How should a Dive Supervisor respond to a potential gas leak at the gas supply manifold?

• A. Isolate the leak, stop the dive if necessary, evacuate if required, and call for repairs by qualified personnel.
• B. Ignore the leak and continue operations.
• C. Increase gas pressure to seal the leak.
• D. Only monitor from a safe distance.

Answer: (A)

When there's a potential gas leak at the gas supply manifold, the priority is to contain the hazard and protect divers. Isolate the leak by shutting the gas supply or isolating the affected section of the manifold so no more gas escapes. If divers are underway, stop the dive if necessary to prevent exposure to compromised gas or a dangerous situation. If required, evacuate personnel to a safe area and secure access to the affected area. Then call for repairs by qualified personnel who have the training and equipment to safely diagnose and fix high-pressure gas systems. This approach minimizes exposure to potentially hazardous gas, prevents further escalation, and ensures proper repair work is performed. Simply ignoring the leak, increasing gas pressure, or just monitoring from a distance do not address the danger and could make the situation worse.