Diving subcommittee hard at it in Halifax.

At the CSA subcommittee meetings in Halifax last week, CSA voted to accept the use of a three man crew if certain conditions were in place.  Although limiting, it is a compromise on the CSA's former position of not allowing a three man crew at all.

Initially, the CSA subcommittee on diving operations (CSA Standard 275.2) had voted to have a minimum crew of four (4) on all diving operations - no matter what. After 2 hours of debate, the members of the subcommittee came up with a workable solution to operations where a four man minimum crew would be overloaded (i.e.: swimming pool repair, quick jump to service a propeller, etc.).

Without going into the actual wording (that will be massaged later by the legal entities at CSA), a three man crew is allowable if the following conditions are met:
1. There must be good visibility.
2. The operation is not being conducted in a) areas of high current, b) where there is danger of entrapment to the diver c) a dam or intake structure where a delta-p (differential pressure change) problem could happen d) where hoisting or lifting is being carried out.
3) A hazard or risk analysis of the operation is carried out to determine adequate protection for diving safety.
4) There must be a fourth person acceptable to the dive crew that could be in the vicinity to render assistance should a situation develop where the standby diver may have to be jumped.

The translation of all the above is that if there are good conditions with minimal risk to the diver AND there is a fourth person within reach to render assistance, then a three man crew can be used. In reality, this is still a four man crew but the fourth person can be one of the clients employees or someone else on site.

Think that this is a good compromise or want to discuss it? Go to the discussion board and have your say.