Substandard nitrogen quads delivered to shipyard

A member has reported an incident in which two nitrogen quads were delivered in very poor condition to a vessel in a shipyard. Following delivery the quads were inspected, and observations were made regarding the amount of corrosion around the necks and valve areas of the bottles. The nitrogen quads were immediately quarantined and removed to a safe area of the yard to await collection by the supplier.

Our member noted the following:

• The quads were delivered by a company approved supplier;
• The quads were delivered with a full certification pack.

Our member drew the following conclusions:

• The incident highlights the importance of checking ALL equipment upon arrival and before use to ensure that it is fit for purpose;
• Certification documents ought not be used as proof that equipment is fit for purpose. Always check equipment;
• If equipment is found to be in unsafe condition on delivery, this should be reported and the necessary precautions taken to ensure that the equipment is not used until the defect has been rectified or other equipment supplied;
• Suppliers should also be audited (as required) to ensure that they have suitable management systems in place to provide fit for purpose equipment and services.