The Respiratory Groups Oxygen Regulators are the only aluminum-bodied
flow control regulators to pass stringent proposed ASTM standards!

SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI.  June 5, 2000 - In what may become the new industry standard in fire-safe, precision oxygen regulators, The Respiratory Group's patented, compact and lightweight Flow Control Regulator series are the ONLY aluminum regulators with brass internal components to pass all independent testing procedures which meet newly proposed American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) qualification criterion.  These were the only aluminum-bodied regulators not to explode or propagate flame in "rapid compression" and "promoted ignition at the regulator inlet" testing procedures.

"In an independent testing facility, specializing in forensic engineering and accident reconstruction, The Respiratory Group's CGA 870 Oxygen Regulator series was proven to be the vital link to safe, non-fire and non-explosive high pressure oxygen systems that the HME industry has been waiting for," explained Bob Sever, Vice President of Engineering and Marketing at Essex Medical Systems + (EMS+), designer and manufacturer of the CGA 870 and CGA 540 regulator series to US Respiratory, Pacific Cylinder, Penox Technologies and other world-leading HME oxygen system manufacturers and providers.  EMS+ is a division of the 52-year-old Aerospace component leader, Essex Industries, Incorporated of Saint Louis, Missouri.

The grueling test objective was to determine if ignition and/or combustion would occur within an oxygen component when it is subject to rapid pressurization up to a ludicrous 3,600 PSI at an incredible 120 cycles with heated (144^°F) oxygen.  If that wasn't damaging enough, the next test literally tried to blow up the regulators by placing an "ignition pill" (consisting of an explosive combination of iron powder, aluminum powder and rubber cement in a nylon casing) at the inlet of the regulator at 3,000 PSI.  According to the test facility, an acceptable result is consumption or melting of the filter without propagation to the main body or adjacent metallic materials.  As the illustration attached to this release will indicate, the only aluminum-bodied regulator to remain intact, pass the brutal tests and still perform to exacting flow standards was the US Respiratory series of regulators by EMS+.

This is a long awaited, positive development the industry needed after the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) advisory and a subsequent recall of another manufacturer's line of aluminum regulators.

The advisory was issued following tragic reports of fires and explosions, which the FDA and NIOSH believe may be related to the use of aluminum in certain types of regulators when used in high-pressure oxygen systems.  In February of 1999, the FDA and NIOSH published a Public Health Advisory entitled "Explosions and Fires in Aluminum Oxygen Regulators."  The advisory stated that since 1994 several fires had occurred in certain aluminum-bodied regulators, which resulted in severe burns to 11 healthcare workers and patients.  Since the release of that advisory, more fires have occurred.

This series of events prompted the FDA to request ASTM, with input from NASA, NIOSH and the FDA, to develop a credible, universal performance standard, using a promoted ignition test, to assure safer performance of oxygen regulators, regardless of their material composition, under less than ideal circumstances.

"It's important to note," Bob Sever commented, "that not a single Essex Regulator, in use in hundreds of thousands of oxygen systems around the world, have ever been involved in any reported incidents of fire or explosion or are they a part of any recall!"

"In fact," added Bob Sever, "during the last 16 years in which Essex has designed, manufactured and supplied regulators containing aluminum, we have NEVER received a report of our regulator exploding or burning."

So why is it that the US Respiratory Regulator series, manufactured by EMS+, is the ONLY aluminum regulator to not only pass, but to not explode or burn in qualification testing designed to meet the tough, new ASTM proposed guidelines?  Bob Sever knows why.

"In February," Bob Sever explains, "I met with the FDA and detailed how our aluminum oxygen regulators do not contain the same design characteristics as those regulators that were being recalled.  First and foremost, Essex has pioneered and patent-applied a Flame Arrestor Inlet Seal, unique to the industry and a life-saving design for our customers." Borrowing from the technology developed by parent company Essex Industries, the Essex Flame Arrestor, the regulators' inlet is designed to prevent fire propagation by dissipating heat.  The Essex Flame Arrestor series is used around the world in most all military and commercial aircraft fuel vent systems to prevent external flame propagation into the fuel cells.

"In addition," Bob Sever continued, "our design clearly minimizes the contact area between aluminum and oxygen, and where they do meet, we've electrolytically applied an oxide coating (military-grade anodize) to the aluminum body making it all but impossible to propagate any kind of combustion.  And we believe we are the only manufacturer to exclusively utilize NASA specified elastomer and polymer inlet seals and piston seats for pure oxygen environments."

Bob Sever concluded by saying: "Our concern for safety does not stop with the design or its features.  Our regulators are oxygen cleaned, assembled, tested and packed in clean rooms so that we can supply a new standard of performance and quality-assurance to the HME industry."

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