Link to Diving Diseases Research Centre

http://www.ddrc.org/content/view/43/39/

Decompression Diving Emergency

Coastguard on Channel 16 or Dial 999

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary: 0845 408 6008

Ask for the On Call Hyperbaric Consultant

Keep Casualty Lying Down.

Give 100% Oxygen by Tight Fitting Mask.

Give Non-alcoholic Fluids.

Keep Patient Comfortably Cool.

Decompression Symptoms

Nausea, Weakness or Fatigue, Itching, General Rash,

Lumps, Joint or Muscular Pain & Discomfort,

Limitation of Limb Movement, Coughing, Chest Pain,

Headache, Confusion, Memory Loss,

Visual Disturbances, Lack of Co-ordination,

Numbness, Pins & Needles, Urinary Retention,

Ears Ringing, Dizziness, Vertigo,

Full or Partial Paralysis of Lower Limbs,

Unconsciousness.

Symptoms can strike even after an apparently “safe” Dive,

and may appear immediately or up to 24hours after the Dive.

If in Doubt-Do NOT Delay, Assume the Worst

Do Not rely on Decompression Computers. Learn about the principles of Decompression Theory. Carry backup Instruments & a set of Decompression Tables AND know how to use them.

Weather Information

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/

http://www.metcheck.com/

http://www.mwis.org.uk/   This site is primarily for Climbers & Walkers but may prove useful

Shipping Forecast: BBC Radio 4

British Summer Time

Starts:night of 29th/30th March - clocks go Forward 1 hour

Ends: night of 25th/26th October-clocks go Back 1 hour

Body Mass Index

Are you feeling or do you look a little "chunky"!? Perhaps your Drysuit or wetsuit has shrunk! Has your BCD waist belt shrunk as well? Admire your svelt temple of a body in the mirror and then ask yourself, Is my BMI a little high? Your Body Mass Index will give you an indication of how much excess fat you might be carrying. "What!, me!" All joking apart, if you have any concerns you should seek the advice of your Doctor. Excess weight - fat, may increase your susceptibility to Decompression Sickness as well as contribute to a lack of stamina and physical fitness.

Body Mass Index, is calculated from height h (in metres) and weight m in kilograms using the following formula:

BMI = m / ( h ² )

BMI = weight (kgs)

             height² (metres)

The Medical Profession suggests that anyone with a BMI over 30 should be referred to a diving doctor to investigate the effect of obesity upon diving. Some questions have been asked about the appropriateness of this test: if you're worried, speak to your doctor.

Here is a table of maximum weights for height to keep below BMI=30.

  Feet    Inches  Pounds          Metres Kilogrammes

    4       9           139                1.45        63.05

    4       10         144                1.47        65.32

    4       11         149                1.50        67.59

    5       0           154                1.52        69.85

    5       1           159                1.55        72.12

    5       2           164                1.57        74.39

    5       3           169                1.60        76.66

    5       4           175                1.63        79.38

    5       5           180                1.65        81.65

    5       6           186                1.68        84.37

    5       7           192                1.70        87.09

    5       8           197                1.73        89.36

    5       9           203                1.75        92.08

    5       10         209                1.78        94.80

    5       11         215                1.80        97.52

    6       0           221                1.83       100.25

    6       1           227                1.85       102.97

    6       2           234                1.88       106.14

                       2.205 lbs = 1 kg

Cut out the pies and pints and see your Doctor.

