IMCA members have noted that standards of communication in offshore projects vary and are often not uniform in style, resulting in some confusion and communication difficulties.

The variation in standards can be from project to project or even between different work sites operated by the same company, sometimes in the same operational areas of the globe. In addition, a number of users of communication equipment have not had any specific training in its use, particularly in the use of radio. Clearly ships' officers have that training (although they can also fall into bad habits!), but other members of project teams often do not. Also, company procedures are sometimes difficult to implement when non-company personnel are involved. These factors clearly have implications in relation to safety.

The purpose of this guidance is thus to assist those personnel who:

• have not received training; or
• work where good practice has not been followed; and
• to assist companies in establishing communication procedures in line with best practice.

This document forms the first part of general IMCA guidance on operational communications and deals with communications between bridge and the dive station. It is intended that further documents will produced, relating to different working areas