Air Quality Certificate

[Jimmy B]

Lots of info here, just incase your all getting your heads full and think that your're getting "bad air" in Ontario. Just remember that Ontario has one of the highest standards in the World.

Compared to other spots where you're diving. Now remember, (I'm stressing this). The following is the National Standard for a couple of Countries.

CDA US EUR (Low - High) MEX
Carbon Monoxide PPM 5 20 10-50 NS
Carbon Dioxide PPM 500 500 500-1000 NS
Hydrocarbons PPM 25 25 NS-30 NS
Trichlorotrifluorethylen PPM Only Canada Tests
Dichlorodfiluorethylen PPM Only Canada Tests
Cloorodifluoromethane PPM Only Canada Tests
Nitrogen Dioxide PPM .3 NS NS - .5 NS
Oil mg/M3 3 5 .3 - 5 NS
Max particle Size Free ND N/A - 50 Microns NS
Water Vapor mg/M3 50 ND NS - 100 NS
Odour None NO NO - NIL NS
Other ND ND ND - <1% NS
O2 Content 20-22 20-22 20-23 NS

ND = No Data
NS = No Standard
NO = Not objectable foul smelling

The way I understand it also is that this is the National standard read lowest standard allowed in that Country.

JB

 

[Jimmy B]

Lots of info here, just incase your all getting your heads full and think that your're getting "bad air" in Ontario. Just remember that Ontario has one of the highest standards in the World.

Compared to other spots where you're diving. Now remember, (I'm stressing this). The following is the National Standard for a couple of Countries.

CDA US EUR (Low - High) MEX
Carbon Monoxide PPM 5 20 10-50 NS
Carbon Dioxide PPM 500 500 500-1000 NS
Hydrocarbons PPM 25 25 NS-30 NS
Trichlorotrifluorethylen PPM Only Canada Tests
Dichlorodfiluorethylen PPM Only Canada Tests
Cloorodifluoromethane PPM Only Canada Tests
Nitrogen Dioxide PPM .3 NS NS - .5 NS
Oil mg/M3 3 5 .3 - 5 NS
Max particle Size Free ND N/A - 50 Microns NS
Water Vapor mg/M3 50 ND NS - 100 NS
Odour None NO NO - NIL NS
Other ND ND ND - <1% NS
O2 Content 20-22 20-22 20-23 NS

ND = No Data
NS = No Standard
NO = Not objectable foul smelling

The way I understand it also is that this is the National standard read lowest standard allowed in that Country.

JB

 

[pufferfish]

Jimmy B once bubbled...
Lots of info here, just incase your all getting your heads full and think that your're getting "bad air" in Ontario. Just remember that Ontario has one of the highest standards in the World.

Compared to other spots where you're diving. Now remember, (I'm stressing this). The following is the National Standard for a couple of Countries.

CDA US EUR (Low - High) MEX
Carbon Monoxide PPM 5 20 10-50 NS
Carbon Dioxide PPM 500 500 500-1000 NS
Hydrocarbons PPM 25 25 NS-30 NS
Trichlorotrifluorethylen PPM Only Canada Tests
Dichlorodfiluorethylen PPM Only Canada Tests
Cloorodifluoromethane PPM Only Canada Tests
Nitrogen Dioxide PPM .3 NS NS - .5 NS
Oil mg/M3 3 5 .3 - 5 NS
Max particle Size Free ND N/A - 50 Microns NS
Water Vapor mg/M3 50 ND NS - 100 NS
Odour None NO NO - NIL NS
Other ND ND ND - <1% NS
O2 Content 20-22 20-22 20-23 NS

ND = No Data
NS = No Standard
NO = Not objectable foul smelling

The way I understand it also is that this is the National standard read lowest standard allowed in that Country.
JB

Jimmy, Canada does have one of the highest standards IF you are testing to CSA Z180.1 BY an accredited lab. Tell me on your OUC certificate is there an entry for halogenated hydrocarbons? And what about oil and particulates? Just more evidence that tests by the OUC would enter that chart somewhere between Romania and Mexico.

The chart is quite out of date by the way. The US standard (CGA Gr. E) for CO is 10 ppm and for CO2 is now 1000 ppm. In Canada we no longer as part of CSA Z180.1 test for nitrogen dioxide and the oil and particulate level has been lowered to 1 mg/m3.

Please lets only present up to date information, but it was interesting to see what Mexico is doing. Maybe the OUC could donate their equipment to the Mexicans and help them out.

