Dive technician competence and training

Version history

May 2024 Rev. 2.3 – New IMCA guidance document template applied; no change to content

June 2023 Rev. 2.2  – Appendix I replaced with link to the IMCA website

April 2018 Rev. 2.1  – Addition of review box and inclusion of updated Appendix I extracts

May 2013 Rev. 2 – Updated to clarify further the training and competence requirements for dive technicians

April 1997 Rev. 1 – Updated to reflect changes to IMCA diving guidance documentation
1995 D 1/95 – Initial publication

Contents

• Dive Technician Competence and Training
  • Trainees
  • Dive Technician
  • Senior Dive Technician
• References

Summary

Equipment used to support and conduct diving operations requires technicians for its installation, maintenance, inspection, testing and repair. The correct functioning of the equipment is essential to the well-being of the divers and other members of the dive team. Contractors who use the services of dive technicians have an obligation to ensure that personnel are correctly trained and have the required level of competence for the equipment and in the operations they are conducting.

The level of training required and the level of competence for an individual will depend upon the complexity and range of equipment they are to work on. It should be recognised that some recent innovations in dive systems’ design and their components may require expertise in areas that would not have been necessary in the past (e.g. increasing use of programmable logic controllers (PLCs)). It is clear therefore that the contractor (or party responsible for the diving plant and equipment) needs to define the training and competence requirements for the dive technicians.