Canada Oil and Gas Diving Regulations (SOR/88-600)
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Regulations are current to 2024-04-01
PART IVDiving Safety Specialists
26 (1) No operator, pursuant to paragraph 6(1)(a), or diving contractor, pursuant to subsection 9(1), shall engage the services of a person as a diving safety specialist unless the person holds a diving supervisor’s certificate that is issued pursuant to section 71 and that is appropriate to the category of dive in respect of which that person will be giving advice and
(a) has passed a test that
(i) is acceptable to the Minister; and
(ii) indicates that the person has an adequate knowledge of the safety, personnel, technical, operational, management, marketing and regulatory aspects of diving operations appropriate to the category of diving supervisor’s certificate that person holds; or
(b) until December 31, 1990, has satisfied the Minister that the person’s knowledge is equivalent to the knowledge described in paragraph (a).
(2) A person who has been engaged as a diving safety specialist for a diving program by an operator, pursuant to paragraph 6(1)(a), shall
(a) advise the operator on all safety aspects of the diving program including
(i) the application for authorization, under paragraph 3.2(1)(b) of the Act, for the diving program,
(ii) any application made by the operator for authorization pursuant to subsection 12.2(1) of the Act, and
(iii) any decision by the operator to interrupt or discontinue the diving program or any portion of the diving program for safety reasons; and
(b) be available on a 24 hour a day basis to advise any person involved in the diving program, including persons making decisions affecting the safety of divers involved in the diving program, on the safety aspects of the diving program.
(3) A person who has been engaged as a diving safety specialist for a diving operation by a diving contractor, pursuant to subsection 9(1), shall
(a) advise the diving contractor on all safety aspects of the diving operation; and
(b) be available on a 24 hour a day basis to advise any person involved in the diving operation, including any person making decisions affecting the safety of divers involved in the diving operation, on all safety aspects of the diving operation.
(4) A diving safety specialist referred to in subsection (2) or (3) shall, in advising any person pursuant to those subsections, take into account as a primary consideration the safety of any divers involved in the diving program or diving operation, as the case may be.
PART VSupervisors
Supervision of a Category I Diving Operation
27 No person shall supervise a category I diving operation unless the person
(a) has been appointed in writing pursuant to paragraph 9(3)(a);
(b) has been certified to be medically fit
(i) to dive, in accordance with paragraph 53(b), or
(ii) to supervise by a medical doctor who has examined the person not more than 12 months prior to the date on which the diving operation is to be conducted and who has recorded the results of the examination on a medical examination record in the form set out in Schedule V, or another form acceptable to the Minister, and in a diving supervisor’s medical certificate in that person’s supervisor’s logbook, referred to in section 51;
(c) holds a valid diving supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to section 28, 30, 32 or 71, or a valid document that is
(i) issued by a country other than Canada on the basis of training and experience that are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to section 28, 30 or 32, and
(ii) acceptable to the Minister; and
(d) has satisfied the diving contractor who conducts the diving operation that
(i) the person has sufficient diving and supervisory experience and adequate knowledge in the use of the diving plant and equipment to be used in the diving operation, or a similar type of diving plant and equipment, and the breathing mixture to be used in the diving operation, and is familiar with the relevant provisions of the procedures manual referred to in paragraph 4(4)(a) and the contingency plan referred to in paragraph 4(4)(i) to be used in the diving operation, and
(ii) the person’s involvement in the diving operation is in no way contrary to any restriction, pursuant to section 35, in that person’s supervisor’s certificate or attached to that person’s document referred to in paragraph (c).
Category I Diving Supervisor’s Certificate
28 (1) The Minister may, on application, issue a category I diving supervisor’s certificate that is valid for one year to a person who
(a) has
(i) been, for at least three years, the holder of a category I diving certificate issued pursuant to section 54 or 71, or a document that is
(A) issued by a country other than Canada on the basis of training and experience that are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to section 54, and
(B) acceptable to the Minister,
(ii) been, during the 12 months preceding the application, an assistant diving supervisor for at least 16 category I dives and has supervised at least two real or mock incidents involving decompression sickness,
(iii) submitted to the Minister a letter of recommendation that is in the form set out in Schedule VI and is signed by a diving contractor or operator and by a diving supervisor, and
(iv) passed a test acceptable to the Minister for a category I diving supervisor’s certificate;
(b) held a category I diving supervisor’s certificate that was issued pursuant to this subsection but is no longer valid because it was not renewed pursuant to subsection (2) and who meets the requirements of subparagraphs (a)(ii) and (iii); or
(c) until December 31, 1990, has satisfied the Minister that the person’s training and experience are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to paragraph (a).
