Fisheries Queensland director killed by Carbon Monoxide

[DandyDon]

Don,

How many bad tanks have you discovered since you started testing? I'm (fortunately) batting zero outta about 900.

Not many, but a few. We were on the way to dive Cathedral in Cozumel once, a dive I'd wanted to do all week and it was out last day, when we found double digits in some tanks. We turned the boat and did 2 shallow dives instead. We should have docked the boat, but I had only recently started testing and wasn't as confident in my objections - and of course Dive Fever was in play. My home bud hadn't showed much interest in my testing, but he became very grateful - nominating me for the DAN Rolex that year. I thought that was a bit much, but it was nice to get a phone call from DAN's chairman.

Another time we got 5ppm stateside. I don't travel and dive as much as I used to, wish I'd been testing 15 years ago, but I'm doing what I can these days. It sounds like you're diving with some admirable gas suppliers. That wouldn't be enough for me to stop testing, but still - admirable. Still, you'd think this diver was using good suppliers.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Anyone have experience with the Palm CO analyzer? Palm CO Carbon Monoxide Analyzer

 

[Patoux01]

How many bad tanks have you discovered since you started testing? I'm (fortunately) batting zero outta about 900.

On the other hand, just one is enough.

 

[DandyDon]

On the other hand, just one is enough.

Oh, if I took seriously about scuba diving itself, I'd skip it. Serious accidents and deaths are rare in scuba tho, possible - but generally preventable. CO tainted tanks may run as often as 3%, so that's a more significant risk to prevent. I can only give that risk from one study as the risk has been largely ignored by the agencies and worse - by DAN. It's always about the business, even with DAN, so I guess they don't want to alienate the operators they depend on so much.

Fortunately, with better technology and more interest in tank testing - good tank testers are getting better and cheaper with competition. The same goes for home alarms. I grew up with a heating system that we just had to turn off at night, no matter how cold, but now I can get alarms good for 10 years & 10 year sealed batteries for $30 or so. People keep dying of home CO too, but protection is easily available. I always pack one for overnight trips anywhere, too.

 

[nadwidny]

Oh, if I took seriously about scuba diving itself, I'd skip it. Serious accidents and deaths are rare in scuba tho, possible - but generally preventable. CO tainted tanks may run as often as 3%, so that's a more significant risk to prevent. .

It's much. much less than that in my experience. Since I've been in the air testing industry for the past 4.5 years and have run roughly 3 thousand samples, I've seen maybe 3 samples that have failed on CO. 2 of them from the same operator from samples taken from 2 units in the same backyard on the same day (gas powered personal units). In context, the vast majority of our customers are fire departments, oil field safety companies or companies that service compressors so these are places that have to test and service regularly otherwise they would get shut down by OHS. Dive shops do not fit into that category.

Personally I would test every single cylinder that came from a gas or diesel powered compressor that was filled at a dive shop or (especially) from a private owner. I would also test every tank that was filled in a 3rd world destination like Mexico.

 

[DandyDon]

Personally I would test every single cylinder that came from a gas or diesel powered compressor that was filled at a dive shop or (especially) from a private owner. I would also test every tank that was filled in a 3rd world destination like Mexico.

Agree, except that electric compressors cannot be ruled out anywhere. When they are worked hard enough to heat up enough to partially burn their lubricating oil, they can produce CO internally. Testing tanks when you get zero after zero can seems boring, until you get your first hit.

 

[nelsoned]

I test every tank for O2 and CO. I've only had some 5 ppm s. I went for zeros (CO) and got 'em. Not worth the risk. 2000 dives. I've found EANX 42 where EANX 28 should have been in doubles not topped off with air. Why not test ? What's is your life worth ? That's my approach with first stages, 2 second stages, redundant wings. Everything will brake and try to kill you eventually.
Backup. You may be the only one who can save you.

 

[nadwidny]

Agree, except that electric compressors cannot be ruled out anywhere.

Nonsense. Your paranoia is showing a lack of understanding.

 

[DandyDon]

Agree, except that electric compressors cannot be ruled out anywhere.

Nonsense. Your paranoia is showing a lack of understanding.

It would seem that as qualified as you are in these discussions, that you are unaware that electric compressors can overheat enough to partially burn their own oil, producing CO. I know that many pros don't know this, but is my understanding correct that you also don't know this?

 

[Kay Dee]

I've found EANX 42 where EANX 28 should have been in doubles not topped off with air. Why not test ? What's is your life worth ?

Is there really anyone out there, or do you (the collective 'you' that is) know anyone, who dives a nitrox (or trimix) mix that does not at least see an O2 test done on the cylinder/s their diving, if not conduct said test personally?

If so, they are obviously very very very trusting (naive?) individuals, or have a (possibly latent) death wish. Or were simply trained very very poorly. (Or were well trained but simply got a 'little' slack and did not label their cylinders properly / at all, and in a hurry picked up the 'wrong' cylinder/s - in one instance I know of to go do a rescue / body recovery - that cost the life of a couple of people I know, back in the day.)

Backup. You may be the only one who can save you.

You, again the collective 'you' that is, better believe it! Especially the 2nd sentence!!!