Canada Oil and Gas Diving Regulations (SOR/88-600)

• 10 (1) A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall not permit any person involved in the diving operation to be exposed to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure in a compression chamber used in connection with the diving operation unless

  • (a) not more than 12 months prior to the day of the exposure, a diving doctor has certified that the person is fit to be exposed to the pressure; and

  • (b) copies of the certificate referred to in paragraph (a) are in the possession of the diving contractor and the person.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply

  • (a) to any person who requires therapeutic compression; or

  • (b) in the case of an emergency, to a person who can provide medical treatment, where no person certified pursuant to paragraph (1)(a) is available.

Examination and Testing of Diving Plant and Equipment

• 11 (1) A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall use or permit to be used in the diving operation

  • (a) only diving plant and equipment that has been examined and, where appropriate, subjected to a pressure leak test using an appropriate breathing mixture to a pressure that is not less than six atmospheres absolute and, where the maximum working pressure that may be encountered during any dive that is part of the diving operation is greater than six atmospheres absolute, to the maximum pressure plus one atmosphere

    • (i) not more than three months prior to the day on which it is to be used,

    • (ii) on mobilization and assembly, and

    • (iii) following any repair, replacement or alteration of the diving plant and equipment that might affect its safety;

  • (b) in the case of a compression chamber, only a compression chamber that

    • (i) not more than two years prior to the day on which it is to be used, has been subjected to a pressure leak test to the maximum working pressure of the chamber using an appropriate breathing mixture, and

    • (ii) not more than five years prior to the day on which it is to be used, has been subjected to an internal pressure test of at least 1.25 times the maximum working pressure of the chamber;

  • (c) in the case of a pressure vessel for compressed gases that is not intended to be immersed in water, including compressed air cylinders, only a pressure vessel that has been subjected to

    • (i) a thorough examination and internal pressure test not more than five years prior to the day on which it is to be used, and

    • (ii) an internal inspection for corrosion not more than two years prior to the day on which it is to be used, or such longer period as is determined by the Minister pursuant to paragraph 3.2 (1)(b) of the Act;

  • (d) in the case of a pressure vessel for compressed gases that is intended to be immersed in water, only a pressure vessel that has been subjected to

    • (i) a thorough examination and internal pressure test not more than two years prior to the day on which it is to be used, and

    • (ii) an internal inspection for corrosion not more than one year prior to the day on which it is to be used, or such longer period as is determined by the Minister pursuant to paragraph 3.2(1)(b) of the Act; and

  • (e) in the case of lifting equipment for a launch and recovery system, only lifting equipment that has been tested

    • (i) on first installation and, thereafter, before operational use of the lifting equipment following a repair, replacement or alteration, other than a routine repair, replacement or alteration carried out by a competent person, by means of a functional test, and

    • (ii) every six months following a functional test carried out pursuant to subparagraph (i), by means of a test that tests the capability of the lifting equipment to operate safely under its maximum working load.

• (2) A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall ensure that

  • (a) each examination and test required to be carried out for the purposes of subsection (1) is carried out by or under the supervision of a recognized body and in accordance with an acceptable standard; and

  • (b) where a pneumatic or hydrostatic pressure test is carried out for the purposes of subsection (1), adequate precautions are taken to ensure the safety of the personnel involved, the diving plant and equipment and the craft or installation used in the test.

• (3) A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall keep a register in which are inserted or to which are attached certificates

  • (a) containing details and results of examinations and tests carried out pursuant to subsection (1), and

  • (b) signed by the person by whom or under whose supervision the examinations or tests were carried out,

  and shall retain the register

  • (c) in the case of a register that contains certificates relating to pressure vessels, for at least five years after the day of the last entry in it; and

  • (d) in any other case, for at least two years after the day of the last entry in it.

• (4) A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall not use or permit to be used in the diving operation any diving plant and equipment that is unsafe as determined by an examination or test carried out pursuant to subsection (1).

Diving Plant and Equipment

• 12 (1) A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall not use or permit to be used any diving plant and equipment in the diving operation unless the design thereof is such that

  • (a) it enables divers and pilots to safely enter and leave the water;

  • (b) divers can be safely compressed or decompressed in accordance with the relevant schedule in the appropriate decompression table;

  • (c) where a hot-water system is used as the means of heating a diver, a hot-water reservoir is, where practicable, included in the system; and

  • (d) the body temperature of a diver or pilot can be maintained within safe limits during the diving operation.

• (2) A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall ensure that

  • (a) prior to the time a diver involved in the diving operation enters the water, the diver is provided with

    • (i) a diving harness complete with pelvic support and lifting ring,

    • (ii) a depth indicator that is, where practicable, a type that can be monitored from the surface, and

    • (iii) during any period of darkness or low visibility or where requested by the supervisor of the diving operation, a lamp or other suitable device that indicates the diver’s location;

  • (b) the first-aid supplies listed in Part I of Schedule IV, or equivalent first-aid supplies approved in accordance with section 5 for the diving program of which the diving operation is a part, are

    • (i) packed in such a manner that they fit through the medical lock of any surface compression chamber used in the diving operation, and

