Generic Viz Stickers and refusal to fill

[gurnie]

So I use the generic PSI viz stickers for the tanks I do VI on. My inspector number is on the stickers and I am current. I was surprised to have someone come back to me and say that a shop refused to fill a tank because it didn't have a "shop" sticker.. They are a local competitor so I am thinking they were pissed that didn't get the business for the VI.. I totally understand that a shop has a right to refuse a fill, but seems more around personal issues than a real concern about safety. Honestly there is another local shop that never even cracks open the tank, they just put a new sticker on. When tanks from this shop come in, I basicly do the work for them because I do a viz on it (for free) before a fill. More for the safety of our staff who has to fill it than anything else. Has anyone ever run into these types of situations?

 

[toddster541]

Hmm... My brother just has a stack of vis stickers in his desk, from the company he works for. (commercial diving) I suspect that he just slaps them on tanks. "Hey, thanks for the fill. So, the inspection was OK? " "Inspection? Oh... sure..."

 

[spectrum]

I have observed this in multiple locations. Be as optimistic or cynical as you wish to be but it seems to come down to:
1) Safety, some shops won't nescesarilly accept the vis of another shop but for whatever reason they won't honor a sticker not affiliated with a commercial shop.
2) You do not have buisness liability insurance to go after if one of your jobs goes sour.
3) Safeguarding the revenue stream.

It's real and can take the fun (and incentive) out of the DIY Visual.

Pete

 

[gurnie]

I have observed this in multiple locations. Be as optimistic or cynical as you wish to be but it seems to come down to:
1) Safety, some shops won't nescesarilly accept the vis of another shop but for whatever reason they won't honor a sticker not affiliated with a commercial shop. - Doesn't mean that they can't do a quick once over.
2) You do not have buisness liability insurance to go after if one of your jobs goes sour. - Actually I am associated with a shop, but we don't use "branded" viz stickers. I would be pissed if someone put a 6 inch sticker on my tank that advertises a shop, if it is a big logo they should be paying me..
3) Safeguarding the revenue stream. - Yes but it hard to run a fill business if you only fill your own tanks.

It's real and can take the fun (and incentive) out of the DIY Visual.

Pete

Pete, thanks for the input. Valid points.

 

[flots am]

Honestly there is another local shop that never even cracks open the tank, they just put a new sticker on. When tanks from this shop come in, I basicly do the work for them because I do a viz on it (for free) before a fill. More for the safety of our staff who has to fill it than anything else. Has anyone ever run into these types of situations?

Two different issues.

If you're sure they're not inspecting the tanks, that's a problem although I'm not sure what you can do about it. Maybe drop a $20 bill in a tank and have the local TV station take it in for a "VIP" and see what happens. At the very least, it's fraud.

VIP is an industry thing. I don't believe it's a legal requirement.

As far as them not accepting your stickers, that's their right and there's nothing you can do about it.

Sorry.

flots.

 

[redacted]

As far as them not accepting your stickers, that's their right and there's nothing you can do about it.

Sorry.

flots.

I wouldn't say there is nothing. Start by talking to them to make sure they know who you are and what your qualifications are. Still no satisfaction, then do what you can to send any $$ that might have gone to that shop elsewhere. Most shops would probably find it to be quite expensive to protect their business from seriously unhappy customers.

 

[flots am]

I wouldn't say there is nothing. Start by talking to them to make sure they know who you are and what your qualifications are. Still no satisfaction, then do what you can to send any $$ that might have gone to that shop elsewhere. Most shops would probably find it to be quite expensive to protect their business from seriously unhappy customers.

That might work. With a little sweet-talking it might even turn into a good VIP business if the OP does the eddy current testing, etc. If the shop isn't doing the work, it might be becuse they don't want to or aren't trained/equipped.

Now that I've see an actual neck crack, and our tank guy found some sort of mystery slime in my tank, I appreciate VIPs a lot more. Nobody wants to get "blowed up" or breathe "mystery stuff".

flots.

 

[redacted]

That might work. With a little sweet-talking it might even turn into a good VIP business if the OP does the eddy current testing, etc. If the shop isn't doing the work, it might be becuse they don't want to or aren't trained/equipped.

Now that I've see an actual neck crack, and our tank guy found some sort of mystery slime in my tank, I appreciate VIPs a lot more. Nobody wants to get "blowed up" or breathe "mystery stuff".

flots.

Neck cracks are easy to manage. Just stay away from the bad aluminum.

If you really want to protect yourself from breathing bad stuff, do your own inspections often. At least every time you get gas from other than a trusted supplier. The biggest justification for the "industry standard" annual vis is the revenue stream it produces for the shops.

 

[jIM STEELE]

VIPS are good I wish the dot who is in charge of reg. our safety would set some std. on vips so we dont have to make it up as we go with no penalty that's there job

 

[gurnie]

Neck cracks are easy to manage. Just stay away from the bad aluminum.

If you really want to protect yourself from breathing bad stuff, do your own inspections often. At least every time you get gas from other than a trusted supplier. The biggest justification for the "industry standard" annual vis is the revenue stream it produces for the shops.

Actually VIP is not an "industry standard" it is required by federal law.. I am certified for eddy current testing and have found cracks in tank necks with alloys made after 1990. So to think that you have tank that is not AL6351, that you are immune is a false sense of security..