Diving Facility

SCUBA diving is a normal part of research at the University of Rhode Island. All diving operations are under the control of the URI Diving Control Board. Divers must be authorized by the DCB before beginning any diving activities. The University of Rhode Island is an organizational member of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences. For information contact the Diving Safety Officer, Mark Gustafson, at 401/874-6205, fax 401/874-6574.

How to Become a URI Diver

ENTRY LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

Individuals wanting to obtain authorization must first be certified by a nationally recognized SCUBA organization. Documentation of this certification, a medical examination, and current certification in First aid, CPR and Emergency Oxygen Administration must be submitted on application. An open water evaluation and written exam are required before authorization can be granted. Application and medical forms can be downloaded in PDF format. Medical and Application Forms

Medical Examination

The applicant for authorization shall be deemed by a licensed physician to be medically fit for diving before proceeding with the training as designated in Sec. 3.20 (see Sec. 6.00 and Appendices 2 through 6 URI Research Diving Manual). Conditions which may be disqualifying.

EVALUATION

The applicant for authorization shall be certified by a national recognized SCUBA organization. Applicants must successfully plan and execute 5 open water dives for a minimum total time of 2-1/2 hours bottom time over the previous year. The applicant must satisfy the Diving Officer or their designee of their ability to perform the following (refer to appendix 13 URI Research Diving Manual), as a minimum, in sheltered water:

1. Enter and exit the water while wearing full SCUBA gear.

2. Demonstrate clearing of facemask and regulator while submerged.

3. Demonstrate buddy breathing as both donor and recipient, with and without a facemask.

4. Demonstrate understanding of underwater signs and signals.

5. At the surface rescue and transport, as a diver, a passive simulated victim of an accident for a distance of 100 yards.

6. Demonstrate ability to remove and replace equipment while submerged.

7. Kick on the surface 100 yards while wearing SCUBA gear, but not breathing from the SCUBA unit.

8. Demonstrate ability to achieve and maintain neutral buoyancy while submerged.

9. Navigate underwater.

Upon completion of the open water exercise the applicant's evaluation will be submitted to the Diving Officer to be placed in the diver's permanent file.

Written Examination

The applicant must pass a written examination that demonstrates knowledge of at least the following:


1. Function, care, use, and maintenance of diving equipment.

2. Physics and physiology of diving.

3. Diving regulations and precautions.

4. Near-shore currents and waves.

5. Dangerous marine animals.

6. Emergency procedures, including buoyant ascent and ascent by buddy breathing.

7. Currently accepted "no-decompression," repetitive "no-decompression," and decompression procedures.

8. Underwater communications.

9. Aspects of fresh water and altitude diving.

10. Hazards of breath-hold diving and ascents.

11. Planning and supervision of diving operations.

12. Diving hazards.

13. Cause, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of the following: near drowning, air embolism, carbon dioxide excess, squeezes, oxygen poisoning, nitrogen narcosis, exhaustion and panic, respiratory fatigue, motion sickness, decompression sickness, hypothermia, and hypoxia/anoxia.


CPR Certification, First-Aid and Emergency Oxygen Administration

The applicant must provide proof of current certification by a national recognized organization in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), First Aid and Emergency Oxygen Administration.

Acknowledgment of Manual

Applicants to be authorized as a Research Diver must read the URI Research Diving Manual and have discussed with the Diving Safety Officer all aspects of the material that have confused them.

Application

Application for authorization shall be made to the Diving Safety Officer and the forms downloaded in PDF format. Medical and Application Forms

Medical Requirements

This section deals with the medical requirements for becoming a research diver. The URI Research Diving Program shall determine that divers have passed a current diving physical examination and has been declared by the examining physician to be fit to engage in diving activities as may be limited or restricted in the medical evaluation report. The applicant is required to review the standards as outlined in section six of the Research Diving Manual and complete appendices 2-6.


MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

1. All medical evaluations required by this standard shall be performed by, or under the direction of, a licensed physician of the applicant-diver's choice, preferably one trained in diving/undersea medicine.

2. The diver should be free of any chronic disabling disease and be free of any conditions contained in the list of conditions for which restrictions from diving are generally recommended. (See Section 6.15 URI Research Diving Manual)


Frequency of Medical Evaluations

Medical evaluation shall be completed:

1. Before a diver can begin diving, unless an equivalent initial medical evaluation has been given within the preceding five years (three years if over the age of 40), the Research Diving Program must obtain the results of that examination, and those results have been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Diving Control Board.

2. After that, at five year intervals up to age 40 and every three years after age 40, and every two years after the age of 60.

3. Clearance to return to diving must be obtained from a physician following any major injury or illness, or any condition requiring in-patient hospital care. If the injury or illness is pressure related, then the clearance to return to diving must come from a physician trained in diving medicine.


Information Provided Examining Physician

The Research Diving Program shall provide a copy of the medical evaluation requirements of this standard to the examining physician. (Appendices' 1, 2, and 3).

