MSA's G1 Breathing Apparatus Moves Key Step Closer to NFPA Certification

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Global safety equipment manufacturer MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE: MSA) today announced that its next-generation G1 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) has been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as meeting the requirements of 42 CFR, Part 84, the U.S. standard covering the performance of respiratory protective equipment.  NIOSH approval represents a key step forward in the process for third-party certification to the 2013 Edition of the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) 1981 and 1982 performance standards for SCBA.  

To date, MSA has produced and submitted 55 test SCBA to the various testing agencies, and these units have undergone 340 individual tests and have been subjected to more than 400 hours of actual test time across seven different independent test facilities.  As previously announced, the company has completed and passed all testing requirements necessary for approval and is now awaiting final documentation.

"Today's news from NIOSH puts us in the home stretch in terms of being able to soon provide firefighters with the latest and most technologically advanced SCBA available and, in doing that, begin shipping against our growing backlog of G1 units," said William M. Lambert, MSA President and CEO.  "Receiving NIOSH approval is a significant milestone in the NFPA certification process, and we anticipate that full NFPA compliance certification will be granted by the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) very shortly."

About MSA

Established in 1914, MSA Safety Incorporated is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or life‐threatening situations. The company's comprehensive line of products is used by workers around the world in a broad range of markets, including the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the fire service, the construction industry, mining, and the military. The company's core products include self‐contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems, portable gas detection instruments, head protection products and fall protection devices. With 2013 revenues of $1.1 billion, MSA employs approximately 5,300 people worldwide. The company is headquartered north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, Pa., and has manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. With more than 40 international locations, MSA realizes approximately half of its revenue from outside North America. For more information, visit MSA's website at www.MSAsafety.com.

SOURCE MSA

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