An octo-inflater is at worst an annoyance, and certainly not a death trap.
However a shoulder dump integrated into the inflator hose almost does qualify as a death trap, since it's really easy for a stressed out diver to pull hard enough to break the cable and tear the hose, leaving a BC that won't hold air without some clear thinking and the ability to maintain head-down trim.
I haven't used mine since almost ten years ago, when I ripped the hose off over a wall in Cozumel. The "rings" that make the hose flexible are perfect perforations and rip really easily if dried out, nicked or cracked at all.
Terry
Sound to me like you need to upgrade your equipment a little more often if it is getting to the point that the hoses are cracking.