The University of the Virgin Islands STANDARDS FOR SCIENTIFIC DIVING University of the Virgin Islands – Center for Marine and Enviromental Studies 2 Brewer’s Bay- St. Thomas, Virgin Islands - 00802 CONTENTS Volume 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 Section 1.00 GENERAL POLICY ............................................................................................................ 6 1.10 Scientific Diving Standards .................................................................................................... 6 1.20 Operational Control ................................................................................................................ 7 1.30 Consequence of Violation of Regulations by Scientific Divers ........................................... 10 1.40 Consequences of Violation of Regulations by UVI Divers .................................................. 11 1.50 Record Maintenance ............................................................................................................. 11 Section 2.00 DIVING REGULATIONS FOR SCUBA (OPEN CIRCUIT, COMPRESSED AIR) ....... 12 2.10 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 12 2.20 Pre-Dive Procedures ............................................................................................................. 12 2.30 Diving Procedures ................................................................................................................. 13 2.40 Post-Dive Procedures ............................................................................................................ 13 2.50 Emergency Procedures.......................................................................................................... 13 2.60 Flying After Diving or Ascending to Altitude (Over 1000 feet) .......................................... 14 2.70 Record Keeping Requirements ............................................................................................. 14 Section 3.00 DIVING EQUIPMENT ...................................................................................................... 16 3.10 General Policy ....................................................................................................................... 16 3.20 Equipment ............................................................................................................................. 16 3.30 Auxiliary Equipment ............................................................................................................. 17 3.40 Support Equipment ............................................................................................................... 17 3.50 Equipment Maintenance ....................................................................................................... 18 3.60 Air Quality Standards ........................................................................................................... 18 Section 4.00 ENTRY-LEVEL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ............................................................. 20 4.10 Evaluation ............................................................................................................................. 20 4.20 Scuba Training ...................................................................................................................... 20 Section 5.00 SCIENTIFIC DIVER CERTIFICATION........................................................................... 22 5.10 Certification Types................................................................................................................ 22 5.20 General Policy ....................................................................................................................... 22 5.30 Requirements For Scientific Diver Certification .................................................................. 22 5.40 Depth Certifications .............................................................................................................. 25 5.50 Continuation of Certificate ................................................................................................... 26 5.60 Revocation of Certification ................................................................................................... 26 5.70 Recertification ....................................................................................................................... 26 Page 2 Section 6.00 MEDICAL STANDARDS ................................................................................................. 27 6.10 Medical Requirements .......................................................................................................... 27 Volume 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 30 Section 7.00 NITROX DIVING GUIDELINES ..................................................................................... 31 7.10 Prerequisites .......................................................................................................................... 31 7.20 Requirements for Authorization to Use Nitrox ..................................................................... 31 7.30 Nitrox Training Guidelines ................................................................................................... 32 7.40 Scientific Nitrox Diving Regulations.................................................................................... 33 7.50 Nitrox Diving Equipment ..................................................................................................... 36 Section 8.00 AQUARIUM DIVING OPERATIONS ............................................................................. 38 8.10 General Policy ....................................................................................................................... 38 8.20 The Buddy System In Scientific Aquarium Diving .............................................................. 38 8.30 Diving Equipment ................................................................................................................. 38 8.40 Scientific Aquarium Diver Certification ............................................................................... 38 8.50 Scientific Aquarium Diving Using Other Diving Technology ............................................. 39 Section 9.00 STAGED DECOMPRESSION DIVING ........................................................................... 40 9.10 Minimum Experience and Training Requirements ............................................................... 40 9.20 Minimum Equipment Requirements ..................................................................................... 41 9.30 Minimum Operational Requirements ................................................................................... 42 section 10.00 MIXED GAS DIVING ...................................................................................................... 43 10.10 Minimum Experience and Training Requirements ............................................................. 43 10.20 Equipment and Gas Quality Requirements ......................................................................... 44 10.30 Minimum Operational Requirements ................................................................................. 44 Section 11.00 OTHER DIVING TECHNOLOGY .................................................................................. 45 11.10 Blue Water Diving .............................................................................................................. 45 11.20 Ice And Polar Diving .......................................................................................................... 45 11.30 Overhead Environments...................................................................................................... 45 11.40 Saturation Diving ................................................................................................................ 45 11.50 Hookah ................................................................................................................................ 45 11.60 Surface Supplied Diving ..................................................................................................... 45 Section 12.0 Rebreathers ......................................................................................................................... 46 12.10 Definitions and General Information ................................................................................. 46 12.20 Prerequisites ....................................................................................................................... 47 12.30 Equipment Requirements ................................................................................................... 51 Page 3 12.40 Operational Requirements ................................................................................................. 53 12.50 Oxygen Rebreathers ........................................................................................................... 56 12.60 Semi-Closed Circuit Rebreathers ....................................................................................... 56 12.70 Closed-Circuit Rebreathers ...............................................................................................