INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCES THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL STANDARDS MANUAL FOR SCIENTIFIC DIVING MARCH 2008 IMS IS AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBER OF THE AAUS THIS MANUAL SUPERSEDES THE SCIENTIFIC DIVING MANUAL OF 2007 INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCES THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL STANDARDS MANUAL FOR SCIENTIFIC DIVING Revised Jan 2012 To meet 2012 AAUS Standards Diving Control Board Members Dr. Rick Luettich, Director University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences Morehead City, NC Dr. Niels Lindquist University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences Morehead City, NC Dr. John Bruno University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Marine Sciences Chapel Hill, NC Glenn Safrit Jr., DSO University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences Morehead City, NC Institute of Marine Sciences University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 3431 Arendell Street Morehead City NC 28557 ii Phone (252) 726-6841 Fax (252) 726-2426 THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCES DIVING STANDARDS SECTION ................................................................................................................................................. PAGE VOLUME 1 ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 I. POLICY ON DIVING ............................................................................................................................. 5 A. SCIENTIFIC DIVING STANDARDS ........................................................................................... 5 B. OPERATIONAL CONTROL ......................................................................................................... 6 C. DIVING CONTROL BOARD ....................................................................................................... 7 D. DIVING SAFETY OFFICER ......................................................................................................... 8 E. INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL ................................................................................................ 8 8 F. LEAD DIVER ................................................................................................................................. 8 Glenn Safrit ! 3/26/12 11:44 AM G. RECIPROCITY AND VISITING SCIENTIFIC DIVERS ............................................................ 9 Deleted: 9 H. WAIVER OF REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................. 9 I. CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATION OF REGULATIONS ......................................................... 9 J. RECORD MAINTENANCE .......................................................................................................... 9 II. ENTRY LEVEL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................ 10 A. EVALUATION ............................................................................................................................ 10 B. SCUBA TRAINING ..................................................................................................................... 10 III. SCIENTIFIC DIVER DOCUMENTS CERTIFICATION ................................................................... 12 A. GENERAL POLICY .................................................................................................................... 12 B. CERTIFICATION TYPES ........................................................................................................... 12 C. REQUIREMENTS FOR SCIENTIFIC DIVER CERTIFICATION ............................................ 12 D. DEPTH CERTIFICATION .......................................................................................................... 15 E. MAINTENANCE OF AUTHORIZATION ................................................................................. 15 F. REVOCATION OF AUTHORIZATION .................................................................................... 16 G. RE-CERTIFICATION .................................................................................................................. 16 IV. DIVING REGULATIONS FOR SCUBA (OPEN CIRCUIT, COMPRESSED AIR) ......................... 16 A. AUTHORIZATION ...................................................................................................................... 16 B. PRE-DIVE PROCEDURES ......................................................................................................... 16 C. PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................... 17 D. PRE-DIVE SAFETY CHECKS ................................................................................................... 17 E. DIVING PROCEDURES ............................................................................................................. 17 F. POST-DIVE PROCEDURES ....................................................................................................... 18 G. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES PLAN ....................................................................................... 18 H. FLYING AFTER DIVING ........................................................................................................... 18 I. RECORDKEEPING AND REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................ 19 V. DIVING EQUIPMENT ......................................................................................................................... 20 A. GENERAL POLICY .................................................................................................................... 20 B. EQUIPMENT ............................................................................................................................... 20 C. AUXILLARY EQUIPMENT ....................................................................................................... 21 D. SUPPORT EQUIPMENT ............................................................................................................. 21 iii E. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE ................................................................................................. 21 F. COMPRESSOR OPERATION AND AIR TEST RECORDS ..................................................... 22 G. AIR QUALITY STANDARDS .................................................................................................... 22 VI. MEDICAL STANDARDS .................................................................................................................... 22 A. MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS OF DIVE TEAM ....................................................................... 22 B. FREQUENCY OF MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS ..................................................................... 23 C. INFORMATION PROVIDED EXAMINING PHYSICIAN ....................................................... 23 D. CONTENT OF MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS ........................................................................... 23 E. LABORATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR DIVING MEDICAL EXAMINATION ................... 24 F. PHYSICIAN’S WRITTEN REPORT .......................................................................................... 24 VOLUME 2 ........................................................................................................................................... 25 VII. NITROX DIVING GUIDELINES ........................................................................................................ 25 A. PRE-REQUESITES ...................................................................................................................... 25 B. REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTHORIZATION TO USE NITROX .............................................. 25 C. NITROX TRAINING GUIDELINES .......................................................................................... 25 D. SCIENTIFIC NITROX DIVING REGULATIONS ..................................................................... 27 E. NITROX DIVING EQUIPMENT ................................................................................................ 29 VIII. STAGED DECOMPRESSION DIVING .............................................................................................. 31 A. MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ............................................ 31 B. MINIMUM EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................... 32 C. MINIMUM OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................... 32 IX. MIXED GAS DIVING .......................................................................................................................... 33 A. MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ............................................ 33 B. EQUIPMENT AND GAS QUALITY REQUIREMENTS .......................................................... 34 C. MINIMAL OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................ 34 X. REBREATHERS ................................................................................................................................... 35 A. MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ............................................ 35 B. DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL INFORMATION ................................................................... 35 C. PRE-REQUESITES .....................................................................................................................