylinders continue to have a useful life of 15 years from the date of cylinder manufacture.

Should you have any questions concerning this carbon fiber composite cylinder  hydrostatic testing extension, please contact us at the Interspiro factory, or your regional sales representative.