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The FAA sets stringent inspection requirements on airlines for O₂ Generators, Life Vests, Emergency Medical Equipment, and a number of other items aboard an aircraft. All of these items carry expiration dates, which indicate when the item needs to be replaced, recalibrated, or re-approved for service. Depending on the model of the O₂ Generator used on an aircraft, the expiration period usually lasts for 10-15 years from the day it was manufactured (not when it was installed), at which point the O₂ Generator needs to be replaced.

If the expiration period passes and the O₂ Generator hasn't been replaced it's considered a violation by the FAA – a costly challenge that is common throughout the airline industry. An expired O₂ Generator will likely continue to function properly, but if the violation is discovered by the FAA it carries fines of $10,000 per flight segment per violation. Each aircraft generally uses one O₂ Generator to facilitate oxygen delivery for up to three passengers. That's around 70 O₂ Generators for a 757 aircraft. The $10,000 fine multiplies for each O₂ Generator in violation of the expiration date, potentially reaching millions of dollars.