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Got chewed out by an inspector for skipping the pre-dive check on a KMB band mask 2 years ago
I was working a bridge repair job near Portland and got lazy one morning. The inspector watched me strap in without testing the communications or checking the one-way valve. He pulled me aside and said "if you dont have time to do it right you dont have time to do it at all." That stuck with me hard. Now I run through the full checklist every single time even if Im running late. Has anyone else had a close call from rushing through gear prep?
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victorbutler9d ago
My first job offshore I watched a guy skip his pre dive on a Kirby Morgan because he was hungover and just wanted to get in the water. His exhaust valve stuck halfway down at 60 feet and he nearly drowned trying to clear it. Took three guys to haul him up. After that I never skip a single step. Even if the foreman is yelling at me about the schedule I just point to that story and say I aint dying today.
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Funny enough @victorbutler I had a similar gut-check moment but it wasn't underwater gear it was a faulty oxygen sensor on a recirculating air system in a warehouse. Took a shortcut on the calibration and ended up with a false low reading that nearly gassed a crew. That inspector's advice about doing it right or not at all applies everywhere, not just underwater. Your mileage may vary on how you learn that lesson but the hard way is never worth it.
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