Leak testing…I have gone back and forth on this issue over the years. Stations naturally do not want to waste money on leak testing suits that do not need it. I do not want to increase a station’s bill by leak testing suits only to discover that the suits are just fine.
When I look at the suits and find something obviously funny looking or see a suit with lots of wear and tear, I do recommend leak testing. 9 times out of 10 though, the order forms in the box, filled out by the R&S personnel, does NOT have the Leak Test box checked and no request is made. It has always been a gray area that I have not been comfortable with. And I have resisted making it a policy that all suits must be leak tested no matter how new they look.
Today, I had a conversation with an R&S guy from a station I have worked with for years. He had an order placed in the last few weeks and two of the suits that I did not recommend leak testing, did leak when his station swim tested them. I am crediting him for the other work I did on the suits, as those suits now are most likely in need of replacement. But the call really got me thinking about leak testing and my policy around it.
In my opinion, stations really should be swim testing suits before they even send them in…stations should be telling me which suits leak, after all, they are the ones that use them and know them the best. AND though I recommend swim testing suits before sending them to me (it is in mentioned in my video), I know that many stations don’t do this…so if I am providing the highest level of service possible I simply must change my policy. That way everyone is covered. The bottomline is that we all need to know that a suit is going to be dry when next used. That, in the end, is what the whole thing is about…safe equipment keeping people alive, in extreme conditions.
So, from here on out if you are an SK or R&S officer at a USCG Station, Cutter or otherwise…all suits sent in must be evaluated through a Leak Test. It is mandatory. Suits must be tested, no matter how new they look.
Many thanks to the patient R&S guy who called me today and helped me make the shift to this policy change. It will be good for everyone.
Thanks for your business and I look forward to more leak testing!
