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

Oxygen Supply Systems

• 19 (1) Where an oxygen supply system is to be used in a diving operation, the diving contractor who conducts the diving operation shall use or permit to be used only an oxygen supply system the design of which complies with the requirements that:

  • (a) the use of hoses and piping be kept to a minimum;

  • (b) the materials used be compatible with oxygen at the pressures and temperatures for which the oxygen supply system is designed;

  • (c) the possibility of contamination of the oxygen by other gases, and vice versa, be minimized;

  • (d) high-velocity flows of oxygen be avoided;

  • (e) the differential pressure throughout the oxygen supply system be kept as low as is practicable; and

  • (f) quick-shut-off valves not be installed in the oxygen supply system except for one-quarter-turn valves that are connected to lines with reduced oxygen pressure and that may be used in an emergency.

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

  • (a) any oxygen storage area for the diving operation is

    • (i) adequately ventilated,

    • (ii) properly identified with warning signs,

    • (iii) equipped with a fire suppression system,

    • (iv) kept clear of and located as far as practicable away from combustible materials, and

    • (v) if located in an enclosed area, equipped with an oxygen detector and an alarm designed to give warning of oxygen levels in excess of the concentration of oxygen in the ambient air;

  • (b) any person responsible for handling or otherwise dealing with oxygen is specially trained in that work; and

  • (c) oxygen is transferred using only pumps, compressors or pressure differential systems that are

    • (i) recommended for that purpose by the manufacturer,

    • (ii) operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and

    • (iii) operated by a person authorized to do so by the supervisor of the diving operation.

Breathing Mixture Supply Systems

20 A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall use or permit to be used in the diving operation only a breathing mixture supply system that is so designed that

• (a) any interruption of the supply of breathing mixture to a person will not affect in any manner the supply of breathing mixture to any other person; and

• (b) any failure of the primary supply of breathing mixture to a person will not affect in any manner the supply of breathing mixture to that person from that person’s bale-out gas bottle or from the reserve referred to in subparagraph 22(1)(a)(ii).

21 No diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall use in the diving operation an on-line gas blender or diver’s gas recovery system unless, at all times that the blender or recovery system is in use,

• (a) there is a buffer tank in use downstream of the blender or recovery system, as the case may be;

• (b) the blended breathing mixture is constantly analysed for its oxygen content; and

• (c) the quantity, referred to in clause 22(1)(a)(iii)(C), of appropriate breathing mixture bypassing, in an emergency, the blender or recovery system, as the case may be, is available for immediate use.

Quantity and Quality of Breathing Mixture

• 22 (1) No diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall conduct or permit the commencement or continuation of the diving operation unless

  • (a) the total quantity of appropriate breathing mixture that is available at any time during the diving operation consists of

    • (i) an adequate quantity to complete the diving operation,

    • (ii) a reasonable quantity for a reserve supply, and

    • (iii) for use in an emergency, an additional supply that is

      • (A) in the case of a diving operation in which a diving bell is used, a sufficient quantity to meet the needs of the occupants of the diving bell for a minimum of 24 hours,

      • (B) in the case of a diving operation in which an ADS is used, a sufficient quantity to meet the needs of the occupants of the ADS for a minimum of 48 hours,

      • (C) in the case of a diving operation in which an on-line gas blender or diver’s gas recovery system is used, a sufficient quantity to allow the divers to continue, interrupt or discontinue the diving operation safely, and

      • (D) in the case of a diving operation in which a surface compression chamber is used, a quantity that is twice the amount required to pressurize the surface compression chamber to a pressure equivalent to the pressure at the greatest depth in respect of which the surface compression chamber will be used in the diving operation;

  • (b) the purity of the breathing mixture is of an acceptable standard; and

  • (c) the quantities referred to in subparagraphs (a)(ii) and (iii) are available for immediate use at a flow rate, temperature and pressure that are safe for the user.

• (2) No diving contractor shall conduct a diving operation unless

  • (a) any breathing mixture to be used in the diving operation is

    • (i) analysed for the accuracy of its oxygen content and, where practicable, its other contents immediately prior to the commencement of the dive that is part of the diving operation, and

    • (ii) supplied at temperature and humidity levels that are safe; and

  • (b) the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the breathing mixture to be used in the diving operation are maintained at levels that are suitable for the type, depth and duration of the diving operation.

