514 EM 385-1-1 Chapters 30-37

Sections

30-7. Minimum Plan Requirements.

General Plan Requirements

Submit required documents including Safe Practices Manual, Dive Operations Plan(s), AHA, Emergency Management Plan, Dive Personnel Qualifications, and HEC Procedures to the USACE supervisor for DDC approval or to the KO/COR for DDC acceptance before diving operations start. Keep a copy at the dive site.
For minor changes to the dive mission, the DDC or ADC must review and accept adjustments before continuing. For major changes affecting high-risk activities, a two-person review is mandatory.
Address potential high-hazard conditions in the Dive Operations Plan and AHA if they are expected during the diving operation.

Safe Practices Manual

Contractors and USACE entities are required to develop and maintain a Safe Practices Manual for their diving program. This manual should be readily accessible to the Government representative and all dive team members at diving locations.
Include dive safety procedures, team member assignments, equipment certifications and inspections, and detailed emergency procedures in the manual.
Ensure the manual contains internal safety inspection procedures, compliance policy with 29 CFR 1910, Subpart T, relevant U.S. Navy Diving Manual tables, sample log sheets and dive worksheets, fitness for duty requirements, and administrative records.

Dive Operations Plan

Include comprehensive details in the site-specific plan such as task overview, dive modes, equipment, and anticipated conditions.
Detail anticipated hazards, control measures, and coordination with facility operators for diving in areas with pressure differentials.
For contaminated water diving or surface decompressions with oxygen, include specific procedures, decompression schedules, and safety measures.

Emergency Management Plan

Prepare a plan with locations and contact information for emergency services like recompression chambers, hospitals, USCG Rescue Centers, and emergency transport services.
Detail victim transport procedures and emergency activation methods for the work facility.
Include dive team-specific rescue procedures, detailing member responsibilities and optimal locations for diver removal and first aid before emergency services arrive.

Snorkeling Plan

Create a Snorkeling Plan incorporating the first five points from the Safe Practices Manual section (30-7.b(1) through 30-7.b(5)).
Include an AHA for each specific snorkeling mission, focusing on currents and environmental factors.
Maintain records for snorkeling activities, including snorkeler’s annual physician certifications and an Emergency Management Plan.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

30-5. What document must contractors and USACE entities create, maintain, and make readily accessible to the government and all dive team members?

Safe Practices Manual

Emergency Management Plan

Diving Best Practices Guide

Dive Personnel Qualifications

You forgot to answer the question!

EM 385-1-1 Paragraph 30-7.

30-7. Minimum Plan Requirements.

a.  General Plan Requirements.  (30-7.a)

(1)  The following plans/documents are required for all diving operations (additional documentation may be required depending on the scope of the diving operation).  Submit all documents to the USACE supervisor for approval by the DDC, or to the KO or COR for acceptance by the DDC, prior to commencement of diving operations. Always maintain a copy of these documents at the diving locations.

(a)  Safe Practices Manual (see para 30-7.b).

(b)  Dive Operations Plan(s) (see para 30-7.c).

(d)  Emergency Management Plan (see para 30-7.d).

(e)  Dive Personnel Qualifications (see para 30-3).

(f)  HEC Procedures when applicable (see para chapter 12).

Note. Two USACE Qualified Personnel independently must evaluate the documents prior to acceptance.  The intent is for the DDC or ADC and DSR to accept all
        documentation on a regular basis.  However, due to potential personnel unavailability, a
        DSR is not required and can be substituted by a second DDC or ADC.

Note.  Reviewers should be knowledgeable in the methodologies of the plan being reviewed or must consult with a SME to ensure the Dive Operations Plan and associated AHAs address the unique hazards associated with the dive.

(2)  If for any reason the dive mission is altered:

(a)  The DDC or ADC must review and accept minor to moderate revisions to the accepted dive plan prior to continuing the operation.  These revisions may include differences in time, date, dive team members, work methods, tools used, and other changes that do not affect overall risk.  This review may be conducted electronically or verbally and confirmed in writing after completion of the dive operation.

