M26 valves - scubish.com

#1 09-09-2007, 05:33 PM

Doubtless some of you have read about the new EU Directive over
differentiating between valves used for air and those used for Nitrox.
I wrote to my MP about it, and he wrote to the Chief Executive of the
HSE and the relevant Minister. Below are the two replies, uneditted
and in their entirety...

>From Geoffrey Podger, Chief Exec, HSE, dated 8 July 2007.
"New EU standard for Diving Tank pillar valve sizes

"Thank you for your letter dated 8 June 2007, enclosing one from your
constituent Mr Danny Edmunds about the above standard, which is due to
be implemented in August 2008.
"As your constituent correctly says in his correspondence, HSE did not
support the drafting or introduction of BS EN 144-3, on the grounds
that it was not necessary to improve safety. However, other CEN
committee members accepted it and the proposal became a European
standard.
"Standards are not mandatory but provide a means of demonstrating
appropriate risk controls have been applied - this may of course be
achieved in other equally effective ways. Where a standard such as
this for respiratory devices exists, it is open to manufacturers to
manufacture such devices according to different standards (including
their own standards) provided that the manufacturer can show those non-
standardised devices meet the essential requirements of the Directive.
"Whilst this standard is not enshrined in UK legislation, it is now a
harmonised European Standard, which means that it provides guidance to
European industry on an accepted means to meet a European Directive.
Given this status, it is expected that the UK diving industry will
comply with it from it's implementation date of August 2008 and some
diving manufacturers are already producing valves to BS EN 144-3
standard.
"I hope this helps to clarify our position, yours sincerely Geoffrey
Podger, Chief Executive"

and from Bill McKenzie, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions dated 5 July 2007.
"As you know your letter of 8 June to Caroline Flint who was formerly
at the Department of Health has been transferred to this Department
for reply. You wrote on behalf of Mr Danny Edmunds at <my address
here> about his concerns on the standard applied to diving tank pillar
valves. I am replying as the Minister responsible for health and
safety issues.
"I note that you also wrote to Geoffrey Podger, Chief Executive of the
Health and Safety Executive, and I have nothing to add to his reply.
"Yours sincerely, Bill McKenzie"

#2 09-09-2007, 08:33 PM