Content of Medical Examinations

Medical examinations conducted initially and at the intervals shall consist of the following:

1. Release agreement for medical information release to the Diving Officer and the Diving Control Board.

2. General medical history;

3. Diving physical examination and completion of "MEDICAL EVALUATION OF FITNESS FOR SCUBA-DIVING REPORT" (Appendix 3).


Laboratory Requirements for Diving Medical Evaluation and Intervals:

Initial Examination under the age of 40.

1. Medical history.

2. Complete Physical Exam, emphasis on neurological and otological components.

3. Chest X-Ray.

4. Spirometry.

5. Hematocrit or Hemoglobin.

6. Urinalysis.

7. Any further tests deemed necessary by the physician to qualify the patient for SCUBA diving.


Periodic re-examination under age 40 (every 5 years).

1. Medical history.

2. Complete Medical Exam, emphasis on neurological and otological components.

3. Hematocrit or Hemoglobin.

4. Urinalysis.

5. Any further tests deemed necessary by the physician to qualify the patient for SCUBA diving.


Initial exam over age 40:

1. Medical History.

2. Complete Physical Exam, emphasis on neurological and otological components.

3. Assessment of coronary artery disease risk factors including lipid profile and diabetic screening.

4. Resting EKG.

5. Chest X-Ray.

6. Spirometry.

7. Urinalysis.

8. Hematocrit or Hemoglobin.

9. Any further tests deemed necessary by the physician. * Exercise stress testing may be indicated based on risk factor analysis.


Periodic re-examination over age 40 (every three years); over age 60 (every two years).

1. Medical History.

2. Complete Physical Exam, emphasis on neurological and otological components.

3. Assessment of coronary artery disease risk factors including lipid profile and diabetic screening.

4. Resting EKG.

5. Urinalysis.

6. Hematocrit or Hemoglobin.

7. Any further test deemed necessary by the physician. * Exercise stress testing may be indicated based on risk factor analysis.


Physician's Written Report.

1. After any medical examination required by this standard, the Research Diving Program shall obtain a written report prepared by the examining physician, which shall contain the examining physician's opinion of the individual's fitness to dive, including any recommended restrictions or limitations. This will be reviewed by the Diving Control Board, who shall recommend whether the individual should be authorized unconditionally, be authorized as a "Restricted Activity Diver," be required to undergo further testing, or be rejected.

2. The Diving Control Board shall provide the individual with a copy of the physician's written report.

Application for authorization shall be made to the Diving Safety Officer and the forms downloaded in PDF format. Medical and Application Forms

 

 

 

Conditions for which Restriction from Diving is Recommended

(Adapted from Bove, 1998)

1. Abnormalities of the tympanic membrane, such as perforation, presence of a
monomeric membrane, or inability to auto inflate the middle ears.
2. Vertigo including Meniere's Disease.
3. Stapedectomy or middle ear reconstructive surgery.
4. Recent ocular surgery.
5. Psychiatric disorders including claustrophobia, suicidal ideation, psychosis, anxiety
states, untreated depression.
6. Substance abuse, including alcohol.
7. Episodic loss of consciousness.
8. History of seizure.
9. History of stroke or a fixed neurological deficit.
10. Recurring neurologic disorders, including transient ischemic attacks.
11. History of intracranial aneurysm, other vascular malformation or intracranial
hemorrhage.
12. History of neurological decompression illness with residual deficit.
13. Head injury with sequelae.
14. Hematologic disorders including coagulopathies.
15. Evidence of coronary artery disease or high risk for coronary artery disease.
16. Atrial septal defects.
17. Significant valvular heart disease - isolated mitral valve prolapse is not disqualifying.
18. Significant cardiac rhythm or conduction abnormalities.
19. Implanted cardiac pacemakers and cardiac defibrillators (ICD).
20. Inadequate exercise tolerance.
21. Severe hypertension.
22. History of spontaneous or traumatic pneumothorax.
23. Asthma.
24. Chronic pulmonary disease, including radiographic evidence of pulmonary blebs,
bullae or cysts.

Dive Emergency Information

All members of the dive team should be well briefed so that they can take independent action if a diving emergency should occur. The dive team should acquaint themselves with the emergency call-up list and make the necessary telephone calls if an emergency situation arises.

Mark Gustafson, URI DIVING SAFETY OFFICER

Home: 401/625-5341
Work: 401/874-6205
Page: 401/482-8912

Divers Alert Network

919/684-8111

Recompression Chamber, USN Submarine Base, Groton, CT.

Group Two Duty Chamber telephone numbers:
860/694-3676 or 860/694-3929

OTHER IMPORTANT NUMBERS AT THE SUB-BASE:

Chief Petty Officer Barry Hurst
(Home) 860/572-9154
Pager: 860/330-0711

Duty Medical Officer

Chamber: 860/694-2075

Pager: 860/332-4352

Directions to the USN Sub-Base: The recompression chamber at the Groton Sub-Base is approximately 42 miles from the Narragansett Bay Campus; travel time is approximately 50 minutes. Take route 138 west, travel south on route 95, and get off at exit 86. Travel north on route 12. The main entrance into the Sub-Base is on your left, approximately two miles on route 12.

