When should all self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) be inspected?

• A. bi-weekly
• B. quarterly
• C. after each use
• D. semi-annually

Answer: (C)

SCBA are life-saving equipment that must be ready for the next call. After each use, inspect to catch any damage, contamination, or performance issues from the recent operation. During a deployment, components like the facepiece, harness, hoses, regulator, and the air cylinder can suffer wear, cracks, leaks, or moisture intrusion. A post-use check confirms there are no leaks, the regulator and alarms function properly, the cylinder is at a safe service pressure, the facepiece seals correctly, and the unit is clean and decontaminated. Taking care of any issues right away ensures the SCBA will perform reliably on the next incident and reduces the risk of field failure. Looking at longer, fixed intervals such as bi-weekly, quarterly, or semi-annually could miss problems caused by a single use, so inspecting after each use is the best practice.