Dive opertors cheats on their air compressor tests
Contaminated Air
The first possible problem involved with breathing air under pressure (underwater) involves contaminates that aren't supposed to be there. This problem is rare, but possible.
Compressors for filling scuba tanks (breathing air) use special filters and separators to keep contaminates such as carbon monoxide or oil vapor out of your breathing air. This is important because pressure proportionately increases the effects of a gas you breathe, so that traces of contaminants that would be harmless at the surface can be toxic underwater.
Fortunately, as mentioned, contaminated air is rare as long as you buy your air from reputable air sources, such as professional dive stores. These stores recognize the seriousness of contaminated air and have their air checked frequently to be sure of its quality. Don't fill your tank from a compressor or other air source that isn't intended specifically as a breathing air compressor system; for example, you wouldn't use industrial air systems such as those used for filling tires or powering sandblasters. To avoid contaminated air, be certain you have your tanks filled only with pure, dry, filtered compressed air from a reputable air station.
Even though you have a proper air source fill your tank, if the air tastes or smells bad, don't use it. If you feel ill or get a headache during a dive, end the dive immediately. If you suspect you may have contaminated air in your tank for any reason, save the air for analysis and don't dive with it.
There's another way to suffer contaminated air poisoning, and that's by breathing exhaust fumes aboard a bout. Try to stay out of boat's exhaust and in fresh air.
Divemaster / IT
June 27, 2008 at 10:41:33
Many dive operators routinely cheat on their air compressor tests...It is pretty much standard operating procedure in the Maldives where I worked and probably many other places around the world to change the compressor filter immediately prior to taking an air sample to cheat the test. And the so-called "requirement" to submit a sample every three months is a joke. Many dive ops submit samples maybe once or twice a year without reprimand or penalty of any kind.
Fatal accident - bad air fills are common in Asia...
Paul - MSDT / Engineer
August 23, 2008 at 05:49:32
Actually in Asia there are a lot of bad fills. Been there done that. I really feel sorry for the students when the instructor does nothing about it. I think that the problem stems from two issues, the lack of compressor monitoring equipment supplied with compressors and a lack of maintenance by end users. To be fair manufacturers need to be told when to carry out work.Even simple products that tell operators when to change filters are not common or those that are available are expensive or hard to use. We finished up developing our own monitors for the 3 compressors we have.We look at filter time, maintenance and oil changes. We also monitor CO (carbon monoxide) on-line for our older Bauer unit.We contacted several manufacturers and none were interested. They seem to prefer to make money fixing units or selling new units. Although IDE Germany tried to rip off our CO monitoring design. Not sure if what they finished up with works. A friend said it is hard to set up.This is an area that does need looking into.
***Be aware of Bali Dive Companies that use their Dive Internships as Dive Guides, Most of these dive guides have less than 200 dives total and are not aware of the conditions at many of Bali Dive Sites
