Boston University Diving Safety
Please return Dive Plan Application forms to: Phillip Lobel, Diving Safety Officer Diving Safety Program, Biology Dept, BU, Boston MA 02215
Phone: (617) 358-45963 DSO Email: plobel@bu.edu
Application for Approval of Dive Plan
Date: For:
PI/Project Supervisor: PI/Project Supervisor Title:
Project Title:
Department: Phone:
Address: Email:
Fax:
Dive Plan Purpose:
List of Dive Team Members: (Continue on separate sheet if needed, see DTM form)
Diver Name (Last, First) Lead Level DepthAuth. EAN DC UH Exp. Date Employment Capacity * Diver Contact
* E= Employee; V=Official Volunteer; N=Uncompensated Non-Employee
Dive Locations:
Brief Description of Activity (continue on separate sheet if needed):
Maximum Planned Depth Dives Per Day: Total Daily Bottom Time: min.
Diving Mode (Life Support): Breathing Gas:
Dive Tables to be used: Dive Computers (where authorized):
Will Any Planned Profiles Entail Decompression Stops, Other Than Safety Stops:
Environment: Platform:
Source of Breathing Gas:
Type of Vessel: Source of Vessel:
Special Equipment Considerations:
Begins:____________ Expires:___________
(6 month maximum)
DSO use only
Plan ID: _______________
DIVING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES Introduction
A diving accident victim could be any person who has been breathing air underwater regardless of depth. It is essential that emergency procedures are pre-planned and that medical treatment is initiated as soon as possible. It is the responsibility of each Boston University Professor to develop procedures for diving emergencies including evacuation and medical treatment for each dive location.
General Procedures
Depending on and according to the nature of the diving accident, stabilize the patient, administer 100% oxygen, contact local Emergency Medical System (EMS) for transport to medical facility, contact diving accident coordinator, as appropriate. Explain the circumstances of the dive incident to the evacuation teams, medics and physicians. Do not assume that they understand why 100% oxygen may be required for the diving accident victim or that recompression treatment may be necessary.
1. Make appropriate contact with victim or rescue as required. 2. Establish (A)irway, (B)reathing, (C)irculation as required.
3. Administer 100% oxygen, if appropriate (in cases of Decompression lness, or Near Drowning). 4. Call local Emergency Medical System (EMS) for transport to nearest medical treatment
facility.
5. Call appropriate Diving Accident Coordinator for contact with diving physician and recompression chamber. etc.
6. Notify DSO or designee according to the Emergency Action Plan of the Boston University. 7. Complete and submit Incident Report Form (Appendix 11) to the DCB of the Boston University and the AAUS (As required in Section 2.72).
8. Complete and submit the appropriate Boston University Accident Report form. List of Emergency Contact Numbers Appropriate For Dive Location:
________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
Document Submittal Information. . .
This summary is provided for information on minimum requirements only. Additional personnel and/or equipment may be required depending on mode of diving equipment, tasks and weather conditions.
DOCUMENT SUBMITTALS
a. Required a minimum of 15 days prior to commencement of diving operations.
b. Dive Plan Package-
(1)Dive Plan
(2)Emergency Management Plan
(3)Activity Hazard Analysis
c. All dive related submittals to be sent/forwarded to BU Diving Safety Officer (DSO).
d. Dive logs or photocopies of logs shall be submitted to the DSO upon completion of project.
DIVE PLAN PACKAGE
1. Dive Plans. The Dive Plan is basic information concerning the specific dive operation. The purpose of the dive, the mode of diving equipment to be used, diver assignments and rotation, expected conditions, maximum depths, and expected bottom times, etc.
