| Polar diving
experience has shown that buoyancy control is the primary
differentiating skill affecting safety and science.
THERMAL PROTECTION
1. Pre- and post-dive thermal and hand protection must be
carefully managed.
2. Adequate thermal protection must be provided to tender(s)
and standby diver(s).
3. The effect of cold on DCS risk is not fully understood.
However, the diver should be kept warm throughout the dive
and external heat application and heavy lifting should be
avoided during the immediate post-dive period.
EQUIPMENT
4. It is important that continued data be collected on the
performance of regulators, buoyancy compensators and drysuits
in polar conditions and be accessible to scientific diving
programs.
5. Regulator model revisions require field experience or independent
lab testing validation prior to adoption for polar diving
use because it cannot be assumed they will perform as well
as earlier successful models.
6. Owing to the tendency for scuba apparatus to free-flow
under polar conditions a minimum of two independent regulator
systems is recommended for diving in overhead environments;
divers must be proficient in switch-over procedures.
7. A second-stage isolation valve used in conjunction with
a first-stage overpressure relief valve should be further
considered as a method to independently and rapidly manage
regulator free-flow.
8. To minimize the possibility of regulator free-flow proper
pre- and post-dive care should be followed. Proven methods
include ensuring that regulators are kept warm and dry prior
to diving and minimizing regulator breathing prior to immersion.
The purge valve should not be activated prior to immersion,
upon entry or during the dive.
OPERATIONS
9. A drysuit must be used with a buoyancy compensator for
polar diving in general. It is recognized that conditions
may exist in which the diver would be more at risk with the
buoyancy compensator than without one. In such cases a buoyancy
compensator will not be required.
10. A tethered diver, who is deployed to work independently,
must be equipped with full face mask, voice communications
to the surface and redundant air supply.
11. During pack ice diving operations tenders must constantly
monitor changing ice conditions to ensure rapid diver exit.
12. A recompression chamber should be within a traveling distance
that is concomitant with the risks associated with any particular
diving operation. Where no recompression chamber is available
then the risk must be managed in a way that reduces the potential
for decompression illness significantly. Sufficient oxygen
must be on site as an emergency diving first aid treatment.
13. Generally, divers under ice should be tethered by life
lines. It is recognized that conditions may exist where high
visibility and lack of currents obviate the need for tethers.
14. Appropriate measures for safeguarding all personnel from
predatory mammals (e.g., polar bear, leopard seal and walrus)
must be considered and implemented.
15. Diving under ice requires additional gas management considerations.
TRAINING
16. Divers in polar regions should be proficient in the use
of drysuits, thermal insulation strategies and weighting and
should be highly experienced with the particular system and
equipment they will use.
17. When lifelines are used divers and tenders must be trained
and proficient in their use.
18. A polar check-out dive is essential to determine competency.
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