Certification for Offshore Divers
IMCA is not directly involved in the training of divers, although its members are obviously concerned with ensuring the proper training and competence of such safety-critical personnel.
Under the IMCA International Code of Practice for Offshore Diving (IMCA D 014), IMCA recognises the following lists of diver training certificates for those working offshore world-wide. This list is set out in an information note, which is available for download at the foot of this page.
Surface-Supplied Diver Certificates
- Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme Part 3
- Canadian Category 1 Diver
- Canadian Surface Supplied Mixed Gas Diver to 70m
- Canadian Unrestricted Surface Supplied Diver to 50m
- French Class 2 Mention A
- India - Commercial Surface Supply Course, Kochi (post September 2002)
- Netherlands Part 1 - Surface Dependent Diver (issued up to 2002)***
- Netherlands Certificaat Duikarbeid Categorie B***
- New Zealand Construction Diver Part 3**
- Norwegian NPD surface diver
- South African Class II
- TSA or MSC Basic Air Diving
- UK HSE Surface Supplied (with offshore top up)
- UK HSE Part I
- UK Transitional Part I (issued between 1/7/81-31/12/81)
- IMCA Surface Supplied Diver:
- Certificates issued with the approval of IMCA by four organisations - Diving Diseases Research Centre, Interdive, KB Associates and the National Hyperbaric Centre - following competence assessment of experienced divers in accordance with IMCA D 26/01. The approval of these three organisations was given following a detailed review of their assessment procedures. These organisations are required to inform IMCA before any assessments are performed.
- Certificates issued under the 'Verification of experienced ACDE surface supplied and bell divers' undertaken by The Ocean Corporation with the approval of IMCA.
Closed Bell Diver Certificates
- Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme Part 4
- Canadian Category 3 Diver*
- Canadian Bell Diver
- French Class 3 Mention A
- Netherlands Part 2 - Bell Diver (issued up to 2002)***
- Netherlands Certificaat Duikarbeid Categorie C***
- New Zealand Construction Diver Part 4**
- Norwegian NPD Bell Diver
- South African Class 1
- TSA or MSC Bell Diving
- UK HSE Part II
- UK HSE Closed Bell
- UK Transitional Part II (issued between 1/7/81-31/12/81)
- IMCA Bell Diver:
- Certificates issued under the 'Verification of experienced ACDE surface supplied and bell divers' undertaken by The Ocean Corporation with the approval of IMCA.
* This list has been updated to remove Canadian Category 2 diver - category 2 refers to a mixed gas diver who may have no training or experience in closed bell diving, so it is not considered an appropriate qualification
** New Zealand certificates have also changed, with those in use previously having been withdrawn. The above lists have been updated to show the new Part 3 and Part 4 certificates in place of those previously recognised.
*** Netherlands certificates changed with the introduction of the Arbeowet regulations. The previous certificates 'Part 1' and 'Part 2' have been replaced by 'Category 1' and 'Category C' from January 2003.
Diver Training in the USA
IMCA also recognises ACDE certificates issued by US training schools which are accredited by the Association of Commercial Diving Educators (ACDE) in respect of training/assessment performed in accordance with US Standard ANSI/ACDE-01-1993 and its successor standard ANSI/ACDE-01-1998. These schools are independently audited and certificates from them can be accepted as showing suitable basic training. Subsequent diving experience needs to be demonstrated by logbook entries. A list of currently accredited schools can be found at www.acde.us
No other diver training certificates are currently recognised by IMCA.
This information is also available as a downloadable IMCA information note (IMCA D 03/08).
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