Diving Cylinder Testing Regulations

BS EN 1968 and 1802
In March 2002, European standards for cylinder testing were changed. The familiar BS 5430 part 1 and part 3 were withdrawn and replaced by new standards.
EN 1089
In addition, a new standard was introduced, EN 1089 Gas Cylinder Identification. This sets new standards for stamp marking, precautionary labels and colour coding.
Labelling and Marking
The Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations (1996) requires that cylinders are either correctly labelled with their contents OR that they are painted in the approved scheme. For compressed air and Nitrox this means black and white quarters on the shoulder.
Test Periods
The hydrostatic test period has been changed from 4 years to 5 years. This is to bring it into line with standards for testing other compressed gas cylinders.
The hydrostatic test period IS NOT affected by the date of the visual inspection. For example you don't use you cylinder for a year then have it visually inspected 4 years after its hydraulic test. The cylinder will only then be in test for a further 1 year.
Stamps and Markings
The test or inspection date stamp punched into the cylinder will from now on show the year followed by the month.
In addition to stamping the cylinder with the test date, it will also be MANDATORY to mark the cylinder with punch out stickers to make it easy to see when the cylinder is next due for test.
Contents Labels
According to the new standard EN 1089 part 2, Cylinders must now also have stickers showing their intended contents, e.g. Breathing Air, Nitrox or Trimix
Colour Coding
All new diving cylinders will have the black and white quadrants on the shoulder. Many recreational divers will of course have older cylinders without this and may run into problems getting them filled.
Officially, professional divers “at work” must use the new standard, The HSE state that the dive shop is a professional and operating as a “diver at work” and therefore it is the prerogative of the shop to insist on the correct labelling of cylinders.
In the event of a diving accident the HSE can come back to the shop and investigate the circumstances surrounding the filling of the cylinder.
Air Fills
The new standards make recommendations. It is not in itself illegal for a dive shop to fill a cylinder which does not have, say, a contents label. However, if anything at all were to go wrong as a result of the cylinder having not in fact been safe or the contents mis-identified, then they may well be legally liable for failing in their “Duty of Care” to ensure that only safe cylinders are filled.
This may make them liable for prosecution.

It is therefore up to the filler to decide whether a cylinder is safe to fill or not. If they are not COMPLETELY satisfied they have every right to refuse to fill the cylinder.

Visual Inspection (every 2.5 years)
Essentially this test is a detailed visual inspection, both internal and external with the following failure criteria:
Bulge - all fail
Dent - fail if greater than 2mm
Wear - reduction of wall thickness greater than 25%
General Corrosion - reduction of wall thickness greater than 20% OR where original surface is not visible
Area Corrosion - (I.e. where corrosion is limited to less than 20% of surface) a reduction of wall thickness greater than 25%
Isolated Pitting - Reduction of wall thickness greater than 40%
Thread Damage - all physical damage or imperfections (re-cutting of threads can be achieved up to maximum tolerance)
Weight Check - Weight of cylinder (minus valve+boot) less than 95% of the tare weight stamped on the cylinder
Any cylinder that has been subject to impact damage should be pressure tested before use.
If in the opinion of the inspector, any of the above criteria are borderline, then Hydrostatic testing may also be required.
Hydrostatic Test
The cylinder is filled with water and then placed inside a water filled, high pressure chamber. The water pressure inside the cylinder is the increased to five thirds of its maximum working pressure. This is sufficient to cause the cylinder to expand slightly. This expansion causes the water outside the cylinder to be displaced and this is channelled into marked collection tubes that allow it to be measured. If the cylinders expansion is within acceptable limits (<5%), it passes the test.
Test Procedures
> Removal of the cylinder boot, bands and valve
> The exterior of the cylinder is then inspected for impact damage and corrosion
> The interior of the cylinder is examined using a special endoscope
> Dental mirrors may enable the inspector to examine the area around the inside of the tank neck
> The valve is checked for smooth operation and its threads lubricated to help prevent galvanic action between the dissimilar metals of the tank and valve
> Valves may also require periodic overhauls, just like scuba regulators
> If no corrosion or damage is detected, the cylinder is reassembled and filled
> A sticker is then placed on the tank which identifies the facility providing the inspection and the month and year in which the inspection was done
> If damage or corrosion is detected, the technician will decide upon an appropriate course of action
> Minor scale or the presence of contaminants on the inside of an aluminium cylinder can usually be removed by rinsing with distilled water and drying with warm air
> Minor oxidation on the inside of a steel cylinder may be best left untreated due to the fact that the process of removing it might actually weaken the cylinder more than the oxidation itself
> Extensive oxidation or deep pitting is treated by degrees of sand blasting
More Stringent Testing
The new standards are more stringent and require that all but the very lightest of corrosion needs to be cleaned. This means that your maintenance costs will go up although they will be less frequent. In addition the criteria for failing cylinders are now much more strict. The new standard accepts less damage, set and corrosion on a cylinder before it is scrapped.
Enriched Oxygen Cylinders
These still require inspection and cleaning every 12 months.