Breathing Apparatus Overview
When workers enter hazardous atmospheres — whether that’s a smoke-filled building, an oxygen deficient confined space, or a chemical spill environment — the right respiratory protective equipment is the difference between a successful operation and a fatality. Choosing the wrong breathing apparatus for the task is not just an operational error. It is a safety failure.
There are two primary categories of breathing apparatus in use across Australian workplaces and emergency services: self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and closed circuit breathing apparatus (CCBA). Both provide respiratory protection in irrespirable atmospheres, but they operate on fundamentally different principles, serve different operational needs, and require different training to safely operate. Understanding which system is right for your team — and ensuring personnel are trained and competent to use it — is essential for anyone responsible for safety in high risk industries.
At Parabellum, we supply, service, and deliver nationally recognised training for the full range of breathing apparatus systems used across emergency services, mining, oil and gas, and industrial operations throughout Australia.
What Is SCBA?
Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) — also called open circuit breathing apparatus — supplies clean compressed air from a cylinder worn on the user’s back. The wearer breathes in from the cylinder, and exhaled air is vented directly to the atmosphere. This open-circuit design is simple, well-understood, and the most widely used form of respiratory protection in fire, rescue, and emergency response operations.
Parabellum’s SCBA range includes leading platforms from Dräger — including the PSS 3000, PSS 5000, and PSS 7000 — and 3M Scott systems including the ProPak FX and Scott Sigma 2. These BA sets are used across fire brigades, industrial fire teams, confined space rescue, and hazmat operations where rapid donning, intuitive operation, and short to medium duration air supply are the key requirements.
Typical SCBA air supply duration: 30 to 60 minutes at moderate work rate, depending on cylinder size and wearer exertion.
Primary applications: Structure fire, rescue operations, confined spaces entry, hazardous atmospheres response, irrespirable atmospheres where air quality is unknown.
What Is CCBA?
Closed circuit breathing apparatus (CCBA) — also known as rebreather or oxygen rebreather apparatus — recycles the wearer’s exhaled air. Rather than venting exhaled air to the atmosphere, CCBA systems scrub the CO₂ from exhaled air using a chemical absorbent and replenish it with oxygen from a small cylinder, allowing the same air supply to be used repeatedly for extended periods.
Parabellum’s CCBA range includes the Dräger BG ProAir and PSS BG4 Plus — purpose-built for operations where personnel must remain in hazardous environments for extended periods. The key advantage of CCBA systems is duration: where SCBA provides 30 to 60 minutes, CCBA can sustain operations for up to four hours, making it critical for mine rescue, tunnelling operations, and long-duration industrial emergencies.
Typical CCBA duration: Up to 4 hours.
Primary applications: Mine rescue, underground operations, confined spaces where extended duration is required, high risk environments where resupply of air cylinders is not possible.
SCBA vs CCBA: Key Differences
The core difference between self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and closed circuit breathing apparatus (CCBA) comes down to duration, weight, complexity, and the training required to operate each safely.
Duration: CCBA systems dramatically outperform SCBA for extended operations. If your personnel are working in confined spaces or hazardous atmospheres where a 30-minute air supply will not be sufficient to complete the task and exit safely, CCBA is the appropriate choice.
Weight and bulk: SCBA is generally heavier due to the large compressed air cylinder, but ergonomically familiar to most trained personnel. CCBA is more compact, but the rebreather mechanics require greater knowledge and more rigorous pre-donning checks before entry.
Complexity and training: CCBA systems demand a higher level of training to operate safely. The chemical scrubber must be correctly prepared, pre-donning checks are non-negotiable, and personnel must understand what to do if the system malfunctions in an irrespirable atmosphere. SCBA is more intuitive, though competent operation of both types requires formal, practical training and nationally recognised competency.
Heat stress: CCBA systems can generate heat through the CO₂ scrubbing process, which increases heat stress on the wearer — a critical consideration in already-hot environments such as underground mine fires or industrial incidents. Personnel working in these conditions for extended periods must be briefed on heat stress management as part of their training.
