- Home
- Diving Safety and Training
- Diving Standards discussed at CSA meetings in Victoria, BC
Diving Standards discussed at CSA meetings in Victoria, BC
- By © UnderwaterINDUSTRY .com
- Published 04/24/2002
- Diving Safety and Training
- Unrated
Technical sub-committees of the Diving and Caissons Technical Committee of the Canadian Standards Association met in Victoria, BC on April 10, 11, & 12, 2002. The work of the committees was facilitated by David Shanahan of CSA who also ensured that the policies and procedures of CSA were followed to the letter.
The Diving Operations Sub Committee met on Wednesday the 10th of April under the chairmanship of Steve Duffy of the Workers Compensation Board of BC. The revision to the standard CAN/CSA – Z275.2 will replace previous editions published in 1974 & 1982. There were many suggestions for change and much lively discussion of each of them. Some of the more interesting changes included changes to the amount of gas required to be available as a secondary supply; the requirement that no explosive detonator should be in the water when a diver is in the water; divers in hazardous areas shall use only surface supply techniques; SCUBA shall not be used for construction, welding, etc; and the location of the hyperbaric chamber during diving operations was defined. The committee also decided to adopt the diver medical standards of the WCB of BC as a draft standard in order to provoke discussion and to try for a national consensus.
On Thursday April 11th, the Diver Training and School Auditing Requirements Sub-Committee met under the chairmanship of Gord Hay of the Working Divers Institute.
The proposed standard would apply to training & assessment organizations and auditing personnel. It describes the requirements for equipment, training levels and instructor qualifications for each level of competence. It also sets out guidance for the auditing of these organizations.
During a busy day full of lively discussion the committee was able to complete a detailed review of the school auditing requirements and the training standards for unrestricted and restricted surface supply divers.
On April 12th, the Diving Competency Technical Sub-committee met under the chairmanship of John Walley of Seneca College. The diver competency standard (Z-275.4) is about to go to mail ballot, after which it will go for final editing. It could be published as early as August of this year.
This committee has a number of working groups, one of which is to decide if we need a standard for an inshore diving safety specialist.
A second working group relating to standards for the use of Nitrox reported at this meeting. This led to extensive discussions culminating in a request that the working group continue to develop standards for Nitrox diving with SCUBA and surface supply.
On the Friday afternoon The Hyperbaric Chambers Technical Sub-committee met to discuss CAN/CSA Z275.1. Jim Wilson of the CADC agreed to return as interim chair until a permanent chair can be nominated.
Jason Galvin of Advanced Subsea Services reported on the work of his working group relating to standards for portable hyperbaric chambers.
It was noted that some diving contractors had used their chambers for medical treatments unrelated to diving and that such use should be ruled by the main, medical, standard.
It was agreed that transportable hyperbaric chambers for use in support of diving operations should have their own category within the standard. It was also agreed that med-locks would be optional on this type of chamber. Jason and his group agreed to draft a new category for “transportable hyperbaric chambers for use in support of diving operations” for our review at the next meeting.
The next meetings of these sub-committees, and the full technical committee will be held in Toronto in the second week of October, 2002.
Prepared by:
David G. Parkes
Executive Director
Diver Certification Board of Canada
April 24, 2002
Discuss this? Click here!
The Diving Operations Sub Committee met on Wednesday the 10th of April under the chairmanship of Steve Duffy of the Workers Compensation Board of BC. The revision to the standard CAN/CSA – Z275.2 will replace previous editions published in 1974 & 1982. There were many suggestions for change and much lively discussion of each of them. Some of the more interesting changes included changes to the amount of gas required to be available as a secondary supply; the requirement that no explosive detonator should be in the water when a diver is in the water; divers in hazardous areas shall use only surface supply techniques; SCUBA shall not be used for construction, welding, etc; and the location of the hyperbaric chamber during diving operations was defined. The committee also decided to adopt the diver medical standards of the WCB of BC as a draft standard in order to provoke discussion and to try for a national consensus.
On Thursday April 11th, the Diver Training and School Auditing Requirements Sub-Committee met under the chairmanship of Gord Hay of the Working Divers Institute.
The proposed standard would apply to training & assessment organizations and auditing personnel. It describes the requirements for equipment, training levels and instructor qualifications for each level of competence. It also sets out guidance for the auditing of these organizations.
During a busy day full of lively discussion the committee was able to complete a detailed review of the school auditing requirements and the training standards for unrestricted and restricted surface supply divers.
On April 12th, the Diving Competency Technical Sub-committee met under the chairmanship of John Walley of Seneca College. The diver competency standard (Z-275.4) is about to go to mail ballot, after which it will go for final editing. It could be published as early as August of this year.
This committee has a number of working groups, one of which is to decide if we need a standard for an inshore diving safety specialist.
A second working group relating to standards for the use of Nitrox reported at this meeting. This led to extensive discussions culminating in a request that the working group continue to develop standards for Nitrox diving with SCUBA and surface supply.
On the Friday afternoon The Hyperbaric Chambers Technical Sub-committee met to discuss CAN/CSA Z275.1. Jim Wilson of the CADC agreed to return as interim chair until a permanent chair can be nominated.
Jason Galvin of Advanced Subsea Services reported on the work of his working group relating to standards for portable hyperbaric chambers.
It was noted that some diving contractors had used their chambers for medical treatments unrelated to diving and that such use should be ruled by the main, medical, standard.
It was agreed that transportable hyperbaric chambers for use in support of diving operations should have their own category within the standard. It was also agreed that med-locks would be optional on this type of chamber. Jason and his group agreed to draft a new category for “transportable hyperbaric chambers for use in support of diving operations” for our review at the next meeting.
The next meetings of these sub-committees, and the full technical committee will be held in Toronto in the second week of October, 2002.
Prepared by:
David G. Parkes
Executive Director
Diver Certification Board of Canada
April 24, 2002
Discuss this? Click here!