Ocean Management Systems Inc. (OMS) ANNOUNCES Safety Replacement OF BCS SEAL RING

Ocean Management Systems, Inc. (OMS) has notified the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), that OMS is voluntarily recalling approximately 19,790 Sealing Rings BCA-500. Molding variations in this part as used in the OMS Buoyancy Control System (BCS) could cause cracking or breakage of part, resulting in rapid loss of buoyancy, creating a potential drowning hazard. While this variation is not present in every Seal Ring (Item # BCA 500) It would be difficult to determine in the field which Seal Rings are suspect. Therefore we are requiring that all Seal Rings be updated with new assemblies. All NEW seal rings are equipped with reinforcement at critical areas.

There are a total of 19,790 BCS Seal Rings (Item # BCA 500) installed in 5730 BCS in use and from May 11, 2006 there have been reported of 19 failures. These failures were discovered during inspection, with no reports of injuries or death.

OMS BCSs were sold through Authorized OMS Dealers and Distributors with an MSRP of approximately $700.00.

How to read your date code: Date Code: 0805XXXX: 08= 2008 (year manufactured) 05=May (month manufactured) Last 4 numbers are used to identify that particular BC, ex. 05080001, 05080002 etc

WHAT TO DO:

What should I do to get my BCS Seal Ring Replaced?

CONSUMERS

Consumers should first look at the Warning label on their BCS. If the serial number on the BCS is listed in the recall list ABOVE then:

1. Stop using your BCS

2. Contact your local OMS dealer or distributor for a no charge repair

3. How do I find a nearby dealer?

4. If you are a USA or Canadian customer access the OMS website ( http://omsdive.com/dealerb.html) and input your zip code or if in Canada input your Province for the nearest dealer.

5. If you are an international customer input your country for the nearest distributor.

6. If you are unable to access the OMS website: you can call 845 692 3600, send a fax to 845 692 3623, or email OMS at recall@omsdive.com for dealer or distributor information.

Big Blue Tech completed a TDI Intro to Tech course today for Andy Cavell and Mark Slinn who began the first level in water skill development for their technical diver internship.

The TDI Intro to Tech course is the perfect course for divers who have heard about technical diving and want to find out more about this exciting branch of advanced recreational diving. This course walks students through the special techniques, planning procedures and skills that set technical diving apart from traditional sport diving. It will show them how to improve their dive planning methods, in-water skills and streamline their existing gear configuration, in a non-threatening and fun learning environment. The specific skills this course will highlight are: Advanced Buoyancy Control, Gas Management, Situational Awareness, Trim, Gear Configuration and Selection and Many More!

TDI’s Intro to Tech course is a useful stand-alone course for the diver who wants to become a more skilled, more proficient diver regardless of if he intends to move on to technical diving. The course may also be used as an introduction to the TDI Advanced Nitrox course and the TDI Decompression Procedures course. And finally, it is also a good refresher for certified technical divers who may want to refresh their skills or have them re-evaluated by a TDI technical instructor.

Although the students did not need this course to start their official technical diving series it was offered to them to have 4 additional training dives to enhance their overall skills and start with a solid foundation of buoyancy and trim before moving deeper through different challenges in the future.

The course was also completed with the assistance of Ash Dunn who is working towards his technical divemaster certification which requires assisting a variety of technical diving courses.

The students progress on to the TDI Advanced Nitros and TDI Decompression procedures this week along with TDI Gas Blender and TDI Advanced Gas Blender with the use of helium for trimix.

Today Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Matt Payne and Emily Billingham from their TDI Decompression Procedures course on Koh Tao, Thailand.

The course began with advanced decompression techniques with running schedule with required stops along with buoyancy, gas switching methods, lift bag deployment, while on the small wreck at Japanese Gardens dive site. Emily had completed her Advanced Nitrox over a month ago and required a minor refresher but Matt had just completed his course the following day and was rolling through the curriculum with ease.

After 2 hours of diving we returned to the dive shop to plan the following days diving at Chumpon Pinncale with a dive profile of 45m for 30 minutes. Because the students excelled in their buoyancy control we allowed them to use pure oxygen for decompression for stops 4.5m and shallower.

This morning Big Blue Tech cruised to Chumphon Pinnacle and jumped in to the water early in the morning. Descending to 45m the visibility was in excess of 30 meters. Cruising down to depth we could see the recreational divers above pointing frantically out into the blue. Looking out in the direction they were point we could see a large bull shark skimming the thermocline. Moving away from the shark area Emily pointed out two lion fish huddled at the base of the pinnacle. The students followed their schedule bringing them safeyly to the surface in just over an hour. The students were also given a Suunto Vytec gas switching computer as a backup to their slates.

Finishing their accelerated decompression the divers were met by a Box Jellyfish which has been reported stalking divers around the pinnacle for a few weeks now.

Matt continues on to Khao Sok for his TDI Cavern Course and Emily returns to teaching recreational diving for Big Blue with plans to continue on to Extended Range in the Similan Islands.