Maintenance: Both systems require rigorous maintenance and testing procedures to ensure safety. Parabellum operates dedicated breathing apparatus clean rooms and breathing apparatus and rescue equipment rooms designed to support safe storage, inspection, and servicing of BA equipment across all types.
Face Masks and Facial Seal
Regardless of whether your team operates SCBA or CCBA, respiratory protection is only as effective as the seal between the face mask and the wearer’s face. A poor facial seal — caused by improper fit, incorrect sizing, or facial hair — allows contaminated air to bypass the breathing apparatus entirely, rendering the equipment useless in hazardous atmospheres.
Parabellum supplies a range of face masks compatible with both SCBA and CCBA systems, including the Dräger FPS 7000, Dräger FPS COM 5000, and 3M AV3000HT among others. Proper fit testing is essential and must be conducted as part of any breathing apparatus training course.
Two critical points on facial seal:
Clean shaven. All personnel who operate breathing apparatus must be clean shaven at the face seal contact area. Facial hair — even stubble — breaks the seal and compromises respiratory protection. This is an Australian Standard requirement, not merely a workplace policy. Personnel who cannot be clean shaven must not be certified to operate breathing apparatus.
Proper fit. Face masks are sized, and the correct size must be established through formal fit testing procedures. A mask that fits one crew member will not necessarily provide a safe facial seal on another. Fit testing should form part of every breathing apparatus training course your organisation delivers.
Training: MSMWHS216 and Nationally Recognised Competency
Operating breathing apparatus safely in hazardous environments is a nationally recognised skill requiring formal training and demonstrated competency. The unit of competency MSMWHS216 Operate Breathing Apparatus covers the knowledge and practical skills required to safely operate breathing apparatus in irrespirable atmospheres, conduct pre-donning checks, follow emergency procedures, and maintain breathing apparatus to required standards.
MSMWHS216 Operate Breathing Apparatus is part of Australia’s nationally recognised training framework, meaning successful completion delivers a nationally recognised unit of competency that is portable across workplaces and industries. It is required for personnel working in high risk industries including mining, oil and gas, chemical processing, and fire and emergency services — anywhere that workers may be required to operate breathing apparatus in hazardous atmospheres.
Parabellum’s Breathing Apparatus Operations and Injury Prevention course is a two-day practical training course delivered in Perth, Western Australia. The course combines essential theoretical knowledge with real world scenarios and hands-on practical training to ensure personnel can operate breathing apparatus confidently and safely under pressure. It is designed for personnel across a broad range of high risk industries and workplaces where respiratory protection is required.
The course covers:
- The principles of SCBA and open circuit breathing apparatus operation
- Pre-donning checks and donning procedures
- Emergency procedures and entrapment procedures
- Safe operation and doffing in hazardous atmospheres
- Maintenance responsibilities and testing procedures
- Heat stress awareness and management
- Facial seal checks and the clean shaven requirement
- Emergency protocols for BA set failure
Parabellum also delivers broader emergency response training through its training services and fire and emergency response service, supported by emergency response training structures that replicate the real world scenarios your team will face. Explore the full range of emergency response courses to ensure your team holds all the essential skills required for their operating environment.
Choosing the Right System for Your Workplace
If your organisation operates in confined spaces, hazardous atmospheres, or any environment where irrespirable air is a risk, the decision between SCBA and CCBA comes down to operational duration and the nature of the hazard. For most fire, rescue, and industrial response operations, SCBA remains the standard — versatile, reliable, and supported by a mature training and maintenance ecosystem. Where extended operations are required, or where confined spaces preclude cylinder resupply, CCBA delivers the duration needed to protect personnel and complete the task safely.
The breathing apparatus accessories and replacement cylinders available through Parabellum ensure your BA sets remain operational and fully compliant with Australian Standard requirements. For operations involving chemical hazards alongside respiratory risk, our hazmat and spill response range and confined space and rope rescue equipment round out a complete safety solution.
Talk to Parabellum
At Parabellum, we supply breathing apparatus, deliver nationally recognised training, and help organisations across Australia build the equipment and competency needed to stay safe in hazardous environments. Whether you need to equip a new team, schedule a breathing apparatus training course, or ensure your existing BA sets are maintained and compliant, we can help. Request a quote or contact us today.
