Narrative:

This aircraft; has a heavy duty seal on the essex portable breathing equipment (pbe) above the #2 jump seat. The seal is the same as the ones used in the lavatory. This is a safety issue because this type of seal will have to be cut off in order to use the emergency equipment. The time it takes to do that could result in loss of lives in a fire. These seals should be the break-away kind that all flight attendants may access without too much difficulty in an emergency.I have brought this issue to managements' attention in the past. The seals were corrected of the specific aircraft at the time. However; I continue to find these maintenance seals on the essex pbe's. I am hesitant to call maintenance and cause delays; although I believe they are warranted. So I've decided to write them up whenever I find them.I believe that maintenance is using these heavy duty seals on the essex pbe's to prevent moisture from getting to the units. However; they are also preventing us from getting to the units.I recommend that the heavy duty seals be removed from all emergency equipment. They need to be accessible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Flight Attendants are finding heavy duty seals on the Portable Breathing Equipment (PBE) that has to be cut off in order to use the equipment.

Narrative: This aircraft; has a heavy duty seal on the Essex Portable Breathing Equipment (PBE) above the #2 jump seat. The seal is the same as the ones used in the lavatory. This is a safety issue because this type of seal will have to be CUT OFF in order to use the emergency equipment. The time it takes to do that could result in loss of lives in a fire. These seals should be the break-away kind that all flight attendants may access without too much difficulty in an emergency.I have brought this issue to managements' attention in the past. The seals were corrected of the specific aircraft at the time. However; I continue to find these maintenance seals on the Essex PBE's. I am hesitant to call Maintenance and cause delays; although I believe they are warranted. So I've decided to write them up whenever I find them.I believe that maintenance is using these heavy duty seals on the Essex PBE's to prevent moisture from getting to the units. However; they are also preventing US from getting to the units.I recommend that the heavy duty seals be removed from all emergency equipment. They need to be accessible.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.