I mentioned in my previous post - in response to a comment made by Lee
Bell - Scientific Diving and the push by Standards Australia for a separate
code to that applying to other categories of occupational diving.

Following is an article highlighting some of the reservations that many of
us had about the wisdom of such a standard. It appeared in November, 1999.

New Draft Standard for Scientific Diving

Ever since UNESCO, in 1961, first recognised diving as a viable tool for use
in oceanographic research and marine archaeology, various attempts have been
made by both training bodies and governments around the world to introduce a
Code of Practice that adequately addresses the safety needs of occupational
diving scientists practising a variety of disciplines.

Often falling through the gaps that exist between Recreational and
Commercial diving practices, there have been few formal requirements to
participate in scientific diving other than the need for a recreational
diving qualification.

This may soon change with the release of a draft document - issued jointly
by  Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand, as part of their series on
occupational diving - inviting comment on proposals to codify Scientific
Diving under one Code of Practice.

Applying only to diving, 'in up to 39-metres depth of water where compressed
air or nitrox is the breathing medium, supplied through either
self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) or surface-supplied
breathing apparatus (SSBA)', the draft Standard sets out proposed
requirements and recommendations covering personnel, organisation and
planning, diving equipment, and diving procedures.

Detailing the competency skills and training requirements, the draft
Standard proposes to recognise three categories of scientific diver: The
Scientific Diver -appropriately trained and certified by a, 'recognised
training and certification organisation', in either SCUBA or SSBA:  A,
Restricted Scientific Diver -  'specifically for unpaid tertiary students
and certain visiting scientific divers .  who are involved in research
requiring diving but who have limited diving experience and who are deemed
by the diving officer of their host institution not to have experience
equivalent to a scientific diver':  And a Visiting Scientific Diver - a
person who satisfies the diving officer that they are trained and
experienced to a level equivalent to the Scientific Diver category.

Although formally entitled, "Occupational diving operations.  Part 2:
Scientific diving.  (To be AS/NZS 2292.2)", the qualification requirements
to become a Scientific Diver, as set out in the document, vary markedly from
those required by other underwater workers.

Whereas other occupational diving categories are required to be trained to a
level equal to or exceeding that specified in the AS 2815 series - and must
hold a valid certificate of competency issued by either: (a) an occupational
diver training establishment; (b) the Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme
(ADAS); or (c) the relevant regulatory authority - only Scientific SSBA
Divers 'using incompressible helmets and band masks', will be required to
have appropriate training as set out in the existing Occupational Diving
Standards, AS2815.2 and AS2815.3 respectively.

All other categories of Scientific Diver, whether using other forms of SSBA,
(including half-face masks and separate demand valve, and 'soft' full face
mask), or SCUBA, will be governed by the proposed Training Competencies
outlined in an appendix to the Draft Standard.

These competencies include theoretical knowledge and practical
demonstrations of emergency procedures, hand and line signals, navigation
and search skills, night and zero visibility diving, lifting skills (there
is no reference to the maximum size of the object to be lifted!), fitness
and deep diving! ('Perform a successful dive to between 15m and 18m and
prepare a dive plan using multiple dive plan tables.'!).

In the case of SSBA, the divers will be required to exhibit knowledge and
practical use of SSBA equipment, air source control panels, pre- and
post-dive checks, and the duties of a diver's attendant.

While it might be argued that a research scientist employed in a fish count
requires - perhaps? - minimal additional underwater skills to those of a
recreational diver, the question does become more problematic when the
person concerned is employed in, for example, a marine archaeological role
necessitating the use of light hand tools, or when there is a need to use
heavy duty lift bags to raise something as weighty and cumbersome as a very
large anchor, (as opposed to a small grab-bag of light artefacts!).  Skills
that are already included in the curriculum's of the accredited occupational
diver training establishments!

Acknowledged internationally as being among the "world's best practice" in
terms of diver competency training, the ADAS scheme, (based on the AS 2815
series and administered by a Department of the Commonwealth Government), has
already established minimum standards for safely working underwater.

Should Scientific Divers be considered a special case whose needs differ
entirely from those of other underwater workers - such as divers employed in
the visual inspection of yacht hulls?  And who will be the, 'recognised
training and certification organisations', tasked with applying and
administering such training?

Issued on the 1st September, and with a closing date for comment of the 31st
October, (a short interval allowing insufficient time to create awareness of
the document - or wide-spread public discussion!) - the draft Australian/New
Zealand Standard for comment, "Occupational diving operations.  Part 2:
Scientific diving. (To be AS/NZS 2299.2)", is available from Standards
Australia,
(snipped)

---ENDS---