(2) The Minister may, on application by the holder of a category I diving supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to subsection (1), renew the certificate for a period of one year where the holder of that certificate has supervised at least 12 category I dives and at least two real or mock incidents involving decompression sickness during the 12 months preceding the application.
Supervision of a Category II Diving Operation
29 No person shall supervise a category II diving operation unless the person
(a) has been appointed in writing pursuant to paragraph 9(3)(b);
(b) meets the criteria set out in paragraphs 27(b) and (d); and
(c) holds a valid diving supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to section 30, 32 or 71, or a valid document that is
(i) issued by a country other than Canada on the basis of training and experience that are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to section 30 or 32, and
(ii) acceptable to the Minister.
Category II Diving Supervisor’s Certificate
30 (1) The Minister may, on application, issue a category II diving supervisor’s certificate that is valid for one year to a person who
(a) has
(i) been, for at least two years, the holder of a category II diving certificate issued pursuant to section 56 or 71, or a document that is
(A) issued by a country other than Canada on the basis of training and experience that are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to section 56, and
(B) acceptable to the Minister,
(ii) been, during the 12 months preceding the application, an assistant diving supervisor for at least six category II dives and 10 category I dives and has supervised at least two real or mock incidents involving decompression sickness,
(iii) submitted to the Minister a letter of recommendation that is in the form set out in Schedule VI and is signed by a diving contractor or operator and by a diving supervisor who holds a category II or III diving supervisor’s certificate, and
(iv) passed a test acceptable to the Minister for a category II diving supervisor’s certificate;
(b) held a category II diving supervisor’s certificate that was issued pursuant to this subsection but is no longer valid because it was not renewed pursuant to subsection (2) and who meets the requirements of subparagraphs (a)(ii) and (iii); or
(c) until December 31, 1990, has satisfied the Minister that the person’s training and experience are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to paragraph (a).
(2) The Minister may, on application by the holder of a category II diving supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to subsection (1), renew the certificate for a period of one year where the holder of that certificate has supervised at least 12 dives, of which at least six were category II dives, and has supervised at least two real or mock incidents involving decompression sickness during the 12 months preceding the application.
Supervision of a Category III Diving Operation
31 No person shall supervise a category III diving operation unless the person
(a) has been appointed in writing pursuant to paragraph 9(3)(c);
(b) meets the criteria set out in paragraphs 27(b) and (d); and
(c) holds a valid category III diving supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to section 32 or 71, or a valid document that is
(i) issued by a country other than Canada on the basis of training and experience that is equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to section 32, and
(ii) acceptable to the Minister.
Category III Diving Supervisor’s Certificate
32 (1) The Minister may, on application, issue a category III diving supervisor’s certificate that is valid for one year to a person who
(a) has
(i) been, for at least two years, the holder of a category III diving certificate issued pursuant to section 58 or 71, or a document that is
(A) issued by a country other than Canada on the basis of training and experience that are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to section 58, and
(B) acceptable to the Minister,
(ii) been, during the 12 months preceding the application, an assistant diving supervisor for at least 16 dives of which at least two were saturation dives and six were category II dives and has supervised at least two real or mock incidents involving decompression sickness,
(iii) submitted to the Minister a letter of recommendation that is in the form set out in Schedule VI and is signed by a diving contractor or operator and by two diving supervisors each of whom holds a category III diving supervisor’s certificate, and
(iv) passed a test acceptable to the Minister for a category III diving supervisor’s certificate;
(b) held a category III diving supervisor’s certificate that was issued pursuant to this subsection but is no longer valid because it was not renewed pursuant to subsection (2) and who meets the requirements of subparagraphs (a)(ii) and (iii); or
(c) until December 31, 1990, has satisfied the Minister that the person’s training and experience are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to paragraph (a).
(2) The Minister may, on application by the holder of a category III diving supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to subsection (1), renew the certificate for a period of one year where the holder of that certificate has supervised at least 12 dives of which at least one was a saturation dive and at least six were category II dives and has supervised at least two real or mock incidents involving decompression sickness during the 12 months preceding the application.
