Warning: Check your bailout block before every single dive

Three years ago I was working a pipeline repair job off the coast of Louisiana. My bailout block had a hairline crack I never noticed because I was in a hurry and skipped my predive check. At 90 feet my primary gas started tasting off and I went for my bailout. The block failed immediately and I had to buddy breathe up with a tender who saw me thrashing. Spent two days in the chamber with a minor case of the bends. Last month I heard about a diver in the Gulf who had the same thing happen but he didn't make it. How many of you actually inspect your bailout block for cracks before every single dive?

2 comments

2 Comments

quinn5827d agoMost Upvoted

I mean yeah, I check mine now after a close call too.

bettyh844d ago

Tie a small flashlight to your harness so you can actually see into every groove of that block. Run a clean rag over it before each dive too, you'll catch hairline cracks that way. Saved me twice now on different blocks.