Diving Gas Supply Incident Reporting

1 Background

The diving industry is in a highly vulnerable position should mix-ups or other errors in the provision of diving gases occur. Divers breathe life-supporting gases at high pressures. If the wrong gases are delivered to diving contractors by diving gas supply companies, and incorrect gas mixtures are then provided to divers in chambers or in the water, the consequences may quickly be very serious.

In view of this, IMCA recommends that diving contractors always ensure they have robust arrangements in place at their dive sites to check that all pre-mixed diving gases received from gas supply companies contain the correct mixtures of breathing gas before they are put on-line.

IMCA’s Diving Division Management Committee (DDMC) has requested that diving contractor Members share their experiences of issues encountered with gases supplied from global gas supply companies. To enable this, IMCA has produced a Diving Gas Supply Incident Reporting Form (see appendix 1), which can be downloaded from the IMCA website at: www.imca-int.com/information-notes/diving-gas-supply-incident-reporting/. The report form does not replace any company internal reporting and investigation procedures.

2 Incident Reporting

The form should be used to report:

• gas discrepancies i.e. when the percentage of gas stated on the delivery slip, versus the percentage when analysed, differs significantly, or to the extent where an accident or injury may occur; and
• other gas supply issues. Examples may include: incorrect colour coding or marking of quads or cylinders; excessive corrosion of quad frames, cylinders, valves and pipework; damaged lifting points etc.

The form will also record:

• the region and country where the incident occurred;
• whether any injury was sustained;
• name and address of the diving gas supplier;
• comments and actions taken by the diving contractor.

If available, any supporting documentation, including photographs, should be attached to the report and returned to: [email protected]

3 How Information Gathered is used

Reports will be monitored to identify trends involving common incidents, or concerns regarding diving gas supply companies. IMCA will use this information to inform its Members and assist where required to avoid the recurrence of incidents.

Appendix 1

The IMCA Gas Supply Incident Reporting Form is attached to this web page.