NOAA
Dive Regulations
The NOAA Diving Regulations (NOAA Administrative Order 209-123) were revised 05/03/2003. The new regulations supersede the March 29, 1991 version.
NOAA Administrative Order 209-123 (Acrobat PDF file)
Exemption
Guidelines
The
following guidelines shall be used to interpret section 6.01 Exemptions
of NOAA administrative order NAO-209-123, NOAA Diving Program diving
regulations.
Within
the context of the NOAA Diving Regulations, an emergency is a
sudden, unexpected occurrence or set of circumstances demanding
immediate action in order to prevent death, serious physical harm,
total loss of property or major environmental damage. It is an
extreme case, and does not include such situations as: 1) failure
to meet mission objectives, 2) recovery of common experimental
or operational equipment, 3) loss of sea time due to mechanical
problems or similar situations.
Emergency
conditions that warrant actions contrary to the dictates of the
regulations may require immediate on-site action. In such a case,
the on-site supervisor assumes full responsibility for the consequences
of the action, and must submit a full report on his/her actions
to the Director, NOAA Diving Program, through LO Diving Officers/NC
Fleet Diving Officer, within twenty-four (24) hours of the event.
Deviations from the regulations must be both "safe and
essential to program operations." The individual who approves
any such deviations is strictly accountable for ensuring the latter.
The
designation, qualifications, and responsibilities of the Line
Office/Fleet Diving Officer referred to in Section 6 are specified
in the regulations. The "designee" referred to in Section
6 is determined by the Line Office/Fleet Diving Officer and designated
either on a "case-by-case" or "blanket" basis.
This designation is not automatic and is not associated with any
position held within the organization, such as a Unit Diving Supervisor
(UDS) or vessel Divemaster.
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OSHA
Dive Regulations
A
copy of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Commercial Diving Regulation is also included with the handbook.
NOAA diving operations that fall outside of the scientific exemption
must follow NOAA and OSHA standards.
OSHA
defines scientific diving as "diving
performed solely as a necessary part of scientific, research or
educational activity by employees whose sole purpose for diving
is to perform scientific research tasks. Scientific diving does
not include the performance of any task usually associated with
commercial diving such as; placing or removing heavy objects underwater;
inspection of pipelines and similar objects; construction; demolition;
cutting or welding; or the use of explosives." Ship husbandry,
item investigations, construction and diving tasks requiring the
use of power tools are examples of NOAA operations that must follow
OSHA standards.
OSHA
standards that exceed NOAA requirements consist of; requirement
for all divers to have an alternate air supply (J valve); requirement
for on site recompression chambers when diving with mixed gases,
(Nitrox), deeper than 100fsw or outside the no-decompression limits;
dive teams shall consist of one supervisor and two divers and
one standby diver.
See
OSHA Diving Standards:
Title
29 CFR Part 1910 Subpart T
Title
29 CFR Part 1926 Subpart Y
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U.S.
Coast Guard Dive Regulations
For
USCG Diving Regulations, please see,
Title
46 CFR Part 197 Subpart B
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