Bulletin #3 of 2020 Maintenance and Repair Bulletin
Maintenance & Repair Bulletin
Cleaning and Sanitizing Kirby Morgan® Helmets, BandMasks® and Full Face Masks
Products Affected: All Kirby Morgan® helmets, BandMasks® and full face masks.
Kirby Morgan highly recommends cleaning and sanitizing our helmets, BandMasks® and full face masks after every day of diving and/or between individual divers using the same helmet, BandMask® or full face mask. Pay particular attention to the following parts; the oral nasal mask and valve, the outer edge of the mic element (the section that faces the diver’s face), nose block shaft and nose block pad, exhaust system, inside the regulator body, regulator diaphragm, demand regulator exhaust valve, water dump valve and neck dam.
Use of antibacterial and chlorhexidine mouthwashes or sprays are ineffective solutions for proper disinfecting.
Germicidal Cleaning Solutions and Procedure
The recommended sanitizing solutions and procedure for Kirby Morgan products can be found in the module General Preventative Maintenance (English) and (Spanish) of our modular manual and below.
Recommended germicidal cleansing solutions
SaniZide Plus: P/N: 34805 (spray) or 34810 (gallon), Ready to use; do not dilute. SAFETEC of America, Inc 1055 E. Delavan Ave. Buffalo, NY 14215 USA 1-800-456-7077
MSA Confidence Plus: P/N 10009971 (32 ounces) Mix one ounce of concentrate with one gallon of fresh water.
Steramine™: Steramine Quaternary Sanitizing Tablets – 150 Sanitizer Tablets per bottle 1 Tablet per gallon of water - Makes 150 gallons of cleaning solution
Sanitizing Procedure
Unless otherwise directed, use the following procedure to disinfect the oral-nasal mask/regulator:
1. Immerse all components to be sanitized with the germicidal solution.
2. Keep components or entire unit immersed for the full 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes, thoroughly rinse components under running potable water.
NOTE: The purpose of this procedure is to sanitize the components exposed to each of the divers. KMDSI recommends sanitizing be accomplished daily in between use by different divers, after each use, or when future use is anticipated within the mission (job) period. KMDSI defines “A mission is defined as use of the helmet over a seven-day period.”
The most important aspect of the germicidal cleaning procedure is the dwell time i.e; how long it sits in the solution. The germicidal cleaning solution dwell time must be 10 minutes. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to completely rinse the helmet after using a germicidal cleaning solution and clean soapy water can be used again to ensure all sanitizing solution residue is not on or inside the helmet. A general way to tell is if you can smell the sanitizing solution when you are done you have not rinsed it off. YOU SHOULD NOT SMELL the solution when you are ready to use the helmet.
CAUTION
Germicidal cleansing solutions must be carefully diluted if required in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendation. If solution is not of the recommended strength, it will not act as an effective disinfectant. Failure to thoroughly rinse germicidal cleansing solution from diving equipment may result in lung irritation and/or long-term degradation of rubber and silicone components of this equipment.
The minimum post dive procedures should be done using the Post Dive Cleaning, Maintenance, and Inspection Checklist A2.6 checklist as your guide.