Press release from the AP regarding paintball tanks

[lamby]

I work for a TV station, therefore have access to the news wires from associated press. This one just came in on the "wires" today

I was not aware of TWO deaths, only the one that involved the mother.

BC-PaintballGuns-Warning 03-24 0410
BC-Paintball Guns-Warning,410
Government warns paintball gun users while it investigates two deaths

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government issued sharp warnings on Wednesday to paintball gun users, announcing new safety measures while investigations continue into two deaths caused by canisters flying off the guns.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said both deaths occurred after brass valves unscrewed from the pressurized carbon dioxide canisters on the guns, which turned the canisters into projectiles.
In June 2003, a 15-year-old boy from Washington state died after the canister he was removing struck him in the head, the commission said. In February, a California mother of two was instantly killed by a canister that propelled off a gun someone was disassembling nearby.
"Make sure the brass or nickel-plated canister valve is
securely attached to the canister, rotates with the canister and does not unscrew from the canister," the commission advised.
Spokesman Eric Criss said officials did not issue a warning after the first death because not enough information was available at the time to know the cause.
Criss said the investigations should be concluded in a few months. A product could be recalled if problems are traced to a single manufacturer. The government could also call for voluntary or mandatory regulations for all manufacturers.
Bob McGuire, president of the Tennessee-based American Paintball League, said he hoped the new warnings would encourage people to become better educated on how to safely remove the canisters, which is necessary to store the guns or refill them.
McGuire said they have been aware of a "twist-off possibility" for some time but that the odds of such occurrences are remote, especially when qualified professionals are handling the guns. He said he knows of other instances of canisters flying off but only when inexperienced people tried to remove them.
The commission also advised:
-- The canister assembly should unscrew from the paintball gun in about three or four full turns. If you finish the fourth full turn and the canister is not unscrewed from the gun, stop! Take it to a
professional.
-- Some people have used paint or nail polish to mark the valve and canister so they can see that they rotate together while being removed.
------
The full safety warning can be viewed at
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml04/04105.html

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APTV-03-24-04 1314CST

[Evil1]

Did anyone ever think of putting left handed threads on the tank valves of co2 tanks? I mean on the threads that screw into the tank not the asa.

[bgredjeep]

IMO you would have to be a complete moron to unscrew your tank from the valve on accident. I'm not sure about other people and their habbits, but I tend to look at my tank when I remove it, not to mention I know its only threaded in like 4-5 turns and is very easy to turn after the initial twist (that is if I screwed it in untill it bottomed out in the ASA). I fear that common sense has become a lost art... Now people are dead because of it.

[GT]

Originally posted by bgredjeep
IMO you would have to be a complete moron to unscrew your tank from the valve on accident.

That really isnt the point is it? some folks are dead and now big brother is stepping in.

Get ready, there will soon be a ROF related death and I can gurantee that the gov't will certianly step in. just a matter of time.

Did anyone ever think of putting left handed threads

I have a buddies old max flow that is reversed threads. Sounds like a simple solution to me..

[Prezents]

Great point

AGDFlash, you make a great point. but also think of people installing the tank on the marker. Is Loc Tite not being used on these tanks? if not then why? this would help keep the valve in the tank and if they use the red loc tite then there is almost no way that it cannot be removed with out heat being applied.

[trains are bad]

Did anyone ever think of putting left handed threads on the tank valves of co2 tanks? I mean on the threads that screw into the tank not the asa

So this happens when people try to tighten thier tanks instead?

I'm with those guys, common sense is rediculously rare these days. These deaths are tragic, but I don't see a problem with equipment, nothing can be made idiotproof to a sufficiently talented idiot.

[soccer4minimags]

I've seen this happen more than once. Tanks didn't rocket off of course because the people unscrewing them stopped and either dumped the tank or let it vent. Each time I've seen this happen its been because of bad tank threads (gets stuck in the fill station adapter). Or on the markers the asa threads were all jacked up basically the tanks were cross-threaded.

I think the key point here is like what was stated, pay attention to what you're doing, if its not free in a few turns stop because something isn't right.

[trains are bad]

My old boss also had a chromoly tank come loose. I watched the whole thing. He noticed it right away and we got a volunteer to dryfire the tank empty. You know how much you'd have to unscrew the tank before it came off the valve? At least 3 times as much as unscrewing it out of the ASA.

[steveo356]

prolly both the same pmi 20 0z millions sold i bet n they find 2 morons not takin em off right so they tell every 1 to becareful lol wne i had my siphon put in back in the days of spyders n paranas in back yard ball i had that store guy put sum loc tight in there jus to save my self from my own idiosincracys if that words used right

[Evil1]

The reason I suggested reversed threads is because you usually use more force unscrewing the tank from the gun than screwing it on. Or manufacturers could reverse both the asa threads and the threads holding the tank to the valve making it impossible to unscrew the valve from the tank. And common sense does have to be used more because I have seen a valve removed from a co2 tank and there is usually about 1.5 inches of threaded portion inside the tank and the threads are small so it takes alot of screwing to remove it and one should know the difference on whether they are unscrewing the tank from the valve.

[Evil1]

I was also thinking that insted of putting those 2 little holes that are supposed to vent if the tank starts to unscrew from the valve, manufacturers could cut 2 flutes into the threaded portion inside the tank. Flutes would be harder to clog up than those pin holes drilled into the valve.

[trains are bad]

The last (catalina) 20 oz I bought, did not have any sort of bleed holes.

Or manufacturers could reverse both the asa threads and the threads holding the tank to the valve making it impossible to unscrew the valve from the tank.

This does not make sense. Think about it.

[bryceeden]

Originally posted by gtrsi


Get ready, there will soon be a ROF related death and I can gurantee that the gov't will certianly step in. just a matter of time.

I have a buddies old max flow that is reversed threads. Sounds like a simple solution to me..

I agree reversed threads might be a good solution because people are more likely to notice the valve comming off when they are putting the tank on, they also need more/bigger vent holes so that if the valve begins to unscrew then the tank would almost instantly empty its self and make alot of noise.

Just another note, Do you have any idea how imposible a ROF death is? Lets face it you may not like high ROF and it is possable that a person could be hurt, but unless other conditions apply(Chrono speed well above 400)ROF WILL NOT AND CAN NOT kill a person. You would have to be shot point blank in the throght like 40times in the EXACT same spot. It simply wont happen.

[Altimas]

I donno bout reversed threads...cause usually when the tank pressurizes the gun you need to turn it bout half a turn and thats usually the hardest you turn the tank when you put it on or off. I think the real solution would be to put 2 gaping holes close to the top of the threads so when they starts unscrewing the valve it vents that way.

Or start giving all stupid people hazardous to self and others signs.

[Evil1]

Manufacturers have got to do something before a few more people die and paintball is banned or something else bad. People just din't realize how dangerous any type of pressure vessel can be if not used properly or if not fully understood. I work in a microencapsulation plant and I have seen a valve blow off of a 50psi steam pipe and crack a cinder block wall and 50psi is very low compared to paintball standards. I have also seen a valve head knocked off of an LP gas cylinder for a forklift and that gas must have pissed out of that hole at 300mph it was enough force to drag the cylinder 5feet and then spin it a few times before all of the gas leaked out.. Whether it be HP or LP gas or air or whatever, pressure vessels cannot be underestimated.