(b)  A two-person review, as outlined in paragraph 30-7.a, is required for major changes or those which modify high-risk activities prior to continuing the operation or implementing new procedures.  Major changes include modifying pressure differential and HECs adding penetration diving, changing dive equipment modes (that is, from SCUBA to SSA), discovering unexpected, contaminated diving conditions, etc. require a two-person review.

(3)  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, must be specifically addressed in the Dive Operations Plan and AHA when they are anticipated as part of the diving operation.

b.  Safe Practices Manual.  Contractors and USACE Districts/Fleets/Labs/ FOAs/Centers with in-house dive teams must develop and maintain a Safe Practices Manual that encompasses their entire diving program.  The Safe Practices Manual must be available at all times to the Government representative and all dive team members at each diving location.  The Safe Practices Manual must include, as a minimum, the following: (30-7.b)

(1)  Dive safety procedures and checklists.

(2)  Assignments and responsibilities of dive team members.

(3)  Equipment certifications, procedures, and inspection checklists.

(4)  Emergency procedures for fire, equipment failure, adverse weather conditions, and medical illness or injury and specific procedures for:

(a)  Procedures to deal with entrapped or fouled diver, including fouled umbilical
        (suction and entanglement/debris).

(b)  Actions upon loss of vital support equipment.

(d)  Actions upon loss of communication.

(e)  Lost diver plan (SCUBA Operations only).

(f)  Injured diver plan.

(g)  Actions upon discovery of fire.

(h)  Diver blow up or rapid ascent.

(i)  Diver loss of consciousness.

(j)  Injury or illness of member of surface crew with diver in the water.

(5)  Procedures for internal safety inspections (for example, frequency, checklists).

(6)  A complete copy of 29 CFR 1910, Subpart T, and a statement of the employer's policy for ensuring compliance with the standard.

(7)  The appropriate U.S. Navy Diving Manual, SS512-AG-PRO-010 table(s), including as a minimum:

(a)  No-Decompression Limits and Repetitive Group Designation for No- Decompression Air Dives tables.

(b)  Residual Nitrogen Timetables for Repetitive Air Dives.

(8)  A sample of the diving log sheets to be used.

(9)  A sample of the repetitive dive worksheets or equivalent (dive profile method)
    to be used.

(10) An outline of the fitness for duty (including medical) requirements for dive team members.

(11)  An outline of administrative and record-keeping procedures.

c.  Dive Operations Plan.  This plan is a site-specific  overview of all tasks to be performed, dive modes and equipment, site access, etc.  Complex projects involving more than one work task, location, and/or dive team require task-specific dive plans as
part of the overall Dive Operations Plan.  As a minimum, the Dive Operations Plan must contain the following:  (30-7.c)

(1)  Date of dive plan submission.

(2)  Name and contact information for DS preparing the dive plan.

(3)  Names and duties of onsite dive team members, including DS.

(4)  List of diving equipment to be used.

(5)  Type of diving platform to be used.

(6)  Detailed description of the mission:  Identify if and how work will be divided into separate tasks or phases of work.

(7)  Date(s), time(s), duration, and location of operation.

(8)  Diving mode used (that is, SCUBA and/or SSA) including a description of the back-up air supply, as required.

(9)  Diving methodology (for example, mixed-gas, Surface Decompression Using
    Oxygen (SUR D O2)).

(10) Nature of work to be performed by the divers, including tools used and materials to be handled or installed.

(11) Anticipated surface and underwater conditions, to include visibility, temperature, currents, etc., and as appropriate, thermal protection.

(12) Maximum single dive bottom time for the planned depth of dive for each diver.  Calculate altitude adjustments to dive tables for dives made at altitudes of
    1000 feet (304.8 m) or more above sea level.

(13) Identification of topside assistance or support to the dive team (for example, crane operator, lock operator).

