Quote Originally Posted by greenturtle View Post
Anyone knows what is the shelf life of a tank? Is there a regulation on the age of the tank used by dive centres? Is there a way divers can check on the "age" of the tank?
With care, standard scuba steel and aluminum tanks are theoretically good forever. Although there are some aluminum cylinders out there that have a history of sustained load cracking and need special inspections to make sure of their safety.

The problem comes in failure of tank owners and filling stations to take proper care of their cylinders. It would be awfully strange for that tank to have blown up without being internally or externally damaged in the first place. That damage comes primarily from moisture in the tank causing corrosion. Moisture can come from not blowing out the valve before hooking up to the fill valve as well as junk being pumped in as a result of a filter system failure.

As has already been posted, the rules and regulations are different in every country so the primary responsibility for safety is squarely on the shoulders of the tank owner.

If you have a tank, have it professionally inspected regularly. When you take it in for a fill, crack the valve once to blast any residual moisture in the valve before handing it to the fill monkey. If he/she blasts it clear as well, all the better!

It will be interesting to see what the result of the investigation in this accident will turn up.