U.S. EPA DIVE PROGRAM National Underwater Diving Safety Management Program

Required by OSHA Regulation 29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart T • EPA Policy based upon Scientific Diving • Commercial Diving is not conducted by EPA divers OARM, Safety, Health and EnvironmentalEnvironmental Management Division

TwoTwo keykey elements:elements: •• DivingDiving SafetySafety ManualManual •• DiveDive ControlControl BoardBoard • Diving Safety Manual followed to ensure operational safety of EPA divers

• The EPA Dive Safety Board provides national oversight for all EPA divers • EPA employees may encounter hazardous land-based or underwater sites

• EPA divers are becoming national experts in contaminated water diving • EPAEPA has approximately 60 divers across the country performing many tasks • Dive units are located in Regions I, II, III, HQ, IV, VI, VII, and X • EPA conducts over 1,000 dives annually without serious accidents • TheThe EPAEPA DiveDive ProgramProgram supportedsupported thethe ColumbiaColumbia ShuttleShuttle waterwater recoveryrecovery

•• Over 2525 EPAEPA diversdivers joinedjoined forcesforces toto conductconduct searchsearch operationsoperations • EPA made over 400 dives while searching an underwater forest TheThe EPA/ERTEPA/ERT DiveDive TeamTeam conducts:conducts: •• SearchSearch andand recoveryrecovery operationsoperations •• BiologicalBiological assessmentsassessments •• EnvironmentalEnvironmental samplingsampling •• SurveysSurveys withwith remoteremote sensingsensing toolstools • EPAEPA diversdivers oftenoften selectselect drydry suitssuits andand fullfull faceface masksmasks •• ManyMany EPAEPA divesdives areare inin coldcold waterwater withwith lowlow visibilityvisibility Under hazardous conditions EPA may use surface supplied air At Superfund sites EPA divers collect environmental samples Dry suits and helmets provide the highest level of protection •• CommercialCommercial diversdivers shouldshould bebe usedused forfor HazMatHazMat cleanupscleanups atat sitessites oror spillsspills •• EPAEPA diversdivers cancan assistassist OSCsOSCs withwith subcontractingsubcontracting oror oversightoversight

•• EPAEPA isis responsibleresponsible forfor thethe safetysafety ofof allall workersworkers atat sitessites underunder ourour controlcontrol • Most EPAEPA Dive Units have dive vessels available

•• EPAEPA conductsconducts divingdiving operationsoperations onon thethe R/VR/V AndersonAnderson

•• RemoteRemote OperatedOperated VehiclesVehicles areare availableavailable forfor deepdeep divesdives EPAEPA scientificscientific divingdiving includes:includes: •• CoralCoral diseasedisease studiesstudies •• OceanOcean dredgeddredged materialmaterial disposaldisposal sitessites •• SedimentSediment oxygenoxygen demanddemand // nutrientnutrient studiesstudies EPAEPA DiverDiver TrainingTraining Center,Center, GulfGulf Breeze,Breeze, FLFL

DiversDivers obtainobtain EPAEPA ScientificScientific DiverDiver CertificationCertification To dive for EPA all divers must: • Have basic SCUBA certification • Attend one week EPA Diver Training • Belong to an EPA Dive Unit • Adhere to the EPA Dive Program Policy ToTo provideprovide supportsupport toto EPAEPA OSCsOSCs diversdivers acquireacquire advancedadvanced trainingtraining

ThreatsThreats toto domestic securitysecurity requirerequire advancedadvanced divingdiving techniquestechniques Check out the EPA Dive Program ThisThis couldcould bebe youyou !!!!!!