On Tuesday, March 27, 2001 8:18 AM, Lee Bell wrote:

> > So what was the Dixie Divers Variance all about?

> Darned if I remember.  I seem to recall that it had something to do with
the
> gas used on particular dives, nitrox versus air, but I'm not sure whose
rule
> it was that was being violated, needed to be changed, etc.  I would guess
> that it was a certification agency rule, but to be honest, I don't
remember
> enough about it to be able to do more than guess.

Actually - and because of the passage of time - I wasn't altogether certain
about it either!  :-)

But there's reams of stuff about it at the OSHA website:
http://www.osha.gov/

Essentially it related to a chain of recreational dive stores seeking
exemption from an OSHA regulation governing the way that diving operations
were conducted.  (As I recall there were also a few behind-the-scenes
political issues in applying for the exemption.)

Strike