Liability for selling parts is just a smoke screen, LSD profit is the major reason. I have ask those who say it's a liability issue for any case, any where on on any piece of equipment (scuba/auto/airplane/whatever) that involved a customer being sold good (not defective) parts and so far no one has come up with anything. Think about it for a minute and it's clear that if liability were the reason, it would make better sence to sell the parts and not service them at all. Odds of selling defective parts is slim, having some tank monkey that set in a 1/2 day class that is now "certified" to service gear screw up a reg is a much bigger liability. If anything offerning classes would increase the liability, I can see a case based on " I screwed up and hurt someone because you did not instruct me properly, therefore it's your fault", I might even vote for the plaintiff if on the jury but a case based on "you sold me perfectly good parts and I installed them wrong and hurt someone, you are at fault" , I just don't see that happening.
Bottom line, it's a cash cow that the dive industry does not want to let go of.
---------- Post added June 16th, 2014 at 07:00 AM ----------
Liability for selling parts is just a smoke screen, LSD profit is the major reason. I have ask those who say it's a liability issue for any case, any where on on any piece of equipment (scuba/auto/airplane/whatever) that involved a customer being sold good (not defective) parts and so far no one has come up with anything. Think about it for a minute and it's clear that if liability were the reason, it would make better sence to sell the parts and not service them at all. Odds of selling defective parts is slim, having some tank monkey that set in a 1/2 day class that is now "certified" to service gear screw up a reg is a much bigger liability. If anything offerning classes would increase the liability, I can see a case based on " I screwed up and hurt someone because you did not instruct me properly, therefore it's your fault", I might even vote for the plaintiff if on the jury but a case based on "you sold me perfectly good parts and I installed them wrong and hurt someone, you are at fault" , I just don't see that happening.