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The FDA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recently warned hospital managers and other medical professionals about a number of oxygen regulators and cylinder valves had the potential to cause fires due to incorrect seals on the devices. A Public Health Notification was issued on April 24, 2006 reporting that at least 12 incidents of explosions and fires had injured several victims. Some of these dangerous explosions occurred during routine equipment checks.
CGA 870 seals are two kinds of washers that the FDA believes to be responsible for igniting the fires. One of these is a rubber sealing washer bound by metal, while the second device is a plastic crush gasket that is was intended and designed to be used just one time. The plastic crush gasket can crack due to the tightening of the nylon seal, damaging the regulator and the cylinder valve, causing oxygen to leak. This leaking of oxygen from the holding tank results in the nylon gasket bursting into spontaneous flames, potentially causing severe damage.
Oxygen tanks are important tools that are critical for many applications such as breathing devices. Anesthesia and other medical procedures also rely on them, which puts countless victims at risk of devastating injuries caused by fires started by defective oxygen tank seals. These fires can cause profound damage and could even prove fatal under the right circumstances.
If you were hurt by a defective CGA 870 plastic crush gasket or know of someone who was seriously injured from a fire or explosion caused by these defective devices, you have options under the law. An experienced and knowledgeable defective medical device lawyer can help you secure financial compensation for your physical and mental suffering. Don't wait - talk to someone today.
