Press Release

IMCA ADDS TO SAFETY GUIDANCE FOR DIVING OPERATIONS

The commitment of IMCA - the International Marine Contractors Association - to serving the safety interests of the offshore diving industry globally continues with the publication of guidance on two topics - surface supplied mixed gas diving; and cross-hauling of diving bells.

Throughout the world, oil and gas operators/contractors are making a point of opting to use diving contractors who are IMCA members and who, therefore, comply with IMCA's International Code of Practice for Offshore Diving, and with the additional and highly relevant guidance notes that the association publishes from time to time on topics as varied as personnel competence to equipment maintenance and best practice operational guidance to standard audit formats. IMCA is also currently undertaking a review of diver training strategy, to ensure its relevance to and topicality for the international offshore diving community.

"Both new guidance publications have been developed at the instigation of our very active Asia-Pacific Section," explains IMCA's Technical Director, Jane Bugler. "Both topics are of particular relevance that region, but equally the guidance is applicable throughout the world."

The IMCA guidance on surface supplied mixed gas diving operations using a mixture of helium and oxygen as the breathing gas. Identifying good practice, the guidance pays special attention to safety considerations - covering operational limits, personnel requirements for divers, supervisory and manning levels, risk assessment, equipment need and failure, and recovery of an injured diver.

Surface supplied mixed gas diving guidance

Surface supplied diving using a mixture of helium and oxygen as the breathing gas can be used to increase the range of surface diving operations without the use of saturation techniques, but the technique is not however, intended to be used as an effective alternative to saturation diving. The dive plan for the use of surface supplied mixed gas diving needs to consider all the relevant safety implications of using this technique instead of a closed bell. The restricted bottom time in the deeper range results in it only being suitable for a limited range of work, such as short duration inspection dives or simple tasks such as disconnecting a wire. Copies of the new guidance cost £10 to non-members.

The cross-hauling of diving bells guidance

Diving bell cross-hauling is a technique used to get the diving bell closer to the work site when the distance between the bell at its normal deployment position and the work site makes diving operations either unsafe or impractical even with the use of an extended umbilical.

The cross-hauling technique, whether on barges, diving support vessels (DSVs), platforms or structures can be divided into two main categories - either the static line or the winch operated method. The new IMCA publication provides guidance on both methods with a useful and detailed drawing showing the crosshauling sequence on a barge and also looks at general safety considerations, principles, deployment, personnel, communications, and emergency procedures. This new publication costs £10 to non-members.

"It shows our 'joined up thinking' when, in the background note to the guidance we explain that more detailed guidance on examination, testing, certification and other requirements is given in IMCA D 018 'Code of Practice on the Initial and Periodic Examination Testing and Certification of Diving Plant and Equipment' and in IMCA D 024 'Diving Equipment Systems Inspection Guidance Note (DESIGN) for Saturation Diving Systems (Bell)'," explains Jane Bugler. "Our numerous niche guidance notes all fit together like pieces of a jigsaw to ensure ever higher levels of safety are achieved."