Scientific Diving

Scientific Diving

Introduction

Scientific Diving Overview

• Why are we here?• History of scientific diving• American Academy of Underwater

Sciences• Science diving training

• Course content, format

• Operational considerations

Scientific Diving Why are we here?

• To develop independent divers

• Scientific divers must be trained to work under water with a level of proficiency that allows them to focus on the research task.

332 BC: Alexander the Great• bell-type diving to observe

the marine life1844: Henri Milne-Edwards

• underwater observations at 25 feet

1930: Florida Geological Survey•used hard-hat diving

equipment to collect fossil skeletons1934: Kitching

•used diving helmet for kelp bed observations

Scientific DivingHistory of Scientific Diving

1949: C. Limbaugh and A. Rechnitzer start using SCUBA at UCLA

1951: Initial SIO diving safety courses taught by C. Limbaugh

1954: Limbaugh and others publish University of California diving safety rules and regulations

1970s: Proliferation of self-regulating programs and standards

Scientific DivingHistory of Scientific Diving

1975: United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America & AFL-CIO petition OSHA for professional diving operation standards

1977-79: OSHA establishes Commercial Diving Regs.

• scientific diving community included, realizes the immediate effect on dive ops

• SDC cites ruling as too restrictive • SDC provides data on exemplary exposure-incident statistics and self-regulating standards.

1985: OSHA final rule: Scientific diving gets exemption

AAUS Scientific Diver History Scientific Diving

Scientific Diving History of Scientific Diving

Section 1910.402 Definitions

“Scientific diving is diving performed solely as a necessary part of a scientific, research, or educational activity by employees whose sole purpose for diving is to perform scientific research tasks.”


Section 1910.401: Scope and application

“However, this standard does not apply to any diving operation:

(iv) Defined as scientific diving and which is under the direction and control of a diving program containing at least the following elements:”

A. Diving Safety ManualB. Diving Control Board


• The diving control board consists of a majority of active divers and has autonomous and absolute authority over the scientific diving program’s operations.

• The purpose of the project using scientific diving is the advancement of science; therefore, information and data resulting from the project are non-proprietary.

• The tasks of a scientific diver are those of an observer and data gatherer. Construction and trouble-shooting tasks traditionally associated with commercial diving are not included within scientific diving.

• Scientific divers, based on the nature of their activities, must use scientific expertise in studying the underwater environment and, therefore, are scientists or scientists in training.

Diver Breathing a Compressed Gas?

No

OSHA diving guidelines do not

apply

Yes

Does an employee/employer relationship exist?

No

OSHA diving guidelines do not

apply

Yes

Is the diver a scientist (or scientist in-training) making observations or gathering non-proprietary data?

No

Is the diver teaching or guiding recreational, no-deco

SCUBA

No

Is the diver performing search, rescue, or related public safety

purposes by or under the control of a government agency?

No

Use the Commercial Diving Guidelines (ADCI)

Yes

Use the Public Safety Exemption (PSDA)

Yes

Use the Recreational Exemption (RSTC)

Yes

Use the Scientific Exemption (AAUS)

International regulatory/advisory bodies

• EU and country regulations;• European Scientific Diving Panel of the

European Science Foundation• Confédération Mondiale des Activités

Subaquatiques Scientific Committee.• Codes of Practice: Fleming, N.C. and M.D. Max

(eds.) 1996. Scientific Diving: A General Code of Practice, UNESCO, Paris. 278 pp.

Scientific Diving OSHA and Other Diving Standards

Scientific Diving American Academy of Underwater Sciences

Mission Statement

“to facilitate the development of safe and productive scientific divers through education, research, advocacy, and the advancement of standards for scientific diving practices, certifications and operations.”

www.aaus.org

• To develop, review, and revise standards for safe scientific diving certification and the safe operation of scientific diving programs

• To collect, review, and distribute statistics relating to scientific diving activities and scientific diving incidents

• To educate members and the public on safe scientific diving practices

• To represent the interests of the membership and the scientific diving community before organizations and government agencies

• To fund research, education, and development of safe scientific diving practices


• AAUS is an organization of organizations

• AAUS accredits Scientific Diving Programs, NOT individual scientific divers; divers are still accredited by the Organizational Member.

• The strength of the Academy is in its Organizational Membership (OM) Program


Scientific diving entities: • research institutions• Federal and state government agencies • public and private universities, museums and

aquaria (predominantly research, education and teaching)

• consulting companies (predominantly contractual environmental, geological and archaeological investigations)


U.S. scientific diver population:• Approximately 4,000 individual scientific divers• Long-term, career scientific divers (e.g. federal

employees, university professors, resource managers, research technicians) in the 35+ average age category with low turnover rates and a student population of undergraduate and graduate students in the 18-35 average age category with high turnover rates in OM programs.

