Tank Inspector cert w/o renewal requirement.

[NAM001]

is Hazmat applicable to scuba tanks?

For scuba tanks the hazmat is the pressure. tank with on valve no hazard. tank with 1000 psi has a danger of hazzard.

 

[Wookie]

For scuba tanks the hazmat is the pressure. tank with on valve no hazard. tank with 1000 psi has a danger of hazzard.

Actually, if you are transporting any compressed gas cylinder IN COMMERCE whether pressurized or not you are transporting HAZMAT, including Compressed Gas, N.O.S., Empty Cylinder. The Reportable Quantity of Compressed gas is 1000 lbs of cylinders, not PSI in the cylinders. Placarding must be offered by the offerer (Shipper) to the transporter (driver) if the total weight of the cylinders is 1000 lbs or more. You could ship a spare air with 10,000 PSI of air in it without placarding if it only weighed 999 lbs, but it must be manifested.

I'd offer you the references, but people spend their whole lives becoming hazmat shippers in accordance with DOT. But the regulations are found in 49 CFR.

 

[abnfrog]

wookie and others here make good points about it being "best practices " "prudent facilities practices etc " but as a government H+S guy said to me if a sport governs its self rightly we wont have to involved , here in can we know when the government gets involved in scuba its get messed up (FQAS) in quebec ..so there's THAT angle to being certified in an approved course .....just my 2 cents (Canadian)

 

[underH2Oman]

Some valid items here. We should also consider what the manufactures recomend. Luxfer states for normal use every 12 months.
Here is an excerpt from the Luxfer cylinder inspection guide regarding inspections;

A. NORMAL SERVICE. The visual inspection of every Luxfer scuba cylinder should
take place at least once every twelve months, or at any opportune time under twelve
months. Some scuba cylinders need more frequent visual inspection, as indicated
below.

B. HEAVY SERVICE. If the cylinder is used in heavy service then it should be
inspected every four months.
“Heavy service” means any one or more of the following:
1. Cylinders being filled or “topped off” five or more times per week;
2. Rental cylinders in use during the ‘season’ and ‘off-season’ times;
3. Cylinders used wherever damage is more likely than in normal use or where the
care and/or maintenance is slightly below recommended care.

C. KNOWN CONDITION. If the cylinder is known to have had any unusual treatment
or condition, it should be immediately visually inspected, prior to its next use.
“Unusual treatment or condition” means if the cylinder:
1. Dropped, fell,was struck,was in an accident, or when the care and maintenance
of the cylinder is obviously poor;
2. Was stored improperly and shows signs of damage;
3. Has obvious corrosion since the last visual inspection;
4. Has a gouge, dent, scrape, cut, dig or, in any way, has been damaged since the last
visual inspection;
5. Was stored with water, material or matter inside the cylinder;
6. Shows signs of exposure to fire or high heat, including any one or more of the
following:
a. Charring or blistering of the paint or other protective coating;
b. Melting or charring of the metal;
c. Distortion of the cylinder and/or any cylinder accessory;
d. Melting of fuse plugs, valve handwheel, valve protector, and/or any other
valve component or cylinder accessory;
7. Has been partially or fully repainted or treated to hide damage and/or
fire damage;
8. Is known or suspected to be leaking; or,
9. Is known or suspected of having a crack.
Inspectors should be familiar with all conditions that could CONDEMN a Luxfer Gas
Cylinders scuba cylinder from further use.

 

[_Ralph]

Some valid items here. We should also consider what the manufactures recomend. Luxfer states for normal use every 12 months.
Here is an excerpt from the Luxfer cylinder inspection guide regarding inspections;

......


Inspectors should be familiar with all conditions that could CONDEMN a Luxfer Gas
Cylinders scuba cylinder from further use.

True, but this information isn't about the certification period of the inspector, just the recommended inspection period of a cylinder.

_R

 

[oldschoolto]

I go by the federal DOT standards that has worked fine forever... Hydro every 5 years...

OH... And do a scuba steve inspection...

Jim..

 

[Wookie]

True, but this information isn't about the certification period of the inspector, just the recommended inspection period of a cylinder.

_R

This is a good point. As a certified qualified VIPer, I'm not too sure how much water that holds with the DOT in the event of an "aw crap". It may hold some water with Luxfer, they happen to like PSI....

 

[oldschoolto]

Luxfer is only playing the " Cover my Butt " game.. It's a scuba tank and they are telling people that they need a VIP every year.. So, We'll write it in the paper work you need a VIP so the dive shop can say you need it and then pull out the Luxfer papers to " PROVE IT "

The skydiving manufactures have started playing the same game.. The newest thing is a parachute is only good for so many yrs and then needs to be replaced or can only be pack "X" amount of times... The FAA and the TSO that these parachutes were built under don't say anything about a time use limit.. It is up to the rigger packing and inspecting the parachute every 180 days to make the call if it okay or not.. I'm a master parachute rigger and have packed and jumped stuff that's 50+ years old and have 100's if not 1000's of jumps on them.. It's all about the money...

Jim...

 

[Wookie]

Luxfer is only playing the " Cover my Butt " game.. It's a scuba tank and they are telling people that they need a VIP every year.. So, We'll write it in the paper work you need a VIP so the dive shop can say you need it and then pull out the Luxfer papers to " PROVE IT "

The skydiving manufactures have started playing the same game.. The newest thing is a parachute is only good for so many yrs and then needs to be replaced or can only be pack "X" amount of times... The FAA and the TSO that these parachutes were built under don't say anything about a time use limit.. It is up to the rigger packing and inspecting the parachute every 120 days to make the call if it okay or not.. I'm a master parachute rigger and have packed and jumped stuff that's 50+ years old and have 100's if not 1000's of jumps on them.. It's all about the money...

Jim...

Well, to be fair, the "Scuba Industry" doesn't require anything to be replaced. That's the best scam in the world, though. Create a quasi-governmental agency, scare everyone that it will become a governmental agency (look what happened in Quebec), make the "industry" follow a made up standard that seems reasonable, and charge every participant $10-$35 annually to continue participating.

That's almost better than "continuing maintenance" contracts.

 

[TrimixToo]

Well, to be fair, the "Scuba Industry" doesn't require anything to be replaced. That's the best scam in the world, though. Create a quasi-governmental agency, scare everyone that it will become a governmental agency (look what happened in Quebec), make the "industry" follow a made up standard that seems reasonable, and charge every participant $10-$35 annually to continue participating.

That's almost better than "continuing maintenance" contracts.

That being a *per tank* fee, I made back the money I spent on training, equipment and stickers the very first year I did my own inspections...