A dive plan shall be developed by the PI for each diving operation. Project specific information needed to write the dive plan will be obtained from the DSO. This plan must be approved by the DSO prior to commencement of operations. The dive plan will be reviewed, in detail, at the pre-dive conference. All dive plans will become a part of the program file. As a minimum, the plan will contain the following:
a. Purpose of dive.
b. Names of dive team members with their assignments clearly defined.
c. Date, time, and location of dive.
d. Diving mode utilized, i.e., surface-supplied air, mixed-gas, SCUBA.
f. Expected surface and underwater conditions, to include visibility, temperature, currents, equipment operating or shut down, etc.
g. Maximum depth and bottom time to include planned or possible decompression times.
h. Planned rotation of divers to maximize diver utilization and minimize exposure to health risks (barotrauma, hypothermia, etc.).
i. The following statement shall be included on each dive plan:
If, for any reason, the dive plan is altered in mission, depth, personnel, or equipment, the
BU DSO shall be contacted and shall review any revision prior to actual operation.
2. Emergency Management Plan. The Emergency Management Plan is information developed to deal with accidents after they occur. Location and phone numbers of
emergency medical services, hyperbaric chambers and transport services. Very important is a "victim transport plan" to evacuate the victim from the divesite to a place where emergency medical service can be accessed. Procedures and phone numbers or other lines of communication to activate emergency services at the facility where work is being performed.
a. Emergency Information. The PI will ensure the following specific emergency information is available at the dive site:
(1) Location and phone number of nearest operational recompression chamber if not located at dive site.
(2) Location and phone number(s) of nearest hospital(s).
(3) Location and phone number of nearest U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center.
(4) Description of an emergency victim transport plan including phone numbers of appropriate ambulance services.
(5) Procedures and phone numbers or other lines of communications to activate emergency services at the facility where the work is being performed.
b. Procedure to deal with entrapped or fouled diver.
c. Actions upon loss of vital support equipment.
d. Actions upon loss of gas supply.
e. Action upon loss of communication.
g. Injured diver plan.
h. Actions upon discovery of fire.
3. Activity Hazard Analysis. The third part of the dive plan package is designed to identify hazards and solutions before the project is started. Project Hazard Analysis, Job Safety Analysis or Activity Hazard Analysis, whatever you call it, it represents the dive team's best efforts to identify and reduce the exposure to risks in the work place. These risks can be from hazardous marine life, environmental causes, equipment breakdown, or other unexpected circumstances.
a. The Analysis should be job-specific.
b. Identify the successive steps or phases of work.
c. Identify the potential hazards associated with each step.
d. Eliminate or reduce the hazard to acceptable levels. This can be by modifying
equipment, changing practices or methods, or even as simple as altering work schedules.
Each PI and graduate student shall address the potential hazards associated with their phase of work. Sometimes that means a redundancy when dealing several PI’s and graduate students. But, experience shows that often, members of the dive team don't see the original Activity Hazard Analysis that was submitted by the lead PI prior to the start of the project. Having a comprehensive Analysis is assurance that the members of the dive crew are thinking of safety independently - that all safety and work hazards, not just dive-related hazards, are recognized.
Each phase of work should have three areas addressed.
First, general boat and diving precautions that apply to all activities: response to bad weather, fire protection and others. Also important is personal protective devices such as lights, whistles, floats/sausages, strobes, etc if necessary.
Next is general diving safety considerations. For example, vessel traffic in the vicinity of the dive site, access to and from the water, loss of communications with diver, equipment failure, etc.
Third comes more task-specific information, e.g. hazards associated with
collecting marine life, unknown oceangraphic (tides etc) conditions, specific boat types and dive considerations.
One of the primary benefits of an Activity Hazard Analysis is that many people get an opportunity to analyze the work before the start of the project. The PI, planner or dive supervisor that created the document, the DSO, and since the Analysis is an important
part of the pre-dive conference, the personnel that are about to perform the work. Because of the several reviews, the analysis should be considered a "living document." Everyone associated with the project should have the opportunity to make additions.
DIVE TEAM PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS
a. Physical exam as defined by AAUS (divers & standby divers).
b. First aid, CPR and Oxygen Provider certification from an authoritatively recognized agency (all personnel).
c. AAUS certifictaion with the level of experience necessary to perform tasks under expected conditions (all personnel).
