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TheCanadianAssociationofDivingContractors25featureWetoooftendealwiththetragicafter-effectsofinadequatetestingprocedureswhenaskedtoinvestigatethesourceofanear-missorfatality.Giventhescientifictestingtechnologyequipmentandexperiencethatarereadilyaccessibletocompressoroperatorstodayitjustdoesnx19tmakesensetocutcornerswhenitcomestotestinghigh-pressurecompressorair.ThenewZ275.2occupationalsafetycodefordivingoperationswasrecentlypublishedbytheCSA.Itreflectsanimportantconsensusonwhatindustryregulatorseducatorsandotherstakeholdersseeasaminimumsafetystandardfordivingoperations.CSAZ275.2nowspecifiesthataccreditedlabsmustperformthetestingofcompressedbreathingair.Whilesomemayfinditinconvenientlivesdependoncompressoroperatorsfollowingproceduressamplingaccuratelyandsubmittingthosesamplestoaccreditedlaboratoriesfortesting.Whetheryourfocusisonminimizingyourinsuranceratesandliabilityormaximizingworkerproductivitydoingitrightthefirsttimeisalwaysworthit.MillarandMouldeyx19sreportonCompressedbreathingairx13thepotentialforevilfromwithin2008statedx1cAlthoughdeathscontinuetooccurasaresultofcompressor-intakecontaminationsthereisrelativelylittleconcreteevidenceofawidespreadproblemrelatedtocompressorproductionofeitherCOorvolatilehydrocarbons.butmanyfatalitiesdonothavetheirairtestedusingtechniquesthatwoulddetectlowlevelsofCOorvolatilehydrocarbonsLevelsthatdonotcauselossofconsciousnessmaystillbeimportantiftheyhavepre-disposedthedivertocardiacarrhythmiaorunderwaterimpairmentofjudgmentleadingtofatalerror.x1dCSAZ275.2includesaloweracceptableCOconcentrationClause4.9.3.3of3ppmwithanacceptablelimitoferroroftheanalyticalmethodnottoexceed10.ItalsorequiresthatoilsselectedforuseinthecompressorsshallbeapprovedforbreathingairapplicationsClause6.3.3.4.Previousstudieshavefoundsomeoilsoff-gasvolatilehydrocarbons.Accreditedanalyticallabsofferthescientificresourcesandexperiencetodetectproblemsearlyandhelpyouresolvethemquickly.FollowingtheCSAsafetycodeandusingthepropertechniquesforsamplingwillensureyoudoyourparttoavoidnear-missincidentsandsavelives.ElizabethBetsyCliffeC.Chem.isOperationsManagerfortheAirToxicsandUltraTraceDepartmentsatMaxxamAnalytics.Shehasover25yearsofexperienceintheindustryandisregularlyconsultedbytheCSAonthedevelopmentofZ180andZ275standards.Shehasalsoconsultedonnear-missandfatalityinvestigationsformilitaryandcommercialclientsrelatedtotestingdivecompressorsandrelatedequipment.Formoreinformationcontactbreathingairmaxxam.ca.CSA275.2RevisiontoRequireGasTestingbyAccreditedLabsByElizabethCliffeC.Chem.Savinglivesthroughscienceandexperience.