Dive shop owner killed by exploding tank?

[Liquid]

Lost yoopers-

That's exactly my point!

How did such a tank get into the filling station and GOT filled?!
Whenever I fill a tank that is not mine I check and double check it for tests and general apearance. A bad tank is one that either looks prety bad or wasn't tested. In such case you just refuse to fill the tank and avoid any problems. All the cases I heard of where alwais becouse of filling tanks without a valid test, and usualy for a LONG period of time.

Reminder-tanks should hydrostaticaly tested every five years and visualy tested every year. Where I live it is also the law, and centers are forbidden by law to fill such tanks that where not properly tested.

I am also aware of the posibility of explosion due to use of a specific kind of compresor, which I cant remeber the english name for, which still leaves the reponsibility at the owner's hands.

 

[Lost Yooper]

Gottcha.

 

[Lost Yooper]

It appears as though the tank was indeed abused. The news today says there was a bunch of rust in the tank, and it was not up to date on hydro (1991) and visuals (1999) -- obviously.

Latest news:

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/verobeach/15v350a.shtml

How did it manage to get a visual when it was out of hydro?
It seems odd that it would have passed a visual, even two years ago. This looks like neglect right from the word go.

This never should have happened.

Mike

 

[The Chairman]

Just WHO did that last visual, and will they be tried for manslaughter? Sure, the visual was a year out of date, but it should NEVER have happened with an out of date hydro. BTW, its great to see that most of agree that this should NOT have happened.

As an aside, I am taking a tank inspection class this Sunday from PSI. I got the link from someone on this board (on yet another tank thread)

 

[Liquid]

lost agrees with me?
wierd...

Anyway-
Netdoc-There cant be a mansloghter trial for the tester, for 2 reasons:

1) It might be, that at the test the tank was fine (at least visualy).

2) as the tank was both out of date on the visual and the hydro, the only responsibilty is the filler's that either-
a- neglected to check the date of tests (hydro is engraved on the metal, and visual is stated either on a sticker or by a marker) or-
b-Did a favour to a friend and filled his tank even thoug he knew the tank wasn't in top shape.

 

[Lost Yooper]

Liquid, you'd best keep a tally, eh?

In the days of lawsuits, I can't imagine any shop doing a visual on an out of date hydro, much less filling it. I'm sick of law suits, and I generally say people have to be responsible for themslves. I'm not so sure in this case. There never should have been a visual done on that tank. Maybe the guy who did the visual was the same guy who died -- don't know. He shouldn't have filled it, and it shouldn't have been visually inspected.

Mike

 

[Butch103]

state of affairs............many faults could possible be layed here...........but I would say it all falls on the shoulders of the deceased............Unfortunately he shouldn't have filled that tank....................

 

[scubakat]

Yes, he should not have filled it. But who Asked him to do it? Does not the owner of the tank have some bit of responsibility here?

-kate

 

[syruss32]

ScubaKat I think the owner is somewhat responsible but will not be held so unless they can show he did it out of malice or fraud.

I know when I got my new tank from my local LDS there were no stickers on it showing anything. And it was filled at a local site. When I got back I had it filled at my old LDS and he right off told me he could not fill it without that.

Both shops know each other so I asked him to call the LDS where I bought it and the owner said it was an oversight not to put the sticker on because he was waiting on a new supply of stickers. So my old LDS took care of it then went ahead and filled the tank.

In my opinion the place it was filled with no sticker acted unsafely and in a way I am responsible for asking them to fill it, but being a new diver with a brand new tank I didn't know it needed a sticker and the guy filling it was new at filling tanks two and probably didn't think twice about it simply cause I had been there several times getting rental tanks filled up.

But I think if I were the person filling tanks I would check them mostly for my own safety, but it does happen.

Kinda on this topic I have a friend whos son is into paintball and he fills up his catrridges with a scuba tank which he gets filled at a local scuba shop. I was under the impression you cannot get tanks filled without a c-card? I know it happens since he does it and so do his friends that own tanks too but how safe is this?

 

[Hawk]

I have never been asked for my card, to buy gear or to have fills done. Nobody has ever even asked me anything, which I have thought was strange. Apparently the dollar does all the talking for you. This is true at several shops, not just one.


What happened is scary. I feel sorry for his family. I agree though the responsibility rested with him. This is something I have never seen checked either, the sticker. They just fill it up and don't even check. Two of my tanks are obviously not new and yet nobody even looks.



Later, Hawk.