Alarm over shop's high Carbon Monoxide levels - Victoria, Australia

[DandyDon]

Warning to divers after unsafe carbon monoxide levels found in cylinders at Victorian retailer

The warning from Victoria's workplace safety regulator applies to tanks and cylinders filled up at Cross Diving Services at Marlo in East Gippsland.

www.abc.net.au

Victoria's workplace safety regulator is warning divers who filled their air tanks or cylinders at a dive shop in East Gippsland not to use them, after unsafe levels of carbon monoxide were found.

WorkSafe inspectors made the discovery after assessments at Cross Diving Services in Marlo, near Orbost.

The regulator said cylinders at the shop contained carbon monoxide levels of at least 150 parts per million, which is more than 30 times the maximum acceptable level.

The acceptable carbon monoxide level is 5 parts per million.

WorkSafe has issued notices banning the business from providing further cylinders or using an on-site compressor to fill them.

It said the owner of the business had been unable to provide complete records of who had had air tanks or cylinders filled at the shop.

The regulator has advised anyone who has had a cylinder or air tank filled at Cross Diving Services not to use it under any circumstances, and to contact WorkSafe on 1800 136 089.

The business was inspected following the death of a diver in Queenscliff in April which is subject to a coronial investigation.

I believe that the April incident referenced was this one: Diver dies in Queenscliff (VIC) Australia on Saturday morning...

 

[Alaskan Scuba Dude]

Total disregard for human life; one would not expect this type of incident to happen in a developing nation. Yet, it occurred through the absence of defensible action by service technicians not reporting a lapse in communication with relevant authorities.

 

[Mike1967]

Total disregard for human life; one would not expect this type of incident to happen in a developing nation. Yet, it occurred through the absence of defensible action by service technicians not reporting a lapse in communication with relevant authorities.

Please explain?

 

[SlugLife]

I keep looking at CO detectors, although most of them are pretty pricey, and require regular maintenance.

I suppose that's perhaps better than dead. I might have to build myself one of these (below). Remove the o2 analyzer, and I could have one for under $100.

Semi-DIY O2 and CO analyzer

I'm convinced of the benefit of analyzing tanks for O2 percentage and presence of CO (carbon monoxide). I was a kickstarter supporter of Cootwo, and still think it was a great concept and form factor. I was unhappy with the lack (and tone) of support from Divenav in the past. On my last dive...

scubaboard.com

 

[Blackcrusader]

Total disregard for human life; one would not expect this type of incident to happen in a developing nation. Yet, it occurred through the absence of defensible action by service technicians not reporting a lapse in communication with relevant authorities.

Australia is a developing nation? lol

 

[DandyDon]

I keep looking at CO detectors, although most of them are pretty pricey, and require regular maintenance.

That actually depends on how accurate you need your readings? Enough to testify in court, or just enough to keep from getting hurt?

The cheapest portable unit with a range in the under 10ppm runs about $30. Search Walmart for SMART SENSOR Handheld Carbon Monoxide Meter as I am getting a bad link when I post it. It may read 12ppm as 2ppm, sure, but that's close enough to reject the tank. I wouldn't use it for more than a year without replacing it, but just send it to electronic recycling and get another one. It takes 60 seconds to get a full reading, so I'd use it in a gallon ziplock instead of bleeding tank air for a full minute. My biggest gripe is that it uses AAA batteries, as it could have been built to use AAs that last so much longer, but that's a pet peeve.

The Inspector (CO) INS2-CO-01 costs more at $139, $129 at Amazon, but is a lot more dependable. And tough! I ran one thru a complete washing machine cycle with bleach with no harm. I have one four years old, no servicing, always on, and it's still working as well as my two year old unit. They claim that the software adjusts for sensor drift, and I believe it. Blow into the hole to see a little CO reading as everyone breathes some out. Again, use a gallon ziplock and give it a minute. And take a new ziplock each day as they develop leaks in handling.

 

[SlugLife]

That actually depends on how accurate you need your readings? Enough to testify in court, or just enough to keep from getting hurt?

