Commercial diving
Commercial diving may be considered an application of professional diving where the diver engages in underwater work for industrial, construction, engineering, maintenance or other commercial purposes which are similar to work done out of the water, and where the diving is usually secondary to the work.
In some legislation, commercial diving is defined as any diving done by an employee as part of their job, and for legal purposes this may include scientific, public safety, media, and military diving.
Applications of commercial diving
Offshore diving
Offshore diving is a well known branch of commercial diving, with divers working in support of the exploration and production sector of the
Equipment used for offshore diving tends to be surface supplied equipment but this does vary depending on the nature of the work and location.[3] For instance Gulf of Mexico-based divers may use wetsuits whereas North Sea divers need drysuits or even hot water suits due to the temperature of the water.[4]
Civil engineering diving
The equipment used does depend on the nature of the work and location, but normally surface oriented surface-supplied diving equipment is used. Saturation diving may be used for major projects in deep water, and scuba may occasionally be used for inspections or light work where the regulations or code of practice permit.[citation needed]
Construction and repair
Construction:
Concrete work:
- Clearing and preparation. waterjetting, In-water surface cleaning. Shuttering and formwork, bagwork. Reinforcement. Underwater concrete placement - Tremie, pumped concrete, skip placement, toggle bags.
- Concrete repair: Grouting
Fixing bolts: Drilling and core drilling
Pipe installation (Outfalls) Pipeline support and protection, Mattresses,
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Inspection and non-destructive testing
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Hazmat diving
Typical work involves diving into raw sewage or dangerous chemicals, such as
- The divers may need to be .
- Suitable equipment and competent personnel are required for decontamination of the diver and diving equipment after a dive.
- Emergency procedures appropriate to the specific hazmat environment must be planned and equipment and personnel in place to safely recover the diver if something goes wrong.
- Personnel must be monitoredafter exposure for possible long term effects.
The tasks a diver may be required to do in a contaminated environment include:[citation needed]
- Essential maintenance of underwater valves and sluice gates.
- Repairing damaged pipelines.
- Pollution control work to contain, control and clean up after a pollution incident.
- Sampling activities, such as those performed by United States Environmental Protection Agency.[6] units specializing in polluted water diving, and the Environmental Response Team dive units.[7]
- Diving in landfill sites to maintain the pumping equipment, vital in preventing landfill sites from filling up with rainwater and contaminating the water table.
- Maintenance and repair work inside functioning sewers , sewage treatment works, or working in septic tanks.
- Maintenance and repair work in nuclear plant.
- Miscellaneous repairs and finding lost objects.
- Finding and recovering corpses after crimes, accidents and disasters. - This work is usually done by police divers and public safety divers, though military divers may be called in to assist for major incidents.
Potable water diving
Potable water diving is diving in a
Salvage diving
Salvage diving is the diving work associated with the recovery of all or part of ships, their cargoes, aircraft, and other vehicles and structures which have sunk or fallen into water. In the case of ships it may also refer to repair work done to make an abandoned or distressed but still floating vessel more suitable for towing or propulsion under its own power.
Most salvage diving is commercial work, or
Ships husbandry diving
Ships husbandry is the maintenance, cleaning,[9] and general upkeep of the hull, rigging, and equipment of a ship, and may also refer to aspects of maintenance which are not specifically covered by the technical departments.[10]
Underwater ship husbandry includes:
- : 2–3, 5
- Non-destructive testing and inspection including fouling surveys, inspection of known or suspected damage to structure, equipment or coatings, and inspection of repairs. [11]: 2, 4
- Underwater repair of structure, appendages, and equipment, and small areas of paintwork.[11]: 2, 4, 5
Equipment
Diving suit
Depending on the water temperature, depth and duration of the planned dive, the diver will either use a
Breathing apparatus
A number of factors dictate the type of breathing apparatus used by the diver.[14] Typical considerations include the length of the dive, water contamination, space constraints and vehicle access for support vehicles.[5] Commercial divers will rarely use scuba equipment for occupational health and safety reasons.
