Diving equipment
Diving equipment
Problems with aluminium alloy cylinders
Dive tables and dive depths
Diving equipment
- Provide divers with diving equipment that is:
- suitable for the diving being undertaken
- of a quality that ensures that it performs correctly and effectively
- checked before the dive to ensure that it is in safe working order
- cleaned and kept in good repair
- maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.
- Ensure that compressed air cylinders are filled, tested, operated and maintained according to manufacturer's instructions and AS 3848.2:1999 Filling of portable gas cylinders - Filling of portable cylinders for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) and non-underwater self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) - Safe procedures (non-Queensland Government link).
- Check that water content in the cylinders is monitored and that the cylinders are checked and cleaned regularly (to prevent/minimise corrosion of the inner surface and to clean out any residues of corrosion).
- 'Sniff test' samples of air on any day that compressed air cylinders are to be used to check that there is no objectionable or nauseous odour.
- Be certain that cylinders contain:
- not more than 5ppm of carbon monoxide
- not more than 480ppm of carbon dioxide or 900 mg/m3
- not more than 0.3mg/m3 of oil.
- Check that cylinders are not filled to a pressure that exceeds the lesser of the working pressure ratings of the valve, yoke or cylinder.
Problems with aluminium alloy cylinders
Certain SCUBA cylinders manufactured from certain compositions of aluminium alloy have had explosive failures, sometimes resulting in severe injuries and property damage.
It is recommended that SCUBA cylinders manufactured from aluminium alloy 6351 and other aluminium alloy cylinders 15 years and older, be non-destructively examined annually for cracks and flaws in the neck fold and thread areas by competent and suitably equipped persons.
At risk SCUBA cylinders manufactured from aluminium alloy 6351 include:
- Luxfer aluminium alloy cylinders manufactured between 1972 and 1988 (check oldest hydrostatic test date stamped into cylinder).
- Luxfer aluminium alloy cylinder specification DOT SP6498.
- Luxfer aluminium alloy cylinder specification DOT E6498, E7042, E8107, E8364, E8422.
- CIG (Australia) aluminium alloy cylinders manufactured in or before 1990 (check oldest hydrostatic test date stamped into cylinder).
Cylinders found to have unacceptable cracking or flaws during routine inspections must be rejected. The owner should then contact the cylinder manufacturer to lodge a warranty claim.
Dive tables and dive depths
Dive tables
- Plan all dives conservatively and consistently to one set of recognised dive tables.
- Use dive tables and computers only as guides for planning and executing a dive (individual differences in divers, dive profiles and dive site conditions may require a more conservative approach).
Dive depths
- Ensure that recreational diving workers dive within any depth limits stated on their medical certificate.
- Dive workers should not be required to dive deeper than 40m.
- Do not allow resort divers to dive to depths greater than 12m.
- Do not allow entry level divers in training to dive deeper than 18m.
- Advise certificated divers who are diving in excess of 40m that a worker may not be able to rescue them if they get into difficulty.
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