Objectives-To address the causes and prevention of fire incidents involving aluminum bodied oxygen regulators used by firefighters or emergency medical technicians. Conclusion-Development of the ASTM standard and associated testing will be helpful to oxygen regulator designers to design safer oxygen regulator systems. As well, there are a number of additional safe handling procedures that firefighters and emergency medical technicians can follow to reduce the risk of a regulator fire. (Injury Prevention 2001;7(Suppl I):i34-37) Methods-The

Aluminum regulators used with high-pressure oxygen systems are subject to rare, but potentially catastrophic combustion in normal use. Replacement of such regulators with those made of more fire-resistant materials or designs, as well as education and improved safety practices are needed to reduce this hazard.