    • (ii) kept on the craft or installation from which the diving operation is conducted, except where it is impracticable in a category I diving operation or an ADS diving operation and where the supervisor of the diving operation approves, in which case the supplies may be kept readily available within a travelling distance of the diving operation that is acceptable to the supervisor

    and, where a diving bell or diving submersible is used in the diving operation, the first-aid supplies listed in Part II of Schedule IV, or equivalent first-aid supplies approved in accordance with section 5 for the diving program of which the diving operation is a part, are kept in the diving bell or the compression chamber of the diving submersible;

  • (c) any airtight container used to pack any of the first-aid supplies referred to in paragraph (b) for use in the diving operation has a suitable means of equalizing pressure;

  • (d) where the safe use of the diving plant and equipment depends on the pressure or depth at which it is used, the diving plant and equipment is clearly marked with the maximum working pressure or the maximum depth at which it may be used;

  • (e) any lifeline used in the diving operation has a manufacturer’s breaking strength rating in accordance with an acceptable standard;

  • (f) any gas bottle used in the diving operation is clearly marked with the name and chemical formula of its contents;

  • (g) any winch used in the diving operation to raise or lower a skip, diving bell, diving submersible or ADS

    • (i) is so constructed that

      • (A) a brake or mechanical locking device is applied when the control lever, handle or switch is not held in the operating position,

      • (B) the brakes have the capability of stopping and holding 100 per cent of the maximum working load with the outermost layer of wire on the drum,

      • (C) the brakes engage automatically on loss of power, and

      • (D) the lowering and raising of loads is controlled by power drives independent of the brake mechanism,

    • (ii) is not fitted with a pawl and ratchet gear on which the pawl has to be disengaged before commencing a lowering or raising operation,

    • (iii) is so designed as to prevent the possibility of freeze-up when in operation,

    • (iv) is equipped with a lifting wire capable of withstanding a functional test in accordance with an acceptable standard, and

    • (v) complies with an acceptable standard of construction for winches;

  • (h) any prime mover used in the diving operation to operate lifting equipment for a skip, diving bell, diving submersible or ADS is not used for any other purpose;

  • (i) except where alternative lifting equipment is provided for any skip, diving bell, diving submersible or ADS used in the diving operation, an auxiliary prime mover capable of lifting the maximum working load is provided;

  • (j) where, during the diving operation, a skip, diving bell, diving submersible or ADS is being held in position by a hydraulically operated winch that is not equipped with a mechanical locking device, the hydraulic pumps are kept running during the diving operation;

  • (k) where the Minister so determines, pursuant to paragraph 3.2(1)(b) of the Act, any craft or installation used in the diving operation is equipped with

    • (i) a receiver system that is compatible with the relocation transponder system fitted to any diving bell, diving submersible or ADS that is used in the diving operation, and

    • (ii) a hand-held receiver that is suitable for use by a diver or pilot in achieving a final location and that is compatible with the receiver system on the craft or installation and the relocation transponder system on the diving bell, diving submersible or ADS;

  • (l) any skip, diving submersible or ADS used in the diving operation is equipped with

    • (i) a secondary lifting eye or similar device that is of at least the same strength as the primary lifting eye, and

    • (ii) where practicable, an additional cable in the form of a suitable tag rope so designed that, in the event that the primary lifting cable breaks during a water-air interface transport, the tag rope will not permit the skip, diving submersible or ADS to descend to a depth greater than 25 m,

    and has readily available, for use in an emergency, a secondary lifting cable that has at least the same strength as the primary lifting cable and that is compatible with the secondary lifting eye or similar device;

  • (m) any skip used in the diving operation to transport divers through the water-air interface is

    • (i) large enough to carry, in uncramped conditions, at least two divers with their personal diving equipment,

    • (ii) secured against tipping or spinning,

    • (iii) not encumbered by any equipment that may interfere with an occupant’s foothold or handhold,

    • (iv) equipped with handholds arranged in such a manner that crushed-hand injuries during launch or recovery are avoided,

    • (v) so constructed or equipped that its occupants are secure against falling out of the skip, and

    • (vi) in the case of a skip that is a wet bell, equipped with an additional band mask or full face mask;

  • (n) any diving submersible or ADS used in the diving operation is equipped with

    • (i) a stroboscopic light that is automatically activated in the water and a pinger that operates at a frequency of 37.5 kHz, and

    • (ii) a relocation transponder system that operates at a frequency of 37.5 kHz, where the Minister so determines pursuant to paragraph 3.2(1)(b) of the Act;

  • (o) a secondary source of power that will operate in the event of a failure of the primary source of power is provided for the diving operation, can be brought on-line rapidly and has sufficient capacity to

    • (i) operate the handling system for any skip, diving bell, diving submersible or ADS used in the diving operation,

    • (ii) heat any compression chamber used in the diving operation and heat, for the period required to complete the diving operation, any diver who is involved in the diving operation and who is in the water,

    • (iii) sustain the life-support system of any compression chamber used in the diving operation and of any diver who makes a dive that is part of the diving operation,

    • (iv) illuminate the interior of any compression chamber used in the diving operation, and

    • (v) operate any communication system and monitoring system used in the diving operation; and

  • (p) where any craft is used in the diving operation, there is provided a safe means of ensuring that the craft is, during the diving operation,

    • (i) at anchor,

    • (ii) made fast to the shore or to an installation,

    • (iii) maintained in position using its propulsion system in accordance with section 25, or

    • (iv) used in such a manner as the Minister determines pursuant to paragraph 3.2(1)(b) of the Act or as approved in accordance with section 5 for the diving program of which the diving operation is a part.