ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY Diving Safety Manual Florida Atlantic University Office of Environmental Health and Safety June 2019 EH&S - MAN03 – Diving Safety Manual – V1 SIGNATURE PAGE This Florida Atlantic University “Diving Safety Manual” has been reviewed and is approved for implementation by the Florida Atlantic University Diving and Boating Board. This manual replaces and supersedes all earlier versions. DIVING AND BOATING BOARD Dr. Brian Benscoter, Chair, Elizabeth McNamee, Diving Safety Officer Associate Professor, Dept. of Environmental Health and Safety Biological Sciences Dr. Jeanette Wyneken, Professor, Dr. Tanja Godenshwege, Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences Dept. of Biological Sciences Wendy Ash Graves, CSP. James Nelson, Alternate Diving and Boating Director, Environmental Health Safety Officer, HBOI Marine Operations and Safety Dr. Matthew Ajemian, Assistant Dr. Michael Brady, Chair and Professor, Research Professor, HBOI Exceptional Student Education EH&S - MAN03 – Diving Safety Manual – V1 Page | ii Table of Contents SIGNATURE PAGE ....................................................................................................................................... ii MANUAL REVISIONS ................................................................................................................................. vi SECTION 1.00 GENERAL POLICY ............................................................................................................. 1 1.10 Scientific Diving Standards ..................................................................................................... 1 1.20 Operational Control ................................................................................................................. 3 1.30 Consequence of Violation of Regulations by Scientific Divers ............................................ 11 1.40 Consequences of Violation of Regulations by Organizational Members .............................. 11 1.50 Record Maintenance ............................................................................................................. 11 1.60 Violation Review and Disciplinary Process ........................................................................... 12 SECTION 2.00 DIVING REGULATIONS ................................................................................................. 14 2.10 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 14 2.20 Pre-Dive Procedures .............................................................................................................. 14 2.30 Diving Rules and Procedures ................................................................................................. 16 2.40 Post-Dive Procedures ............................................................................................................. 19 2.50 Emergency Procedures........................................................................................................... 20 2.60 Flying After Diving or Ascending to Altitude (over 1000 feet/304 meters) ......................... 21 2.70 Record Keeping Requirements .............................................................................................. 22 SECTION 3.00 DIVING EQUIPMENT ...................................................................................................... 25 3.10 General Policy ........................................................................................................................ 25 3.20 Equipment .............................................................................................................................. 25 3.30 Auxiliary Equipment .............................................................................................................. 26 3.40 Support Equipment ................................................................................................................ 26 3.50 Equipment Maintenance ........................................................................................................ 26 3.60 Air Quality Standards ............................................................................................................ 27 SECTION 4.00 SCIENTIFIC DIVER CERTIFICATIONS AND AUTHORIZATIONS ........................... 28 4.10 Prerequisites ........................................................................................................................... 28 4.20 Entry Level Training Requirements ....................................................................................... 29 4.30 Diver Certification and Authorizations .................................................................................. 32 4.40 Depth Authorizations ............................................................................................................. 33 4.50 Maintaining Active Status...................................................................................................... 35 4.60 Revocation of Certification .................................................................................................... 35 4.70 Recertification ........................................................................................................................ 36 SECTION 5.00 MEDICAL STANDARDS ................................................................................................. 37 5.10 Medical Requirements ........................................................................................................... 37 EH&S - MAN03 – Diving Safety Manual – V1 Page | iii 5.20 Frequency of Medical Evaluations ........................................................................................ 37 5.30 Information Provided Examining Physician .......................................................................... 37 5.40 Content of Medical Evaluations ............................................................................................. 37 5.50 Physician’s Written Report .................................................................................................... 38 5.60 Conditions Which May Disqualify Candidates from Diving (Adapted from Bove, 1998) ... 38 5.70 Laboratory Requirements for Diving Medical Evaluation and Intervals ............................... 39 SECTION 6.00 NITROX DIVING GUIDELINES ...................................................................................... 42 6.10 Requirements for Nitrox Authorization ................................................................................. 42 6.20 Minimum Activity to Maintain Authorization ....................................................................... 43 6.30 Operational Requirements ..................................................................................................... 43 6.40 Nitrox Diving Equipment ...................................................................................................... 44 SECTION 7.00 Surface Supplied Diving Technologies ............................................................................... 46 7.10 Prerequisites ........................................................................................................................... 46 7.20 Surface Supplied Diving ........................................................................................................ 46 7.30 Hookah ................................................................................................................................... 47 SECTION 8.00 STAGED DECOMPRESSION DIVING ............................................................................ 50 8.10 Minimum Experience and Training Requirements ................................................................ 50 8.20 Minimum Equipment Requirements ...................................................................................... 51 8.30 Minimum Operational Requirements .................................................................................... 51 SECTION 9.00 MIXED GAS DIVING ....................................................................................................... 53 9.10 Minimum Experience and Training Requirements ................................................................ 53 9.20 Equipment and Gas Quality Requirements ............................................................................ 54 9.30 Minimum Operational Requirements .................................................................................... 54 SECTION 10.00 SPECIALIZED DIVING ENVIRONMENTS .................................................................. 54 10.10 Blue Water Diving ................................................................................................................. 54 10.20 Ice and Polar Diving .............................................................................................................. 54 10.30 Overhead Environments......................................................................................................... 54 10.40 Saturation Diving ................................................................................................................... 54 10.50 Aquarium Diving ................................................................................................................... 54 10.60 Night Diving / Decreased Visibility ...................................................................................... 55 10.70 Altitude Diving .....................................................................................................................