Vip ?

[Bigd2722]

talking to a couple of people about taking VIP certification class.

SDI offers a class with certification

PSI also offers a class with certification.

The PSI guy tells me that federal law requires inspectors to be recertified every three years. SDI guy says bunk. I can't find anything that requires 3 year recert, although continuing education seems like a good idea.

Anyone know what the real skinny is?

 

[ktomlinson]

I'm certified through SDI and it is required every three years.

 

[adelman]

The PSI guy tells me that federal law requires inspectors to be recertified every three years.

The best answer when anyone, anywhere in life, says that "Federal Law requires..." is to ask for a specific citation to the chapter and verse of the law.

Considering that there is no Federal Law requiring annual visual inspections of SCUBA cylinders, it is unlikely that Federal Law requires VIP inspectors to be trained, never mind trained every three years.

I suspect that your "PSI guy" is saying is that if you qualify as a "Hazmat Employee" under CFR Title 49 172.700-704 that you're required to receive Hazmat training every three years. The PSI cylinder inspection class qualifies as Hazmat training under this law. This is law, but more likely to be applied to someone filling and transporting cylinders than a cylinder inspector! It is, however, PSI's *policy* that in order to represent yourself as a PSI cylinder inspector (i.e., use their EOI stickers) that you have competed the course (or a recurrent course) in the preceding three years.

 

[ktomlinson]

CFR49 172.704

(2) Recurrent training. A hazmat employee must receive the training required by this subpart at least once every three years. For in-depth security training required under paragraph (a)(5) of this section, a hazmat employee must be trained at least once every three years or, if the security plan for which training is required is revised during the three-year recurrent training cycle, within 90 days of implementation of the revised plan.



So yeah, it's the law that you recertify every three years.

 

[T. Bix]

The best answer when anyone, anywhere in life, says that "Federal Law requires..." is to ask for a specific citation to the chapter and verse of the law.

Considering that there is no Federal Law requiring annual visual inspections of SCUBA cylinders, it is unlikely that Federal Law requires VIP inspectors to be trained, never mind trained every three years.

BRAVO!!! I'm always amazed when dive shop ops make up law! BUT no matter how much you really know to be BS they still have the option to turn your business away therefore many times it is better to just not argue but you will always be better off if you really know what the law says. I gave up and took the SDI course but again they still have the option to turn you away based upon their in house rules or made up "law".

 

[SwimJim]

Whether it's required by law or not, it's probably a good idea to keep up with current industry standards. Personally I'm tired of hearing things like "steel tanks are evil" "that 1998 AL80 is a time bomb". Like Bart Simpson says, "What a load of crappy crap crap"! I have what some of you consider a tank farm. I simply cannot afford the B*llsh*t. I service my own scuba gear. Tanks, regs, wings, dive boat....everything. I would love to support an LDS, but that's a 2 way street. When I do my own stuff at least I know A, it got done period and B, it got done right.

 

[Bigd2722]

I with you on that. Even if I have to renew/recertify every 3 years, I'll still break even on costs. The got done right part is priceless!

 

[adelman]

CFR49 172.704

(2) Recurrent training. A hazmat employee must receive the training required by this subpart at least once every three years. For in-depth security training required under paragraph (a)(5) of this section, a hazmat employee must be trained at least once every three years or, if the security plan for which training is required is revised during the three-year recurrent training cycle, within 90 days of implementation of the revised plan.

So yeah, it's the law that you recertify every three years.

What makes you think that a SCUBA industry "VIP" inspector is a "Hazmat Employee" within the scope of 49 CFR 172.704??? Perhaps a fill station operator is, but
I fail to see how someone who performs an inspection that isn't mentioned anywhere in 49 CFR could somehow be construed to be a "Hazmat Employee" within the
scope of 49 CFR.

 

[ktomlinson]

I've reread it and you're correct. I've looked further and found 173.34. It specifically mentions visual inspection but does not specify that it be done by someone with training, just that it has to follow cga pamphlet c-6 and be done when the tank is hydro tested (every 5 years).

 

[redacted]

Just ask yourself, "What answer will make more $$$ for the dive shop?" That will be the dive shop's answer.