AN FBO RPTS A NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL FIXED WING ACFT OXYGEN SYS WERE SVCED IMPROPERLY DUE TO THE OXYGEN SUPPLIED BY THE VENDOR WAS OF THE WRONG TYPE.

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DURING A REGULARLY SCHEDULED INTERNAL AUDIT; RECENT INVOICES FROM A BREATHING OXYGEN SUPPLIER WERE CHKED BY QUALITY CTL PERSONNEL. THE INVOICES INDICATED THAT THE VENDOR HAD SUPPLIED HOSPITAL OXYGEN RATHER THAN AVIATOR'S BREATHING OXYGEN. THE VENDOR WAS CONSULTED AND AFFIRMED THAT HOSPITAL OXYGEN HAD INDEED BEEN DELIVERED. THE OXYGEN REMAINING IN THE REPAIR STATION STOCKS FROM THAT DELIVERY WERE DISCARDED AND REPLACED BY AVIATION BREATHING OXYGEN FROM ANOTHER SUPPLIER. THIS MISTAKE COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE RECEIVING INSPECTOR HAD ACCESS TO MORE INFO SUCH AS A DETAILED PACKING SLIP. THE CONTAINERS IN WHICH THE OXYGEN WERE DELIVERED WERE MARKED 'AVIATION BREATHING OXYGEN.' THE PACKING SLIP LISTED THE DELIVERY AS CONTAINING OXYGEN; WITH NO ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTION. THE INVOICE LISTED THE SPECIFIC TYPE OF OXYGEN; BUT WAS UNAVAILABLE UNTIL DAYS AFTER DELIVERY. THE PURCHASE ORDER; ORIGINATED BY THE REPAIR STATION; WAS NO TRUE INDICATOR OF THE CONTENT OF THE SHIPMENT. SINCE WE; LIKE MOST AVIATION MAINT FACILITIES; CANNOT TEST OR ANALYZE PRODUCTS SUCH AS OXYGEN; WE RELY TOTALLY UPON OUR VENDORS TO SUPPLY THE COMMODITY AS ORDERED.