Correct; the important thing is detecting danger, not knowing whether it's precisely 12ppm.

Thank you for the information, I'll probably buy one of those two option in the next couple days. I just need to decide if I want to spend $30 or $130.

If I'm understanding the procedure correctly, throw the tester in a bag, inflate the bag like a balloon, and leave it for a minute.

As far as shops not testing CO, it's relatively inexpensive to do so form a business perspective and economies of scale. Perhaps not every tank of course, but even once per day per day, and you could avoid the majority of related potential death(s), massive lawsuits, or loss of your business.

 

[DandyDon]

If I'm understanding the procedure correctly, throw the tester in a bag, inflate the bag like a balloon, and leave it for a minute.

Yep. Crack the tank before placing bag. I sent a unit overboard once by placing bag, then opening a stubborn valve too far. Every now and then I'll take both of my Sensorcons into the garage and with door opener in hand start the car by remote. Well tuned cars with catalytic converters produce little CO, but when the engine is first started they emit a lot. That's a risky practice tho so have a couple of escape plans.

Take the Sensorcon to your room between dives leaving on 24/7 and it'll protect you there too. If you get the cheaper unit that uses AAA batteries, you'll need to pack a separate home CO alarm as hotel rooms seldom have them. Return it to the factory after two years for sensor and battery replacement.

As far as shops not testing CO, it's relatively inexpensive to do so form a business perspective and economies of scale. Perhaps not every tank of course, but even once per day per day, and you could avoid the majority of related potential death(s), massive lawsuits, or loss of your business.

No, once a day is nothing. A bad tank can show up within a run of clean tanks. Inline monitors can work, but few shops will spend that much.

 

[SlugLife]

Yep. Crack the tank before placing bag. I sent a unit overboard once by placing bag, then opening a stubborn valve too far. Every now and then I'll take both of my Sensorcons into the garage and with door opener in hand start the car by remote. Well tuned cars with catalytic converters produce little CO, but when the engine is first started they emit a lot. That's a risky practice tho so have a couple of escape plans.

Take the Sensorcon to your room between dives leaving on 24/7 and it'll protect you there too. If you get the cheaper unit that uses AAA batteries, you'll need to pack a separate home CO alarm as hotel rooms seldom have them. Return it to the factory after two years for sensor and battery replacement.

No, once a day is nothing. A bad tank can show up within a run of clean tanks. Inline monitors can work, but few shops will spend that much.

Instead of dumping straight from the tank into the bag, I have an air-gun which attaches to a BCD hose in my save-a-dive-kit. That requires attaching some regulators of course, but maybe more reliable and less annoying than trying to control a bag and a tank-valve.

I have two CO detectors/alarms in my home; the wall-mounted ones are pretty cheap, around $30. I had just assumed those wouldn't really work for scuba.

As far as the once-per-day checks, I decided to do 2-minutes of research and discovered you can get an inline model for about $500. Now, $500 might be a lot for an individual scuba-diver, but for fill-station that is CHEAP! Much better than demanding your potentially unreliable employees to check the CO 1-2x per day, which they'll probably skip. I retract my once-per-day idea as pretty silly.

Pro CO Alarm Analyzer Panel Mount

The Nuvair Pro CO Alarm panel mount analyzer is designed for installation on a control panel or other flat surface for flush mounting. The analyzer connects in-line to high- or low-pressure compressors for continuous monitoring of carbon monoxide contaminants in the system. Equipped with audible...

nuvair.com

 

[SlugLife]

I also considered this wall-mount unit, it's about $30. I may still buy this unit for my home, because my other CO-alarms are just alarms, and have no display of CO-levels. In the normal mode, it won't show below 30ppm, but you can push a button and see below 30ppm. Anyone looking for something dual-use, I'd probably go with that model.

That said, I went with the "walmart" one you mentioned. Here's the Amazon link for anyone else who might be interested. Reviews seem to suggest quality is "ok", not amazing, and it appears to be one of those generic devices that gets rebranded by a bunch of companies. That said, it is intended for "real time" monitoring, and intended for checking very low PPM levels, so it'll probably be better for quickly checking tanks.