New York tourist dies in Cozumel

[Jax]

As has been mentioned, a small pocket CO monitor is not an accurate gauge of the CO in a tank for recreational diving purposes.

Really?

I have the Analox EII CO Carbon Monoxide Analyzer - Buy at DIVESEEKERS.com 888-SCUBA-47

And these say it is pretty darned accurate:

EII CO Specification:

Sensor range: 1 to 50ppm CO US Federal limit is 20ppm
Sensor accuracy: +/- (1% FS + 5% value)
Sensor response time: <20 seconds
Sensor drift: <6ppm CO (annual)
Power: 1 9V PP3 battery
Display: 2 digit
Operating temperature: 0 to 50&#730;C
Storage temperature: -10 to 50&#730;C
Sensor warranty: **IMPROVED** 2 years graded
Electronics warranty: 2 years

That sensor drift thing is corrected by testing with "bump gas", a can of 10ppm 'air' they use for calibration.

 

[heavierthanlead]

...As has been mentioned, a small pocket CO monitor is not an accurate gauge of the CO in a tank for recreational diving purposes.

Hmm... These units appear to be created with one sole function - to detect CO in the miniscule amounts that are relevant to the end user. Due to all the recent incidents, divers are snapping them up in droves, despite the few hundreds of dollars they sell for. Certainly, the 2 or 3 most commonly mentioned have proven performance, with the ability to diagnose accurately. Perhaps a "Consumer Reports" type side-by-side analysis should be undertaken by an interested party (D.A.N., tech diver groups, webzines, etc)? If I were leaving for a trip anytime soon, I know which unit I'd be leaning toward, but, I'd love to see an apples to apples comparison for a definitive, objective conclusion.

 

[cruiser]

As has been mentioned, a small pocket CO monitor is not an accurate gauge of the CO in a tank for recreational diving purposes.

How so? In my experience, the pocket CO monitors have been spot on, provided they are properly maintained and calibrated.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

So your explanation of the autopsy report showing elevated carboxyhemoglobin levels would be what exactly?

Elevated meaning what? Carboxyhemoglobin can be elevated for a number of reasons. Was he a smoker? Did he have some underlying inflammatory process? Any of the many issues that can cause hemolysis?

I've not followed the cave diver thread, but merely stating that he had an elevated carboxyhemoglobin is not proof that he died from CO toxicity.

 

[Thalassamania]

Do you mean carbon monoxide (CO)? CO2 (Carbon Dioxide is not a poisoning, but lack of O2 (oxygen). Carbon Monoxide (CO) binds to the hemoglobin preventing available oxygen from entrering.

Unless it was a large number of people, why suspect carbon monoxide poisoning? If a house has a problem in the heating system, the whole family gets sick, not a single person. If tanks are filled with carbon monoxide, many people would have had problems.

Hypercapnia can be quite deadly.

 

[WSOPFAN]

Elevated meaning what? Carboxyhemoglobin can be elevated for a number of reasons. Was he a smoker? Did he have some underlying inflammatory process? Any of the many issues that can cause hemolysis?

I've not followed the cave diver thread, but merely stating that he had an elevated carboxyhemoglobin is not proof that he died from CO toxicity.

I am not merely stating it, the coroner concluded the manner of death was CO poisoning. Feel free to go read that thread and find the link to the news article that states the same thing.

I just looked......post 56......

 

[Mike]

I am just giving cozumel the Innocent Until Proven Guilty treatment

kari

You bought a CO analyzer.


So if you're giving Cozumel the innocent until proven guilty treatment, that means you're leaving the CO analyzer at home or are you actually taking it with you because you're in fact giving Cozumel the guilty until proven innocent treatment aren't you?

Thanks to Dave Dillehay, Meridiano, the central fill station that does fill most ops tanks here now has inline CO monitors.!

I'd consider it a step in the right direction, however the situation is more similar to seat belts then air bags, those CO monitors are only as good as the training associated with the people using them, testing them etc... like a seat belt, just having them installed in a car doesn't increase your chances of surviving an accident, they can only save your life if you have them on, those CO monitors are only beneficial if they are maintained, installed in a way they turn off the compressors automatically, if they are relying on an alarm and worker response that lowers their effectiveness tremendously to the lowest paid worker=least trained having the highest level responsibilities, which is never a good idea.

 

[Thalassamania]

Mexico operates under Napoleonic Code, you need to prove innocence not guilt.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

I am not merely stating it, the coroner concluded the manner of death was CO poisoning. Feel free to go read that thread and find the link to the news article that states the same thing.

I just looked......post 56......

Actually, I just read the entire thread. Nowhere are numbers given, and with no disrespect to any of the people involved, I'd still say that without actual numbers, the case cannot be considered closed.

While CO toxicity may well have been the cause, and even without proof may be considered the most LIKELY cause, proof has not been posted.

 

[WSOPFAN]

Actually, I just read the entire thread. Nowhere are numbers given, and with no disrespect to any of the people involved, I'd still say that without actual numbers, the case cannot be considered closed.

While CO toxicity may well have been the cause, and even without proof may be considered the most LIKELY cause, proof has not been posted.

So in other words you think the coroner has no idea what they are doing and just listed whatever he pulled out of a hat as a cause of death? Really? BTW the person who posted that link to the news story was his dive buddy and was there when it happened. You might want to ask them what the official number was as he may have seen or asked what it was.