Supervision of an ADS Diving Operation
33 No person shall supervise an ADS diving operation unless the person
(a) has been appointed in writing pursuant to paragraph 9(3)(d);
(b) meets the criteria set out in paragraph 27(b) and subparagraph 27(d)(ii);
(c) has satisfied the diving contractor who conducts the diving operation that the person has sufficient pilot and ADS supervisory experience and adequate knowledge in the use of the type of ADS to be used in the diving operation and is familiar with the relevant provisions of the procedures manual referred to in paragraph 4(4)(a) and the contingency plan referred to in paragraph 4(4)(i) to be used in the diving operation; and
(d) holds a valid ADS supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to section 34 or 71, or a valid document that is
(i) issued by a country other than Canada on the basis of training and experience that are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to section 34, and
(ii) acceptable to the Minister.
ADS Supervisor’s Certificate
34 (1) The Minister may, on application, issue an ADS supervisor’s certificate that is valid for one year to a person who
(a) has
(i) been, for at least three years, the holder of a pilot’s certificate issued pursuant to section 65 or 71, or a document that is
(A) issued by a country other than Canada on the basis of training and experience that is equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to section 65, and
(B) acceptable to the Minister,
(ii) made at least 20 ADS dives with a total bottom time of at least 80 hours, and
(iii) submitted to the Minister a letter of recommendation that is signed by a diving contractor or operator and by an ADS supervisor and that is acceptable to the Minister;
(b) held an ADS supervisor’s certificate that was issued pursuant to this subsection but is no longer valid because it was not renewed pursuant to subsection (2) and has supervised at least 10 ADS dives with a total bottom time of at least 25 hours during the 12 months preceding the application; or
(c) until December 31, 1990, has satisfied the Minister that the person’s training and experience are equivalent to the training and experience required of a person to obtain a certificate pursuant to paragraph (a).
(2) The Minister may, on application by the holder of an ADS supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to subsection (1), renew the certificate for a period of one year where the holder of the certificate has supervised at least six ADS dives with a total bottom time of at least 20 hours during the 12 months preceding the application.
Restrictions Respecting Supervisor’s Certificate and Document
35 (1) The Minister may insert in a supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to section 28, 30, 32, 34 or 71, or attach to a document referred to in subparagraph 28(1)(a)(i), 30(1)(a)(i), 32(1)(a)(i) or 34(1)(a)(i), restrictions with respect to the supervision of a diving operation by the holders of the certificate or the document where the Minister considers such restrictions necessary for safety reasons.
(2) Where the Minister inserts a restriction in a certificate or attaches a restriction to a document, pursuant to subsection (1), the Minister shall give the holder of the certificate or the document, as the case may be, an opportunity to show cause why the restriction should not be so inserted or attached.
Invalidation of Supervisor’s Certificate
36 (1) The Minister may invalidate a supervisor’s certificate issued pursuant to section 28, 30, 32, 34 or 71 where, in the opinion of the Minister, the holder of the certificate has become incompetent or incapacitated.
(2) Where the Minister proposes to invalidate a supervisor’s certificate pursuant to subsection (1), the Minister shall give the holder of the certificate at least 30 days’ notice in writing setting out the reasons for the proposed invalidation and shall give the holder an opportunity to show cause why the certificate should not be invalidated.
Duties of Supervisors
37 (1) No diving supervisor shall, in a diving operation supervised by the diving supervisor, permit a person to make
(a) a category I dive in the diving operation unless the person meets the criteria set out in section 53, 55 or 57;
(b) a category II dive in the diving operation unless the person meets the criteria set out in section 55 or 57; or
(c) a category III dive in the diving operation unless the person meets the criteria set out in section 57.
(2) No ADS supervisor shall, in an ADS diving operation supervised by the ADS supervisor, permit a person to make an ADS dive in the diving operation unless the person meets the criteria set out in section 64.
(3) No supervisor shall, in a diving operation under his supervision, permit a person to be involved in the diving operation where the supervisor believes on reasonable grounds that the person is unfit to be involved in that diving operation or that the involvement of that person in the diving operation could compromise the safety of other persons involved in the diving operation.
(4) A diving supervisor shall plan dives in such a manner that the total bottom time of a diver supervised by the supervisor does not exceed, in any 24 hour period,
(a) in the case of a category I dive
(i) five hours at depths of 20 m or less, or
(ii) three hours at depths of more than 20 m;
(b) in the case of a category II dive, three hours; and
(c) in the case of a category III dive, eight hours.
(5) A diving supervisor shall plan a diving operation in such a manner that, where practicable, a diving bell is used in the diving operation for any dive to a depth of more than 30 m that requires surface decompression.
(6) An ADS supervisor shall ensure that a pilot supervised by the supervisor does not remain underwater, in any 24 hour period, for more than a total of eight hours.
(7) A supervisor shall ensure that, following a dive under his supervision, the diver or pilot who made the dive has an adequate rest period.
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