Evacuation, Rescue and Treatment Facilities

• 23 (1) A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall provide for the availability of evacuation, rescue and treatment facilities and devices that

  • (a) are suitable for the type, depth and duration of the diving operation and for the environmental conditions under which the diving operation is conducted; and

  • (b) have been approved in accordance with section 5 for the diving program of which the diving operation is a part.

• (2) The evacuation, rescue and treatment facilities and devices referred to in subsection (1) shall be available

  • (a) for use by persons involved in the diving operation as quickly as possible and within the period of time for which the life-support system of the surface compression chamber, diving bell or ADS used in the diving operation is capable of maintaining the life of the occupants; and

  • (b) where practicable, on site.

Medical Services

24 A diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall

• (a) ensure that at all times during the diving operation each diving crew involved in the diving operation includes a hyperbaric first-aid technician available on the craft or installation from which the diving operation is conducted;

• (b) arrange for the services, on a 24 hour a day basis, of a specialized diving doctor, referred to in paragraph 4(3)(d), who is familiar with the diving procedures to be used in the diving operation and who is within a travelling distance of the diving operation that is acceptable to the Minister, to provide medical assistance in the event of an emergency;

• (c) ensure that an adequate means of communication exists on a 24 hour a day basis between

  • (i) the diving station, or

  • (ii) the craft or installation from which the diving operation is being conducted

  and the specialized diving doctor referred to in paragraph (b); and

• (d) locate the nearest surface compression chamber that is compatible with the equipment used in the diving operation and that is suitable for the type, depth and duration of the diving operation to be conducted and shall make arrangements for the use of that surface compression chamber in the event of an emergency.

Craft in Dynamically Positioned Mode

25 No diving contractor who conducts a diving operation shall use or permit to be used a craft in the dynamically positioned mode in the diving operation unless that use was specifically approved in accordance with section 5 for the diving program of which the diving operation is a part and the following requirements are complied with:

• (a) the craft is so designed and constructed that

  • (i) more than one prime mover is available for each fore, aft and thwartship thruster,

  • (ii) in the event of the failure of any prime mover or manoeuvring unit of the craft, the position of the craft can be maintained during the period it would take for the safe recovery of divers,

  • (iii) the arrangement of the thrusters and their size and number enable, in the event of the loss of any thruster of the craft, the heading and the position of the craft to be maintained within the environmental and operational capacity limits of that craft for the time it takes to safely recover any skip, diving bell or ADS used in the diving operation,

  • (iv) for each manoeuvring unit necessary to maintain the craft in the dynamically positioned mode, other than the propellers and energy plant units, there is a reserve duplicate unit and an automatic and a manual system to switch from the on-line unit to the duplicate unit,

  • (v) the supervisor on duty at the diving station on the craft can, by means of an alarm system connecting the bridge of the craft to the diving station on the craft, be kept informed by the person who controls the dynamic positioning system of any station-keeping problems or any other problems that might affect the safety of the diving operation,

  • (vi) a computer system controls the dynamic positioning of the craft and another independent, duplicate computer system is available to take over control automatically in the event of failure of the on-line computer system,

  • (vii) there are on line at least two reference systems independently linked into each computer system referred to in subparagraph (vi),

• (b) during any time that a person involved in the diving operation is in the water

  • (i) a person who is responsible for the navigation of the craft and a person who is responsible for the control of the dynamic positioning system are in the control room of the craft,

  • (ii) the machinery spaces of the craft, except those in the pontoons of a semi-submersible craft, are manned, and

  • (iii) in any one manoeuvre, the craft is not moved more than 5 m or the heading of the craft is not changed more than 5°, whichever is the lesser movement in relation to the location of the dive site of the diving operation; and

• (c) any person who is responsible for the control of the dynamic positioning system of the craft has at least six months experience using both the manual and the automatic modes of that particular system or, where that is impracticable, of a similar system, and at least two weeks briefing by the designer or manufacturer of the craft on the behaviour and hydrodynamics of that craft when operating in the dynamically positioned mode.

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.