Scuba diving
Surface-supplied diving
This is the most common type of equipment used in professional diving, and the one most recognised by the public. Surface-supplied equipment can be used with
Saturation diving
If the diver is to work at fairly constant depths for periods which would require long periods for decompression, the diver may temporarily live in a pressurised surface habitat called a saturation system, and be transported under pressure in a
Training and registration
In most jurisdictions the diving training and certification is the same for all branches of commercial diving, but specialist training may be needed for specific work skills associated with the application.[18]
Diver training is the set of processes through which a person learns the necessary and desirable skills to safely
Diver training is closely associated with diver certification or registration, the process of application for and issue of formal recognition of competence by a certification agency or registration authority.[20] Commercial diver certification is generally in terms of a diver training standard published by a national government organisation or department, or an international organisation of which such national bodies are members. Training standards specify the mode of diving, equipment and scope of operations for divers registered in terms of that standard. International recognition of professional diver certification may require registration through a national government agency or an agency appointed by a national government for this purpose.[20][21][22]
Work skills specific to the underwater environment may be included in diver trailing programmes, but are also often provided independently, either as job training for a specific operation, or as generic training by specialists in the fields.[20]
Demographics
US Bureau of Labor occupational employment statistics for May 2019 for commercial divers, excluding athletes and sports competitors, law enforcement personnel, and hunting and fishing workers. The national employment estimate is 3,420 employees, at a mean annual wage of $67,100 and mean hourly rate of $32.26 for this occupation, Actual rates can vary from about half to about twice these figures. Employment is concentrated in coastal states.[23] These figures are slightly higher than for 2017.
International commercial diving co-ordination and regulatory organisations
Association of Commercial Diving Educators (ACDE)
The Association of Commercial Diving Educators, Inc. is a section 501 (c) (3) organization established in 1979 to communicate between industry and schools which provide commercial diver training. Membership includes US public and private educational organisations.[24]
Goals:[citation needed]
- To promote consistency and quality of commercial diver training amongst member schools.
- To provide oversight and quality assurance of the ANSI/ACDE-01-2015 National Training Standard.
- To communicate and participate with local, state and federal authorities, business, commerce and industry in the development and maintenance of high standards and sound policies in the field of diving education.
- To provide academic and training expertise to government training agencies and commercial diving industries and their representative organizations.
Member Schools
- The Ocean Corporation [citation needed]
- Divers Academy International[25]
- International Diving Institute [citation needed]
- Commercial Diving Academy [citation needed]
- Louisiana Technical College [citation needed]
The ANSI/ACDE-01-2015 Minimum Standard for Commercial Diver Training was revised and approved by ANSI in 2015.[24]
Association of Diving Contractors International
Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI)
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International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA)
The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) is the international trade association representing offshore, marine, and underwater engineering companies. Contractors, suppliers, training establishments, personnel agencies and non-voting corresponding organisations (oil companies, governmental and regulatory bodies) can become members in one or more of the four divisions (Diving, Marine, Offshore Survey, Remote Systems & ROV).[citation needed]
International Diving Schools Association (IDSA)
IDSA[26] was formed in 1982 with the primary purpose of developing common international standards for commercial diver training
The Association is concerned with offshore, inshore and inland commercial diving and some specialist non-diving qualifications such as diving supervisors, diving medical technicians and life support technicians. It has published international diver training standards[27] based on the consensus opinion of members which provide a basic standard of comparison for commercial diver training standards, with the stated intention of:-
- Improving safety
- Providing contractors with a direct input to the diver training syllabus
- Enabling contractors to bid across national borders on a more even playing field
- Improving diver quality
- Providing divers with greater job opportunities
IDSA provides a Table of Equivalence of various national commercial diver training standards.[28]
International Diving Regulators and Certifiers Forum (IDRCF)
The International Diving Regulators and Certifiers Forum (IDRCF) confirmed its principals and purpose at their meeting in London in September 2009. The statement of principals and purpose states “The forum has agreed to work together towards mutual recognition to identify and implement best practice in diver training and assessment with the objective of harmonising cross-border diver training outside Europe.” Members of the IDRCF include ADAS (Australia), DCBC (Canada), HSE (UK), PSA (Norway), and the Secretariat General to the Sea Progress Committee (France).[citation needed]
European Diving Technology Committee
The European Diving Technology Committee (EDTC) is tasked with promoting good standards for diving within Europe and where practicable, coordinating differing standards. As part of this work they publish high level minimum competence standards for inshore and offshore diving industry personnel as guidance for member states to encourage harmonisation of standards and facilitate international recognition of commercial diver qualifications.[29]
Safety record
Commercial diving remains a relatively dangerous occupation, but the rate of fatal accidents has decreased over the years.
Statistics of fatal commercial diving accidents in the UK between 1996 and 2010 compiled by the HSE UK[30]
All workers in UK | 0.5 | |
Service sector | 0.3 | |
Construction | 2 | |
Extractive industries | 4 | |
Agriculture | 8 | |
Offshore diving | 20 to 30 | |
Inshore diving | 30 to 60 |
References
- ^ a b "Diving Regulations 2009". Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 – Regulations and Notices – Government Notice R41. Pretoria: Government Printer. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2016 – via Southern African Legal Information Institute.