• No upper age limit for scientific diving certification exists, the lower limit is generally 18 years of age.


Scientific diving operations are conducted in various environments worldwide:

• tropical seas• temperate waters • freshwater rivers and lakes• karst formations and caves• polar environments • blue water (open ocean) • submarine canyons • bays and estuaries • offshore platforms • contaminated waters• deepwater reefs

Photo: M. Brandt


AAUS Statistics


AAUS Motivation

29 CFR Part 1910

“OSHA believes that this favorable comparison of incidence rates, along with other data contained in the record, is, indeed, evidence of an effective system of self-regulation by the scientific diving community. OSHA further believes…, increased risks to scientific divers would not result if removed from coverage under Subpart T.”


AAUS Motivation

Validation of effective standards• Collect, analyze and review scientific diving incident

reports of occurrences and accidents related to scientific diving

Advocacy for continued self-regulation• Prepare and distribute statistical reports and

summaries…analyzing and describing the functional application and practical effects of existing and proposed scientific diving policies, standards, programs and practices


AAUS Numbers

• 1998-2010

• 54-125 Organizational Members Reporting

• 2,716-4,769 divers/year

• 69,234-128,502 total dives/year

• 23.7-31.3 average dives/diver/year

• 38.8-44.5 minutes/dive

• 2-5 DCI cases reported/year


Scientific Diving Statistics on AAUS members, dives, safety

Year

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

Num

ber

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

OMsDives / 1000Divers / 100Incidents reported

136 OMs

4,953 divers

8 incidents5

2,997

55

71,042

138,179 dives

Types of Incidents Reported

• 60 incidents over 5 years• Some are not OSHA

reportable but are included anyway

DCI 50%

Sinus/EarBarotrauma

Other

EnvironmentalTrauma



Why be AAUS?

• Community Standard• Risk Management• Reciprocity• Training

Diving Reciprocity

Reciprocity between OMs• Based on the principle that all AAUS OMs are training scientific

divers to the same consensual scientific diving standards.• This process allows collaboration between AAUS OM programs

with minimum overlap in paperwork and training while meeting liability needs.

• Letter of Reciprocity is a diving verification of training and statement of currency in an AAUS OM program. Indemnifications are usually not included and most OMs require use of their own forms that address their unique liability needs.


• Some AAUS OMs may require additional steps to be taken (such as a check-out dive or DFA on a yearly basis) before full reciprocity is granted

• Memoranda of Understanding providing reciprocity may be enacted with external (non-AAUS) organizations, (e.g. NOAA, NPS)

• Reciprocity is a mechanism that manages the host and home institution’s exposure to liability, and provides some measure of diving compatibility for collaborative underwater research projects

• Reciprocity encourages workman’s compensation, liability and emergency medical treatment coverage be sorted out between institutions beforehand.


How reciprocity works• Scientific diver(s) from an AAUS OM (home institution)

will participate in a scientific diving project under the auspices of another AAUS OM (host institution)

• A dive plan is submitted to the home OM DSO and the host OM DSO

• Request for Letter of Reciprocity (LOR) to be sent from home DSO to host DSO

• All divers must be current in all AAUS requirements.• Reciprocity for Divers-in-Training is usually not granted

except for controlled course situations• Host DSO receives and reviews LOR and resolves any

discrepancies with Home DSO


Reciprocity scenarios:• Scientists from different OMs diving together• Scientists from home OM using facilities or equipment from the host

OM

Operational Considerations• Depth certification limitations• Requirements for dive computer use to monitor decompression status

Verification of Training versus Letter of Reciprocity• Third party reciprocity cautions regarding assumption of liability• Divers who have left AAUS OMs and are now employed by a non-AAUS

institution



Why be AAUS?

• Community Standard• Risk Management• Reciprocity• Training

Selection Criteria

• Must present a need for training • Diver certification• Good physical condition• Physical exam

100 Hour Course

Practical training • Swimming proficiency• CPR, emergency oxygen administration,

first aid for diving accidents• Dive rescue techniques• Dive management

100 Hour Course

Dive ManagementDives• Pool checkout• O/W checkout • Navigation • Rescue Skills (pool)• Rescue Skills (O/W)• Low visibility assembly, transects and navigation (3 dives)• Panama City jetties (2 dives) • Inshore boat dive (2 dives)• Offshore boat dive (2 dives)

100 Hour Course

Alternate Dives• Estuarium-- animal husbandry/fish ID• Oyster reef transects/quadrats• Big Lagoon seagrass transects/quadrats• Search and Recovery for sediment grab