 

[pufferfish]

Jimmy three strikes and you are out. Three posts does not make the data any more recent

I know you are having problems with the format on that chart. I have had same problem in the past. As long as one knows the four numbers in any row represent Canada, US, Europe, and Mexico it is readable. Otherwise you have to use something like periods to separate the columns.

 

[Jimmy B]

Not sure how that happened, mistakes happen and If I did something wrong my appolgies.

JB

 

[GTADiver]

I see Climb and Dive Toronto has a valid Maxxam certificate displayed at their air station.

 

[pufferfish]

The following Ontario shops have a recent Canadian air certificate showing they meet or exceed the requirements of CSA Z180.1 (2000) standard for compressed breathing air.

1. Dive Center Ottawa www.divecenter.ca
2. Ron's Scuba Cornwall
3. Dolphinos Ottawa www.dolphinos.com
4. G&S Watersports Tobermory www.gswatersports.com
5. Diver's Den Tobermory www.diversden.ca
6. Burton's Dive Service Ottawa www.burtonsdive.com
7. Abucs Scuba Brockville www.divebrockville.com
8. Aquarius Scuba Toronto www.aquariusscuba.com
9. Climb and Dive Toronto www.climbtoronto.com

Tests by the OUC are not recognized as accredited. Certifications must be less than six months old and preferably less than three months old.

Still waiting to hear about any Kingston shops. If I have missed anyone please post the shop's name.

When you do buy fills from these shops knowing they have made a genuine effort to provide divers with safe air please tell the owner this is why you are patronizing their store. Postive reinforcement works wonders.

More on the way!

 

[seahunter]

I'm certain that The Dive Shop in Newmarket should be on the list.

I notice that very few (none?) of the 'Super Stores' on your list are PADI 5 Star Centers that require 4 tests annually or every 3 months rather than just twice a year.

Is there any logical thought that says frequent tests are good?

Would it be silly for me to suggest that a store that has a test 4 times a year has the diver's safety at heart?

Maxxam recently indicated to me that they have something less than 20 scuba customers while the lab we use does the testing for over 1000 scuba stores (to CSA Z180.1 standard). I wonder if we should change and go for the one with less experience in this field?

Please don't repeat the entire thread puff.

 

[pufferfish]

seahunter once bubbled...
I'm certain that The Dive Shop in Newmarket should be on the list.

I notice that very few (none?) of the 'Super Stores' on your list are PADI 5 Star Centers that require 4 tests annually or every 3 months rather than just twice a year.

Is there any logical thought that says frequent tests are good?

Would it be silly for me to suggest that a store that has a test 4 times a year has the diver's safety at heart?

Maxxam recently indicated to me that they have something less than 20 scuba customers while the lab we use does the testing for over 1000 scuba stores (to CSA Z180.1 standard). I wonder if we should change and go for the one with less experience in this field?

Please don't repeat the entire thread puff.

Seahunter is that "certain" like the time you were "certain" that you were testing to Z180 until Ruby Ochoa at Trace proved otherwise? I will believe it when I see it, but will verify first. Thank you for the sighting.

Regarding testing frequency and timing, this has been discussed previously here. In an ideal world it should be based on hours, temp, and humidity. Six months might be fine in the slow dry winter months but monthly might be better in the busy humid summer months. A reasonable compromise is quarterly testing.
Testing frequency and timing

If you don't want the same points argued then why bring them up. Let's just say as a very conservative estimate of the proportion of shops in Ontario not testing at all or using the OUC is sixty percent. I think there are something like seventy to eighty shops in Ontario. Therefore 32 shops are using other higher quality labs. If twenty of those are Maxxam then they that is two thirds of the business in Ontario. Maxxam also does most of the firestations now in Metro and those right up to North Bay. These are the guys who must breath compressed air for a living. Trace is drawing from the entire US so that number of shops if accurate does not surprise me. Just remember quality and quantity are not necessarily the same.

I just checked the PADI web site and *five* of the shops above are PADI shops one of which is 5 star. All PADI shops are required to test quarterly not just the 5 star, but only the 5 star are required to keep these results on file according to Randy at PADI Canada.

By the way I refered someone up to your shop for a weekend wonder course during the summer. Guess what, no mention whatsoever of asking for a recent air certificate. What happened to your policy of including this in the course? Hot air (Z180 I would hope) or instructors not following your directives?

 

[Chet]

I am not certain PADI Canada would know an air test certificate if they had it hit them in the face.
Let's face it people, Z180 is the bench mark in Canada, not the padi police.
Chet