|
This is a CDNN Special
Edition,
Due
to concerns that PADI's "in-house" recall of defective dive
planners may not adequately protect the safety of dive consumers, CDNN has
sent PADI CEO John Cronin the following letter.
February 6, 2003
Mr. John Cronin
PADI CEO, DEMA Board Member
30151 Tomas Street
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-2125 USA
Tel: (800) 729-7234
Fax: (949) 858 7264
Mr Cronin
Regarding defective dive tables manufactured and distributed by PADI as the
“PADI Recreational Dive Planner” to thousands of PADI instructor members, PADI
dive centers, PADI resort facilities and other PADI distributors worldwide
for sale to the public, it is our understanding that PADI delayed
implementation of the recall for four months and has limited the recall
process to its own distribution network.
The purpose of this letter is to urge you to notify without further delay the
United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCP) in order to
adequately safeguard dive consumers worldwide.
As a company which distributes diving products and services worldwide, you
are well aware of the potential hazards of scuba diving and the importance of
effective dive planning in reducing inherent risks including decompression
illness. Because dive tables are an important, if not essential component of
safe and effective dive planning, any defects could lead to serious injury or
death.
As of February 6, 2003, CDNN – Cyber Diver News Network - is still the only
scuba diving publication and/or dive safety organization that has published
the PADI recall announcement. In fact, even the PADI web site contains no
information whatsoever about the recall.
Clearly, everyone within the diving industry must be notified without further
delay to alert divers worldwide that certain PADI Recreational Dive Planners
are defective and present a significant risk to divers, and that anyone who
may have purchased or otherwise acquired the defective planners should stop
using them immediately.
To ensure that independent dive consumers who may not be “in the PADI loop”
are also informed about the defective PADI Recreational Dive Planners, we
urge your to inform and work closely with the United States Consumer Product
Safety Commission, a government agency which alerts the public about the
recall of defective products including scuba related equipment.
Contact information for the western regional office of the USCP is as
follows:
1301 Clay Street, Suite 610-N
Oakland, CA 94612-5217
Tel. (510) 637-4050
Fax (510) 637-4060
E-mail: fnava@cpsc.gov
We appreciate your cooperation in keeping the global scuba diving community
informed about important dive safety issues, and your proactive commitment to
enhancing dive safety worldwide.
Yours sincerely,
Freeman Washington
Managing Editor – CDNN
Cc United States Consumer Product Safety Commission
|
|