100 Hour Course

Exams• DAN First Aid for Professional Divers• Rescue• Nitrox• Final

100 Hour Course Schedule

http://share.disl.org/dardeau/Lists/Calendar/calendar.aspx

http://share.disl.org/dardeau/Lists/Calendar/calendar.aspx


Recreational Diver• 30-40 hours training• Training varies with agency

• Variable number of training dives• Table use• Buddy breathing• Rescue skills

• No medical exam• Lifetime certification

Scientific Diver• 100 hours training• AAUS training standards• Medical required• Must maintain active status• Emergency training required• Employer/employee relationship

• Initially, a diver is authorized to dive to 30' (10m) depth

• After 12 supervised dives between 31' and 60’, diver is authorized to dive to 60'.

• After 4 supervised dives between 61' and 100’, diver is authorized to dive to 100'.

• After 4 supervised dives between 100' and 130’, diver is authorized to 130’.

• Divers may be certified to 150' and 190‘ by logging 4 supervised dives near each depth and completing a successful check-out dive with DSO

Operational Considerations


OM Auspices

Defined as support or sponsorship of any scientific diving operation in which an OM is connected because of ownership of equipment, locations selected, or relationship with the individual(s) concerned.


OM Auspices

No person shall engage in scientific diving operations under the auspices of an AAUS OM scientific diving program unless they hold a current certification issued pursuant to the provisions of the AAUS standards.


Operational Control

• Diving Control Board (DCB)--Establishes diving policies and acts as a board of appeal for scientific divers

• Diving Safety Officer (DSO)--Runs the day-to-day-diving operations including training and scientific diving. Serves under the guidance of the DCB


Diving Procedures

• Solo Diving Prohibition

• Divers may deviate from the standard to prevent or minimize a situation that is likely to cause death, serious physical harm, or major environmental damage.

• Emergencies


Emergencies

1. Diver Surfacing and Interrupting Decompression Schedule

2. Divers Separated on Bottom3. Diver Recall4. Missing Diver5. Injured Diver


Lead Diver Responsibilities• The designated Lead Diver shall be at the dive

location. • Ensures dive team members possess current

certification and are qualified.• Plans dives, coordinating with other activities likely to

interfere with diving operations and briefs dive team members.

• Ensures safety and emergency equipment is in working order and on site.

• Reports to the DSO and DCB dive-related problems including symptoms of pressure-related injuries.


Pre-Dive Procedures

• Dive and Emergency Plans

• Pre-dive Safety Checks


Pre-Dive Safety Checks

• Diver’s Responsibility:» It is the diver’s responsibility and duty to refuse to dive if, in their judgment, conditions

are unfavorable, or if they would be violating the precepts of their training, or the DISL’s diving safety manual.

» No dive team member shall be required to be exposed to hyperbaric conditions against their will, except when necessary to prevent or treat a pressure-related injury.

» No dive team member shall be permitted to dive for the duration of any known condition, which is likely to adversely affect the safety and health of the diver or other dive members.

• Equipment Evaluations:» Divers shall ensure that their equipment is in proper working order and that the

equipment is suitable for the type of diving operation. Scientific divers shall conduct a functional check of their diving equipment in the presence of the diving buddy or tender.

» Each diver shall have the capability of achieving and maintaining positive buoyancy.

• Site Evaluation» Environmental conditions at the site will be evaluated.


Post-Dive Safety Checks• After the completion of a dive, each diver shall

report any physical problems, symptoms of decompression sickness, or equipment malfunctions.

• When diving outside the no-decompression limits, the divers should remain awake for at least 1 hour after diving, and in the company of a dive team member who is prepared to transport them to a decompression chamber if necessary.


Flying After Diving or Ascending to Altitude

• Following a Single No-Decompression Dive: Divers should have a minimum preflight surface interval of 12 hours.

• Following Multiple Dives per Day or Multiple Days of Diving: Divers should have a minimum preflight surface interval of 18 hours.

• Following Dives Requiring Decompression Stops: Divers should have a minimum preflight surface interval of 24 hours.

• Before ascending to Altitude above (1000 feet) by Land Transport: Divers should follow the appropriate guideline for preflight surface intervals unless the decompression procedure used has accounted for the increase in elevation.


Record Keeping Requirements

• Personal Diving Log

• Required Incident Reporting


Operational Requirements

• Training and medical• Dive Plans and Logs• 12 Dives per year minimum• Oxygen on site• Equipment inspection


3 Rules to Live By

Never, ever, hold your breath underwater!

Plan your dive, dive your plan!

If you are not comfortable, for whatever reason, call the dive!


Documents

Scientific Diving