Diving Safety

General

• All diving operations, both government and contractor, shall be performed in accordance with this manual. Failure to meet these requirements will cause for rejection or cessation of operations.

Exceptions

• Diving shall not be used as a work method if the work objective can be more safely and efficiently accomplished by another means.

Live Boating

• Live boating will not be used without prior specific acceptance by the Designated Diving Coordinator (DDC).

Training

• Documentation shall be in compliance to OSHA Diving Standards (29 CFR 1910.410)

• Must show that dive team members have successfully completed training to the appropriate level

Accepted Training Providers

• Commercial diving school, military schools, Federal school or an Association of Commercial Diving Educators (ACDE) accredited school

• In-house training program meeting requirements of ANSI/ACDE-01 or in the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) Consensus Standards

• For scientific divers (using SCUBA or SSA) shall be in compliance with 29 CFR 1920.410 and meet requirements of American Academy of Underwater Scientists (AAUS)

Training Substitution

• In substitution for a training certificate, an ADCI member company may show proof of a dive team member’s qualification or experience by submitting a valid “ADCI Card” for the appropriate training level issued by the current employer.

Minimum Diver Experience

• 1 year commercial experience in applicable position

• Completed at least 4 working dives with similar decompression techniques as contract

• Must demonstrate at least 1 of the 4 qualification dives done in pat 6 months prior to contract award date

• DDC w ill ensure divers meet training and qualification requirements of EM 385-1-86

CPR First Aid

• Each dive team member shall have current certification in CPR, first aid, the use of emergency oxygen systems, and if provided on the dive site, use of AED.

Dive Inspectors

• Contract diving operations will be monitored and/or inspected by personnel qualified as Dive Inspectors.

Dive Inspectors • Hold current USACE

training certificate as Dive Inspector, Diver/Dive Supervisor, Dive Safety Administrator, or Dive Coordinator.

• Use of trained monitors/inspectors with other credentials will be considered on a case by case basis and approved by the DDC in writing.

Contractor Requirements

• Safe Practices Manual • Dive Operations Plan • AHA to cover all aspects job • Emergency Management Plan • Dive Personnel Qualifications

– Above requirements w ill be reviewed and accepted by two of the follow ing:

– DDC – ADC – DSR

Pre-Dive Conference

• Prior to initial work on each dive operations, a Pre-Dive Conference shall be held with key personnel designated by the DDC .

Diving Operations

• Staging area selected based on: • Ease of diver access to water • Hazards to diver in route from surface to

work area • Ability of standby diver to immediately

access water and quickly reach diver • If used, ability to protect top side members

from weather, operational and other hazards

Standby Diver

• A standby diver will be provided whenever a diver is in the water to serve as immediate emergency assistant to the primary diver.

• Shall be fully equipped to dive and readily available while primary diver is in water.

SCUBA Operations • SCUBA diving operations

shall not be conducted: • Depths > 100 ft (30.5m) • Dives outside the no-

decompression limits • Against currents exceeding

one knot • Enclosed or physically

confined spaces • Using closed/semi-closed

circuit SCUBA • Visibility < 3ft • Areas with pressure

differential • When diver don’t have

direct access to surface

Buoyancy Compensation Device (BCD)

Each diver shall be equipped with a BCD capable of maintaining the diver at the surface in a face-up position.

Weight Belts

• Each SCUBA diver shall be equipped with a weight belt or assemble capable of quick release.

Depth Gauge/Knife

• Each SCUBA diver shall be equipped with a depth gauge and knife.

SCUBA Tank Testing

• SCUBA tanks used on government projects must be visually inspected internally at least annually and hydrostatically tested at least once every 5 years.

Surface Supplied Air (SSA) Operations

• SSA operations shall not be conducted at depths >190 ft (57.9m).

• Exceptional exposure dives, defined by US Navy Diving Manual, shall not be conducted except in emergency lifesaving situations.

Tenders

• Each diver shall be continuously tendered while in the water with one diver per tender regardless of depth.

Mixed-Gas Diving Operations

• Dual lock, multi-place, recompression chambers with a trained competent operator shall be available and ready for use at the dive location for any mixed-gas dive.

Primary Breathing Gas

• Each diving operation shall have a primary breathing gas supply sufficient to support divers for the duration of the planned dive, including decompression.

Reserve Breathing Gas Supply

• Each diver shall have a reserve breathing gas supply integral or in-line with the primary air source sufficient to safely recover the diver in the event of failure of the primary breathing gas supply.

Reserve breathing gas supply

In-water Stage

• An in-water stage shall be provided for divers without access to a bell for dives deeper than 100 ft (30.4m) or outside the no-compression limits.

Diving Compressors

• Air compressor systems used on-site as a direct source to SSA divers shall be equipped with a volume tank with a check valve on the inlet side, a pressure gauge, a relief valve and a drain valve.

Breathing Supply Hoses

• Hoses shall be suitable for breathing gas service or shall be specifically manufactured for SSA use.-

Scientific Snorkeling

• Scientific snorkeling will be allowed only for environmental assessments such as fish surveys, stream surveys,, and the like. It will not be used for structural inspection.

•Questions????