1.1 INTRODUCTION
This course is designed to promote safety in the care and maintenance of high-pressure scuba cylinders. One of its goals is to raise the consciousness of the industry to the need to meet and exceed the minimum standards established by the Code of Federal Regulations. Another goal is to train inspectors in the proper handling, filling, and inspection techniques including the identification of the various defective conditions that can lead to cylinder rejection or condemnation.
Upon successful completion of this course
1. Graduates may visually inspect high-pressure scuba cylinders for defective conditions that could cause a cylinder failure.
2. Graduates can train fill station operators (FSO) in the safe methods of handling, transporting and filling of high-pressure scuba cylinders.
3. Graduates can issue the SDI VIP specialty certification.
1.2 WHO MAY TEACH
Who may teach this course?
4. Any active SDI/TDI Visual Inspector Instructor.
1.3 STUDENT – INSTRUCTOR RATIO
Academic:
5. No more than five (5) students per demonstration setup (tools and tanks for the practical).
6. No more than twenty five (25) students per active SDI/TDI VIP Instructor.
Confined Water (Swimming pool-like conditions):
7. N/A.
Open Water (Ocean, lake, quarry, spring, river or estuary):
8. N/A
1.4 STUDENT PRE-REQUISITES
9. Minimum age eighteen (18).
10. Be affiliated with an organization that has a high pressure air compressor and fill station
1.5 COURSE STRUCTURE AND DURATION
Course Structure:
11. SDI allows instructors to structure courses according to the number of students participating and their skill level.
Duration:
12. Classroom lecture and demonstrations is 5 hours.
1.6 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS
Administrative Tasks:
13. Collect the course fees from all the students.
14. Ensure that the students have the required equipment.
15. Communicate the schedule to the students.
16. Have the students complete the Liability Release and Medical history forms.
17. The Instructor should review the Liability Release and Medical Forms before starting on the course.
18. SDI/TDI Visual Inspection Procedures – Student Manual
19. SDI/TDI Visual Inspection Procedures – PowerPoint Presentation
20. CGA publication C6-1993
21. CGA publication C6.1-1995
22. CFR 49 – parts 171 - 179
Upon successful completion of this specialty the instructor must issue the SDI Visual Inspection Procedure specialty experience card. The Instructor must:
23. Use either a SDI diver registration form or a Pre-paid Diver certification form to file for the specialty certification card if a SDI certification card is requested.
Award card and certificate.
1.7 REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
The following equipment is the minimum required per inspection group while performing the visual inspection procedure.
24. A right angle mirror (dental mirror) with a magnification of 2X and having a diameter small enough to enter the tank neck.
25. An inspection light of sufficient size and intensity to illuminate the mirror and threads being inspected.
26. A light wand or other light source to illuminate the interior surfaces of the cylinder being inspected.
27. A right angle 1X power mirror and light source to enable the inspection of the interior crown area of the cylinder being inspected.
28. A straight and right angle pick and some gauging method to estimate the depth of any pitting noted on the cylinder walls.
1.8 APPROVED OUTLINE
Instructors may use any additional text or materials that they feel help present these topics. Recommended text includes CGA C6-1993 and C6.1-1995 (or country specific equivalent). The following topics must be covered. The SDI/TDI Visual Inspection Procedures Student Manual is mandatory for use during this course.
29. Purpose
A. Legal requirements, standards of the community
30. Safe handling of cylinders
A. Fill station operator rules and recommendations.
B. Identification of the various tank markings.
C. Legal / illegal filling requirements.
D. Filling procedures.
E. Use of and interpretation of EOI stickers.
31. Tools and their uses
A. Use of eddy current technology in assisting the detection of thread cracks in 6351-T6 aluminum cylinders.
32. Visual inspection indications
A. Proper identification of the various defect conditions.
33. Criteria for rejection and condemnation of a cylinder
A. Define the criteria for cylinder rejection.
B. Define the criteria for condemning a cylinder.
C. Cover when to mark a cylinder “With notation”.
34. Other services
A. Valve inspection and cleaning.
B. The basis for cylinder cleaning.
35. Visual Inspection Procedure
A. Step by step walkthrough of the inspection process.
1.9 REQUIRED SKILL PERFORMANCE AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
The student is required to display a degree of competency in the identification of various defect conditions presented to him by the instructor using actual cylinders with known defective conditions.
36. Inspect three (3) cylinders with at least one (1) having a defective condition.
37. Satisfactorily complete the SDI/TDI Visual Inspection written examination.
38. Demonstrate the ability to identify those conditions in a cylinder that would reject or condemn it.