Diving code

CODE OF PRACTICE

Safety and Health at Work for Industrial Diving

Occupational Safety and Health Branch Labour Department

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CODE OF PRACTICE

Safety and Health at Work for Industrial Diving

Occupational Safety and Health Branch Labour Department
January 1998

2 This Code of Practice is prepared by the Occupational Safety and Health Branch, Labour Department This editionJanuary 1998

This Code of Practice is issued free of charge and can be obtained from offices of the Occupational Safety and Health Branch, Labour Department. It can also be downloaded from website of the Labour Department at http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/os/diving.exe. Addresses and telephone numbers of the offices can be found in website of the Department athttp://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/tele/osh. htm. This Code of Practice may be freely reproduced except for advertising, endorsement or commercial purposes. Please acknowledge the source as “Code of Practice: Safety and Health at Work for Industrial Diving”, published by the Labour Department.
Printed by the Government Logistics Department
(Printed with environmentally friendly ink on paper made from woodpulp derived from renewableforests)

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CONTENTS
1. 1.1 1.2 2. 3. 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 4. 4.1 4.2 4.3 5. 5.1 5.2 6. 6.1 6.2 7. 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 INTRODUCTION Purpose Scope INTERPRETATION RESPONSIBILITIES General Responsibilities of Diving Contractor Responsibilities of Diving Supervisor Responsibilities of Diver DIVING MODES AND COMPETENCE OF DIVERS Depth Limit of Air Diving Diving Modes Competence of Divers MEDICALFITNESS OF DIVER Certificate of Medical Fitness to Dive Physical Fitness of Divers PLANNING AND DIVING RULES Planning and Assessment Diving Rules DIVING SUPPORT Diving Team Breathing Apparatus and Gas Supply Air Supply from Compressor Cylinder Gas Lifeline Communication

7 8 9

12 12 14 15

17 17 19

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22 23

CONTENTS

24 26 26 27 28 29

4 8. 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 GENERALSAFE PRACTICES Pre-dive Practices During-dive Practices Post-dive Practices Equipment Examination and Testing Protection from Cold Diving in Culverts, in Locks, on or near Outfalls and in Pipelines DECOMPRESSION Methods of Decompression Provision of Recompression Chamber Using the Recompression Chamber Decompression Procedures and Tables Treatment of Decompression Sickness EMERGENCY EmergencyProcedures Accidents and First Aid Emergency Calls for Treatment of Decompression Sickness RECORD-KEEPING Diving Operations Log Book Diver's Log Book Plant and Equipment Record REFERENCES 31 32 33 34 35 35

9. 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 10. 10.1 10.2 10.3

37 37 38 39 42

44 45 47

11. 11.1 11.2 11.3 12.

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CONTENTS

5 Appendices Appendix I : RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE FACTORIES ANDINDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE (CAP. 59) Appendix II : ASPECTS WITH RESPECT TO PARTICULAR DIVING MODE A DIVER SHOULD HAVE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE IN Appendix III : MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF FITNESS TO DIVE Appendix IV : MATTERS IN RESPECT OF WHICH PROVISION IS TO BE MADE IN DIVING RULES Appendix V : SPECIFICATIONS OF PURITY FOR COMPRESSED AIR Appendix VI : DIVER DOWN FLAG AND THREE ALL-ROUND LIGHTSAppendix VII : SPECIFICATIONS FOR SURFACE RECOMPRESSION CHAMBER Appendix VIII: SPECIFICATIONS FOR DIVING BELL Appendix IX : MATTERS TO BE ENTERED IN DIVING OPERATIONS LOG BOOK Appendix X : MATTERS TO BE ENTERED IN DIVER'S LOG BOOK 54

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CONTENTS

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 1.1.1

Purpose This Code of Practice on industrial divingdescribes the safe diving practice to be adopted in operations in which persons are employed to work underwater. It is intended to be read by diving contractors, diving supervisors and divers, as well as contractors, proprietors and safety personnel of industrial undertakings in which industrial diving operations are involved. This is an approved code issued by the Commissioner for Labour under Section...