PADI 5-Star Water World sued for selling toxic scuba tank air

[StSomewhere]

Some of us do not have a very good sense of smell (myself included), and sniffing air on a boat where the wind is blowing and a thousand other smells are in the air is not the best way to check for air quality. I'm not saying it isn't a good idea to sniff anyway, but I think you're kidding yourself if you think it is a reliable test for bad air, when half of the things that can mess you up have no odor, anyway.

All I can smell on a dive boat is diesel fumes. (cough!)

 

[chickdiver]

A friend of mine got a bad air fill at Catalina Island a few years ago. He started getting dizzy and vomited into his regulator at about 80 feet. He made it to the surface but was still having a problem. As a precaution they made him take a ride in the chamber free of charge because they were worried about his rapid accent rate. He didn't have any long term problems, but I see how it could have very easily killed him.

I wonder...........could a O2 testor used for nitrox mixes detect bad air? Or would you need to have a C02 detector??

Makes me think that I might want to buy a co2 meter.

You have to have the right tool for the job. An O2 Analyzer cannot detect bad gas- the sensor only reads O2, not other compounds. To detect CO in a mix you need a CO Analyzer (which are available from Oxycheq).

 

[do it easy]

You have to have the right tool for the job. An O2 Analyzer cannot detect bad gas- the sensor only reads O2, not other compounds. To detect CO in a mix you need a CO Analyzer (which are available from Oxycheq).

Is anyone out there using a CO meter with their O2 meter? I can imagine a little box with $2K of meters- O2, He, CO, etc.

 

[DivePartner1]

From the shop owner's comment, it is pretty clear that . . . ..

Nothing is clear from this. It's a news story. Some incomplete version of events and a selective quote. Nothing more.

In my experience, most claimants with bona fide claims do not sit on their rights, they pursue claims while they are ripe. While not every claim filed on the eve of a statute of limitations lacks merit, I believe that most of the claims that lack merit are filed at the last minute. This is a strange thing to wait to the last minute to sue over. There was certainly no 'surprise.'

 

[chickdiver]

Is anyone out there using a CO meter with their O2 meter? I can imagine a little box with $2K of meters- O2, He, CO, etc.

I haven't seen one packaged with the O2 or He sensors- all separate boxes. There are a quite a few people using them now, though.

 

[do it easy]

I haven't seen one packaged with the O2 or He sensors- all separate boxes. There are a quite a few people using them now, though.

Yeah, that's what I meant- a watertight case with 3 (or more) meters in them set up to read inline. I guess I've got more stuff to add to the list...

 

[Notso_Ken]

The practice also assumes one's nose is sensitive enough to pick up carbon monoxide (exhaust gases).

From my old chemistry texts: "Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas . . ."

Ken

 

[Kriterian]

I just wanted to add this from the original article that I didn't see posted anywhere else:

The suit says that Hanselman, a certified diver, was preparing for an open-ocean dive with friends and associates in the summer of 2002. As part of the preparations, he had his scuba tank filled at Water World and undertook a practice dive in a swimming pool, according to the suit.

While in the pool, Hanselman developed a headache, lost strength and became disoriented, the suit adds.

Hanselman later learned, according to the lawsuit, that the air he purchased from Water World contained 380 times more carbon monoxide than standard air, 100 times more hydrocarbon gases and six times more carbon dioxide, along with a high concentration of methane.

It sort of sounds like they learned of the bad air after the fact, which might explain why the lawsuit is just now appearing 3 years later. Who knows? I'm definitely going to be following this one if I can since the shop is maybe 2 miles from my work.

 

[H2Andy]

It sort of sounds like they learned of the bad air after the fact, which might explain why the lawsuit is just now appearing 3 years later.

in many states (Florida is one of them), the statute of limitations on a tort action is
four years. it may be three years in some states (?)

maybe this guy got some advice early on to file by X date and no later, and
human nature being what it is, he probably didn't get to it until now.

just a possibility

 

[mempilot]

in many states (Florida is one of them), the statute of limitations on a tort action is
four years. it may be three years in some states (?)

maybe this guy got some advice early on to file by X date and no later, and
human nature being what it is, he probably didn't get to it until now.

just a possibility

Maybe he forgot? :06:

Maybe is all part of his master plan? "My brain injuries precluded me from remembering to file."

Maybe, he misplaced the evidence?