VIP stickers

[superstar]

Where do the dive shops get their VIP stickers?
What training agency qualifies a dive shop to do the VIP inspections?
The VIP stickers on most of my cylinders only give the information of a dive shop name, address, and some statement that it has been inspected. Thats it, no information as to the testing qualifications of the VIP or to what standards the test was held to. Why can't I go to the local print shop and have my own VIP stickers printed and do my own inspections?

 

[redacted]

Where do the dive shops get their VIP stickers?
What training agency qualifies a dive shop to do the VIP inspections?
The VIP stickers on most of my cylinders only give the information of a dive shop name, address, and some statement that it has been inspected. Thats it, no information as to the testing qualifications of the VIP or to what standards the test was held to. Why can't I go to the local print shop and have my own VIP stickers printed and do my own inspections?

You probably can. But you probably should not expect it to be honored everywhwere you go. My LDS inspection sticker includes the PSI #.

 

[Rick Inman]

You can. But the sticker does make the tank safe. The inspection by a qualified inspector does. PSI makes you take a refresher every few years. If you have the cert, you can just order them from your agency (PSI, IANTD, whatever).

 

[spectrum]

You can get trained and be authorized to sticker your cylinders and that's all fine and good.

However..... It is entirely possible that a fill station will recognize these as privately done inspections and ask if you are insured for the risks of an improper inspection. From there they can choose not to fill your cylinders and you can ponder the legal rat hole you can do down should there be an incident with a cylinder you stickered regardless of it's relevance. Just food for thought. I didn't make this up.

Pete

 

[Thalassamania]

It's another piece of the industry’s dirty laundry. I was trained to inspect tanks by Bill High way back before he started PSI, as part of NOAA program. Bill did a great job developing the PSI program and first setting, and then improving the industry standard. We all owe him a debt of thanks.

But what really happens? Who really inspects your tank? You need to make sure. I’ve seen a lot of shops where the owner or one of the instructors is trained, qualified and current, but he or she is not actually doing the inspections, someone else is. And if that person sees something that they think is amiss, they may call the certified inspector to take a look at it, or they may not. Or they may have missed the problem in the first place. Better yet, take a PSI course, get a little bit of gear and you can inspect your own tanks and put PSI stickers on them too.

 

[DennisW]

It has only been in the past few years that there was any training done at the LDS for visual inspections. Many shops just made up their own inspection criteria and applied a sticker that you can get made at any sign shop. I believe some shops still do this, but more and more are having at least one person trained. I was trained by Diving Technologies International in South Florida. PSI has an excellent course as well. I believe there may be a couple other companies that are recognized as providing decent training in this area.

So, can you be assured that the person that is inspecting your cylinder is trained properly? Not unless you ask some questions.

 

[Walter]

Dirty laundry indeed. Most folks inspecting tanks at most dive shops are not qualified.

 

[Thalassamania]

It has only been in the past few years that there was any training done at the LDS for visual inspections. Many shops just made up their own inspection criteria and applied a sticker that you can get made at any sign shop. I believe some shops still do this, but more and more are having at least one person trained. I was trained by Diving Technologies International in South Florida. PSI has an excellent course as well. I believe there may be a couple other companies that are recognized as providing decent training in this area.

So, can you be assured that the person that is inspecting your cylinder is trained properly? Not unless you ask some questions.

Though I have great respect for Bill High and he desreves credit for putting tank inspection out there in the public I was not pushing one training program over another since I know nothing about any of the others.

Edit: I just looked Diving Technologies International up on the web, and interesting approach with members whom I know and respect, I think I'll join.

 

[Thalassamania]

Dirty laundry indeed. Most folks inspecting tanks at most dive shops are not qualified.

And is it any different, in most cases, for the wrench jocky who is overtightening your regulator? The more I think about it the more I like the DTI thing.

 

[superstar]

I found this website www.psicylinders.com it has a lot of information I was seeking.
Now as I check my VIP stickers I have two cylinders with generic PADI inspection stickers with no indication of inspection/inspector standards. I have one cylinder with a different VIP sticker(different dive shop) that has in fine print indicating PSI inspector numbers and test standards.
Another tidbit of information, the dive shop with the generic stickers performed the VIP instection as I waited. It took only a few minutes. The other dive shop with the psi information on the sticker had me come back an hour later to pick up the cylinder.