- ISBN 978-0950824260.
- ^ Ward MF (2006). "A Comparison of Surface-Supplied Diving Systems for Scientific Divers". In Lang, MA; Smith, NE (eds.). Proceedings of Advanced Scientific Diving Workshop. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Archived from the original on 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
- ^ a b c d e Beyerstein, G (2006). "Commercial Diving: Surface-Mixed Gas, Sur-D-O2, Bell Bounce, Saturation". In Lang, MA; Smith, NE (eds.). Proceedings of Advanced Scientific Diving Workshop. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b c US Naval Sea Systems Command (2004). "Guidance for diving in contaminated waters". US Navy Contaminated Water Manual. SS521-AJ-PRO-010. Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Region 10 Dive Team". United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ Staff (31 August 2016). "Environmental Response Team Dive Team". United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ISBN 978-0-9674305-7-7.
- ^ Nelson, Mark. "Ship's Husbandry". Jackspeak of the Royal Canadian Navy. ReadyAyeReady.com. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- ^ Staff. "1: Hull Maintenance". Ship Husbandry (PDF). Royal Australian Navy Apprentice Training Establishment.
- ^ a b c "Underwater Ship Husbandry: Nature of Discharge (EPA-842-R-99-001.)" (PDF). Phase I Final Rule and Technical Development Document of Uniform National Discharge Standards. United States Environmental Protection Agency. April 1999. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- ^ US Environmental Protection Agency Guidance For Contaminated Environment Diving
- ^ Nishi, R. Y. (1989). "Proceedings of the DCIEM Diver Thermal Protection Workshop". Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toronto, CA. DCIEM 92-10. Archived from the original on 2009-07-21. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ US Navy Diving Manual, 6th revision. United States: US Naval Sea Systems Command. 2006. Archived from the original on 2008-05-02. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- ^ a b Junker, DL & Mazzone, RW (1996). "Evaluation of Diving System International (DSI) KMB-28B Bandmask". US Navy Experimental Diving Unit Technical Report. NEDU-TR-10-96. Archived from the original on 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Stanek, SJ & Hedricks, CS (2003). "Evaluation of the KMS 48 Full Face Mask with the Viper Very Shallow Water Underwater Breathing Apparatus". US Navy Experimental Diving Unit Technical Report. NEDU-TR-03-06. Archived from the original on 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Wilkins, JR (2006). "US Navy Diving Program: Diving to 300 Ft Depths Using Surface-Supplied and Saturation Fly-Away Diving Systems". In Lang, MA; Smith, NE (eds.). Proceedings of Advanced Scientific Diving Workshop. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b Diving Advisory Board. Code Of Practice Inshore Diving (PDF). Pretoria: The South African Department of Labour. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- ^ Gerth, WA (2006). "Decompression Sickness and Oxygen Toxicity in US Navy Surface-Supplied He-O2 Diving". In Lang, MA; Smith, NE (eds.). Proceedings of Advanced Scientific Diving Workshop. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Archived from the original on 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b c d Diving Advisory Board (2007). Code of Practice for Commercial Diver Training, Revision 3 (PDF). Pretoria: South African Department of Labour. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-07. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ^ Staff. "ADAS Qualifications". ADAS official website. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
- ^ "Diver training certificates – IMCA acceptance criteria". International Marine Contractors Association. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ^ "Occupational Employment Statistics". bls.gov. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Association of Commercial Diving Educators". www.acde.us. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- ^ "Home". www.diversacademy.edu/. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ International Diving Schools Association official website http://www.idsaworldwide.org/ accessed 13 September 2013
- ^ Staff, IDSA,(2009), International Diver Training Certification: Diver Training Standards, Revision 4, October 2009 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Accessed 13 September 2013 - ^ Staff, IDSA, (2012)The IDSA Table of Equivalence: A List of Schools teaching the IDSA Standards together with their National equivalent 6 January 2012, http://www.idsaworldwide.org/docs/toe2012.pdf Archived 2014-08-25 at the Wayback Machine accessed 13 September 2013
- ^ EDTC (16 June 2017). Inshore and Offshore Diving Industry Personnel Competence Standards (draft) (Report). European Diving Technology Committee.
- ^ staff (7 October 2016). Annex 1, The year that has passed, 4. European Commercial Diving (PDF). Minutes of EDTC 2016 Annual Meeting (Report). Tallinn, Estonia: European Diving Technology Committee. Retrieved 28 June 2017.