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All of this talk about the discipline of military divers made me remember something about scientific diving. Scientific divers also maintain a discipline which is not expected or required by recreational divers. Technical divers might do well to adopt some practices that would voluntarily limit the rate of progressing from one stage of diving to another. Specifically, I recalled that there is a progression for depth ratings for scientific diving, regardless of past experience in nonscientific diving. (The Diving Safety Officer (DSO) has the authority to override some requirements.) After you have read the requirements, you will see that to progress from one level to another, the diver must go slowly, moving one level at a time, doing a number of supervised dives at the next level. I don't see a way to make this approach mandatory for technical divers, but it seems a sensible approach that many might choose to adopt. The American Academy for Underwater Sciences (AAUS) limits dives to 190' and shallower, but the idea of adding depth experience slowly can carry forward to greater depths as well. I'd be interested in hearing what others think. Incidentally, the reason the AAUS began to enact their own standards was in order to avoid being subject to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations in the manner that commercial divers are subject to OSHA regulations. It took a few years of lobbying to win exemption. Strict adherence to the standards they set, including documentation to confirm adherence helped them gain the exemption. The following is an excerpt from STANDARDS FOR SCIENTIFIC DIVING CERTIFICATION AND OPERATION OF SCIENTIFIC DIVING PROGRAMS of The American Academy of Underwater Sciences. I retrieved this information from the AAUS web site: http://www.aaus.org/downloads/AAUSSTDS.doc "5.41 Depth Certification Levels 5.41.1 Certification to 30 Foot Depth This is the initial permit level, approved upon the successful completion of training listed in Sec. 4.00 and 5.30. 5.41.2 Certification to 60 Foot Depth A diver holding a 30 foot certificate may be certified to a depth of 60 feet after successfully completing, under supervision, 12 logged training dives to depths between 31 and 60 feet, for a minimum total time of 4 hours. 5.41.3 Certification to 100 and 130 Foot Depths A diver holding a 60 foot certificate may be certified to depths of 100 and 130 feet respectively, by logging four dives near the maximum depth category. These qualification dives shall be validated by the signature of two authorized individuals who are divers certified to at least the same depth. The diver shall also demonstrate proficiency in the use of the appropriate Decompression Tables. 5.41.4 Certification to Depths Over 130 Feet A diver may be certified to depths of 150 and 190 feet after the completion of four dives near each depth. Dives shall be planned and executed under close supervision of a diver certified to this depth. The diver must also demonstrate a knowledge of the special problems of deep diving, and of special safety requirements. 5.42 Progression To Next Depth Level A certified diver diving under the auspices of the organizational member may exceed his/her depth certification only if accompanied by a diver certified to a greater depth. Under these circumstances the diver may exceed his/her depth limit by one step. " -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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