Information that the chamber required from the incoming caller:

  1. Name and telephone number of the caller.
  2. Name and information of the casualty.
  3. ETA to the chamber and method of transportation.
  4. Dive profile of the casualty.
  5. Type of treatment en-route to the chamber.

Diving from the R/V Endeavor

POLICY

Scientific diving is a normal operation from the research vessel Endeavor. All diving from the Endeavor is under the auspices of the University National Oceanographic Laboratory Systems (UNOLS) Research Vessel Safety Standards and the guidelines of the University of Rhode Island (URI) Research Diving Manual. All scientific diving conducted from the Endeavor must be approved by the vessel’s Master and URI’s Diving Safety Officer (DSO). All diving must meet the minimum standards of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS).

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

In a multi-institutional diving cruise, a lead Diving Control Board (DCB) will be designated by agreement of all DCB’s involved. The procedures, rules and regulations that govern diving operations for that particular cruise will be those of the designated lead DCB.

Cruise Planning

An onboard Diving Supervisor will be proposed by the Principal Investigator (PI) and approved by the lead institution’s DCB. It is the responsible of the Diving Supervisor to assure that all scientific diving is conducted in accordance with all applicable regulations. The Principal Investigator (PI) or their designee will supply a detailed dive plan to their DCB, who will forward the dive plan, once approved, to the lead institution’s DCB 90 days before cruise departure. The dive plan will include:

1. Diving credentials for all diving members of the scientific party, including scientific diver certification, current diving physicals, dive logs. Reciprocity exists for scientific divers in good standing between URI and other AAUS organizations (Appendix 8 URI Research Diving Manual).

2. An emergency plan including:

c. accident management and emergency evacuation protocols;

d. a list of medical supplies required;

e. a specified quantity of medical grade oxygen with a positive pressure demand delivery system;

f. request for diving support equipment (e.g., small boats).

3. Forward the approved dive plan to the Chief Scientist and Marine Superintendent.

Cruise Personnel

1. The Master has responsibility for the safety of all activities aboard Endeavor, including diving (Section 14.4 UNOLS Research Vessel Safety Standards).

2. The PI of the diving project is responsible for the planning and coordination of the research diving operations.

3. The Diving Supervisor will be the main point of contact for scientists, technicians and crewmembers participating in research diving. The diving supervisor is responsible for the execution of the research diving operations in accord with the dive plan. He or she has the authority to restrict or suspend diving operations and alter the cruise plan in consultation with the Master and the PI. The diving supervisor’s responsibilities include:

a. Meeting with the Master and Chief Scientist to review the dive plan and emergency procedures prior to any diving activities.

b. Assure that a copy of the URI Research Diving Manual or the lead institution’s Diving Manual is on board, and available to the scientists and crew. The Research Diving Manual and emergency plan should be filed on the bridge.

c. Act, at all times, as supervisor of diving operations. Before diving, divers should submit, in writing, or verbally, a detailed dive plan to the diving supervisor for approval. The dive supervisor will then communicate the plan to the bridge for final go ahead. No diving is to be undertaken without the knowledge of both the Diving Supervisor and the Master or Watch Officer. Failure to follow this procedure can result in revocation of diving privileges for the duration of the cruise.

d. Inspecting high-pressure SCUBA cylinders and breathing air compressors to assure that they meet URI’s standards (Section 5.0 URI Research Diving Manual).

4. Research Divers must recognize their individual responsibility for their safety.

Small Boats

Diving from Endeavor will be supported from one of the vessel’s small boats. Crewmembers or a member of the scientific party can operate small boats. The Master, or their designee, will decide the competency of all boat operators and approve the use of the scientific party members as small boat operators. Whenever divers are in the water, a small boat will be deployed to assist. All small boat operators will be versed in emergency procedures. Small boats will be equipped with a hand-held VHF marine radio and medical grade oxygen with a positive pressure demand delivery system.


DIVING EQUIPMENT

Diving from the Endeavor often reflects the regional and personal preferences of participants from multiple institutions and this is reflected in their equipment choices. Most of the variability in diving equipment does not present a problem, but sometimes this variation can be potentially hazardous. To avoid such incidents, it is the responsibility of the PI to advise URI’s DSO of any significant equipment variations 60 days before cruise departure (Section 5.0 URI Research Diving Manual).

SCUBA Cylinders

Sixty days before cruise departure, certification of a current visual internal inspection (VIP) and hydrostatic testing, performed according to accepted methods, must be supplied by the SCUBA cylinder’s owner, to the Diving Officer. The diving supervisor, in consultation with the appropriate ship’s personnel will secure all SCUBA cylinders aboard Endeavor in an appropriate manner.

Compressed Air

Diving-quality compressed air is available on board the Endeavor in the form of a diving support van. Certification of air quality for all compressors will be supplied to the lead DCB upon request. All compressors are operated in accordance with manufacturers’ specifications and meet AAUS minimum standards.

 

Updated - 03/07/2008