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From cDiver - Commercial Diving Wiki

Contents 1 Risks 1.1 Accidents 1.1.1 Diving Accidents 1.1.2 Industrial Accidents 1.2 Pollution 1.3 Delta P 1.4 Explosives and demolition 1.5 Decompression sickness 1.6 Psychological stress 2 Medical Aspects of Diving 2.1 Physical limitations of diving 3 Security 3.1 Transportation Worker Identification Card

Risks

The danger and risk of commercial diving is generally what makes it a higher paid position than comparable topside labor, and it also is what makes commercial diving such an exciting profession. The risk and excitement is also part of the reason people choose to be commercial divers.

Diving today is safer than in the past, but there is real risk involved every time a diver goes underwater or even works topside around heavy machinery. [1]

Accidents

Diving Accidents

There are many factors that contribute to diving accidents, including:

Poorly Maintained Equipment

• regulator knobs that won't turn, mold growing in regulators, deteriorated helmets...

Untrained Personnel

• new tenders should have supervision until they can be trusted and able recognize potential hazards

Failure to Speak Up About Unsafe Situations

• Divers should tell their supervisors about unusual risks. Safety is more important than risk of ridicule or making the dive for financial reasons.

Failure to Perform Proper Job Hazard Analysis

• Dive sup and crew must review all potential risks involved with the dive, and how to minimize risks. [2]

Industrial Accidents

Since commercial divers commonly work in construction or salvage environments, there are many hazards that may not involve diving at all. These industrial accidents are more common than diving accidents.

• Divers need to be aware of the movement of cranes and other equipment on the job.
• Personnel baskets used to transfer crew members can also be a hazard if they swing into the ship while being lowered.
• Storms can possibly sink ships, killing entire crews
• Offshore, lone crew members could be swept off deck and lost at sea if no one else is on deck. [3]

Pollution

Commercial divers who work in harbors, lakes, rivers, or in coastal areas, have a high chance of coming in contact with toxic chemicals or biological hazards. Divers who work underwater without proper protection in polluted environments can absorb toxins through their skin, or they might inhale or swallow droplets of pollutants. Scientific studies have shown that over a series of years, divers who have repeatedly dove with inadequate protection in a polluted environment have contracted a variety of cancers at higher rates than can be explained by other causes.

Proper protection includes a dry suit with mating dry gloves, a helmet that connects directly, and a specialized exhaust system to avoid back-flow of contaminants into the breathing system. Diving in polluted areas also requires special training and procedures. [4]

Delta P

Differential Pressure (Delta P) hazards are a major cause of diving accidents. Working around structures such as dams and pipelines increases the risk of an accident from the pressure differentials. Divers need to be extremely cautious when the area around their bodies is at a higher pressure than what is on the inside of a pipeline or the other side of the dam. There have been many cases of divers being pinned against suction intakes, losing limbs or suffering serious injuries. Differential pressure (Delta P) diving environments have been involved with 2 out of 3 commercial diving fatalities.

Differential pressure (Delta P) situations often exist, for example, at hydroelectric dams or beneath vessels that have a ruptured hull. It is of paramount importance to either eliminate the differential pressure prior to the diver entering the water or to account for such Delta-P situation in the dive plan. [5] Crab Sucked in Pipe Video

Explosives and demolition

Underwater demolition refers to the deliberate destruction or neutralization of man-made or natural underwater obstacles, both for military and civilian purposes. [6]

Decompression sickness

Over time, nitrogen gas dissolves in blood under pressure (Henry's Law). After the dive, ascending too quickly will cause the gas to supersaturate and form bubbles in tissues, depending on the time and depth of the dive.

According to a survey of diving contractor members of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), Decompression illness is not considered to be an issue within the regulated areas of the offshore oil and gas industry today. [7] [8]

Psychological stress

Commercial diving is very demanding on personal life. Depending on where a diver is working, he may be required to spend long periods away from home on short notice. This can create a hardship on marriage and family, and divorce among divers appears to be high. Before entering the commercial diving industry, potential divers should think about the responsibilities involved in the profession. Dive companies are generally not flexible to cater around family needs, except extreme cases such as a death in the family. If family life and spending time with children is a priority, offshore commercial diving probably isn't the best choice as a career. [9]

Medical Aspects of Diving

Physical limitations of diving

There is no real age limit to commercial diving, however it is rare to see an active commercial welder-diver over the age of 50. All commercial divers are recommended (and generally required, depending on the dive company) to pass an annual dive physical. [10]

Security

Transportation Worker Identification Card

TWIC is a common identification credential for all personnel requiring unescorted access to secure areas of MTSA-regulated facilities and vessels, and all mariners holding Coast Guard-issued credentials. Individuals who meet TWIC eligibility requirements will be issued a tamper-resistant credential containing the worker's biometric (fingerprint template) to allow for a positive link between the card and the individual.

Congress directed the federal government, through the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA), to issue a biometric security credential to individuals with unescorted access to secure areas of facilities and vessels and all mariners holding Coast Guard- issued credentials or qualification documents. Controlling access to secure areas is critical to enhancing port security.

During the initial rollout, TWIC will be used for visual identity checks. TWIC holders will present their cards to authorized personnel, who will compare the holder to his or her photo, inspect security features on the TWIC and evaluate the card for signs of tampering. The Coast Guard will conduct vessel and facility inspections and use hand -held readers during spot checks to ensure credentials are valid and identity is verified. A second rulemaking will establish access control requirements, including the use of electronic readers by certain vessel and facility owners and operators.[11]