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503 EM 385-1-1 Sections 27-34
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Contractor Diving Operations Documentation

30.A.13 The following documents are required for all Contractor diving operations. All documents will be reviewed and found acceptable by two of the following: DDC/ADC/DSR, prior to start of diving operations.

A little NAVFAC humor.

Contractors must submit the documents to the DDC through the Contracting Officer (KO). Additional documentation may be required depending on the scope of the diving operation:

  1. Safe Practices Manual; > See Section 30.A.15.
  2. Dive Operations Plan(s); > See Section 30.A.16.
  3. AHA to cover all aspects of the job; > See Section 30.A.17.
  4. Emergency Management Plan; > See Section 30.A.18.
  5. Dive Personnel Qualifications. > See Sections 30.A.05 - 30.A.09.

Note: The above review requirement is that two USACE Qualified Personnel independently evaluate the documents prior to acceptance. The ADC may substitute for either the DDC or DSR in the review and/or acceptance process if these personnel are not available at the time of review.

30.A.14 A Dive Operations Plan, AHA, emergency management plan, and personnel list with qualifications will be developed for each separate diving operation.

  1. These documents will be submitted to the DDC through the KO for review, and found acceptable, prior to commencement of diving operations and will be at the diving location at all times. Each of these documents will become a part of the project file.
  2. Potential high-hazard conditions, such as penetration diving, contaminated environment diving, dives outside the no decompression limits, and in areas where differential pressure entrapment hazards exist, will be specifically addressed in the Dive Operations Plan and AHA when they are anticipated as part of the diving operation.
These USACE Aptim contractor SCUBA divers are prepared for a dive.
  1. Diving in contaminated water is prohibited for all USACE projects unless supporting documentation is provided that demonstrates that divers and topside personnel are not exposed to, or will be protected from, known or potential contamination hazards that would pose a chronic or acute health risk.
    • (1) All divers and topside personnel must be trained, equipped and resourced to dive in contaminated water.
    • (2) The dive plan must be accepted by the GDA within 10 business days prior to dive operations and must specifically address the areas below in accordance with the U.S. Navy Guidance For Diving In Contaminated Waters, SS521-AJ-PRO-010 located at the U.S. Navy SEA 00C3 website:
      • (a) Types of contaminants and Category (CAT 1, 2, 3, 4). Additional hazard scenarios and control measures must be considered for surface, mud-line/sediment, rainfall, points of discharge, and vertical and bottom water contamination (i.e., a diver walking/crawling/working including swim fin action that stirs up bottom sediments);
      • (b) Levels of protection and protective equipment;
      • (c) Contaminated water diver and topside personnel training and qualifications;
      • (d) Sources of information used to determine water quality;
      • (e) Dive Station Decontamination Procedures for Divers and Topside Personnel;
      • (f) Medical evaluation support and post dive monitoring;
      • (g) Hazardous waste minimization and disposal.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

30-4. What is the requirement when divers cannot be protected from chronic or acute health risks while diving in contaminated water?