(14) Means of direct communication between the dive site and the DDC, project office, the lockmaster or USACE PM, and the COR (if applicable).

(15) Description of the anticipated hazards or concerns and the control measures that will be implemented to control to an acceptable level to include but not limited to the following:

(a)  For diving operations conducted in areas where pressure differentials may exist, the plan must be developed in coordination with the facility operator and address the following:

(a-1)  Identification of all potential exposure points (for example, gate sills, valve openings, holes).

(a-2)  Means for identifying whether control structures and mechanisms are fully in place (for example, measurements of stop gates and openings, valve indicators).

(a-3)  Methods for checking pressure differential openings (for example, observing current/water flow, remote testing of opening area with objects such as rope, sandbags, cinders).

(a-4)  Route the diver will take from staging area to work area.  Include specific mitigations designed to prevent diver and umbilical from running into uncontrolled pressure differential openings.

(a-5)  Procedures for immediate emergency pressure equalization or reduction, if possible.

(a-6)  Procedures for emergency diver extraction or rescue due to pressure differential exposure, including standby diver deployment precautions.

Note. Potential or actual pressure differentials may occur in, but not limited to, locks, dams, spillways, powerhouses, hollow structures, and plant intakes.

(b)  For diving operations conducted in contaminated water, the plan must specifically address the areas below according to SS521-AJ-PRO-010:

(b-1)  Types of contaminants and contaminated water categories (CAT 1, 2, 3, 4).

(b-2)  Levels of protection and protective equipment required.

(b-3)  Contaminated water diver and topside personnel training and qualifications. (

b-4)  Sources of information used to determine water quality.

(b-5)  Dive Station Decontamination Procedures for Divers and Topside Personnel.

(b-6)  Medical evaluation support and post dive monitoring.

(b-7)  Hazardous waste minimization and disposal.

Note.  Hazard scenarios and control measures must be considered for surface, mud- line and sediment, rainfall, points of discharge, and vertical and bottom water contamination (that is, a diver walking, crawling, or working, to include swim fin action that stirs up bottom sediments) as applicable to the operation.

(c)  For diving operations involving surface decompressions with oxygen (SUR D O2) and/or 100% oxygen, the plan must include oxygen-specific decompressions procedures and schedule.

(16) Plans submitted for Contractor operations must also include the name of contractor (and diving subcontractor if applicable), contract number, and names and contact information for key personnel.

Note. Include the following statement in the Dive Operations Plan:  "If for any reason the dive plan is altered in mission, depth, personnel, or equipment, the DDC must be contacted in order to review and accept the alteration prior to actual operation."

d.  Emergency Management Plan.  Prepare an Emergency Management Plan for each dive operation. The plan must include, as a minimum, the following:  (30-7.d)

(1)  Location and phone number of nearest operational recompression chamber, if not located at the dive site, and the DAN emergency hotline number (919-684-9111).

(2)  Location, directions to, and phone number(s) of nearest hospital(s) or available physicians capable of treating dive injuries.

(3)  Location and phone number of nearest USCG Rescue Coordination Center, where appropriate.

(4)  Emergency victim transport procedures including phone numbers of appropriate emergency transport services.

(5)  Procedures and phone numbers or other means of communications to activate emergency services at the facility where the work is being performed.

(6)  Diver rescue procedures conducted by the dive team, including responsibilities of team members, best location(s) where injured divers may be removed from the
water, and best location(s) for performing first aid and stabilization prior to emergency medical support arrival.

e.  Snorkeling Plan.  Develop a Snorkeling Plan based on the requirements of paragraphs 30-7.b(1) through 30-7.b(5).  It must contain, as a minimum, the following: (30-7.e)

(1)  An AHA for each specific snorkeling mission.  Give particular attention to currents and other environmental considerations.  (See para 28-6)

(2)  Records for snorkeling activities, to include:

(a)  Snorkeler’s annual physician certifications.

(b)  Emergency Management Plan.